He had no remorse for what he’d done. In fact, Victor was coming to look at the situation as seeking revenge against his cousin for forcing him to marry. Edward could force him to do his bidding all he wanted, but Victor saw an opportunity to fool his cousin, and punish him, and he would take it. The wife he had just acquired was nothing more than a possession and Hage was nothing more than a trained dog to use as he saw fit. Nay, Edward would not have the last word in this marriage– that word would be left up to Victor. His marriage, his rules.
On his wedding night, the Duke of Dorset bedded someone else.
CHAPTER SIX
Kevin heard agasp as he entered the dark room, shutting the door behind him and bolting it.
“Oh!” Annavieve gasped. “My… my lord! What are you doing here?”
It was an accusation, one filled with shock and fear. Kevin turned around to see the woman in the dark, silhouetted by the moonlight that was streaming through the two large windows facing north. Her ill-fitting but beautiful surcoat was laying across the bed, leaving her clad only in her shift, but she quickly grabbed the dress and tried to cover herself with it when she realized that it was Kevin in the room and not the duke. Sensing her panic, Kevin remained by the door.
“Forgive me for startling you, my lady,” he said. But after that, he wasn’t sure what more to say to her so he gestured at the darkened hearth. “May I light your fire, my lady?”
Annavieve was wary and confused by his presence. She didn’t move from her position near the window, holding her borrowed dress up against her like a shield.
“Where is my husband?” she asked.
Kevin could see that she wasn’t going to let him take another step into the room without explaining his presence. He stillwasn’t sure what to tell her but he had to start somewhere. They both had a job to accomplish this night.
“He has been called away,” he told her. “My lady, you and I must have a conversation and it would be much easier if the room was lit and moderately warm. I swear to you that I mean you no harm. May I light your fire now?”
Confusion was turning into bewilderment. Annavieve eyed the enormous knight. “The duke has been called away?” she repeated. “Tonight?”
Kevin nodded. Then, he simply moved to the hearth and dropped to a knee. Collecting peat and kindling from a bucket next to the hearth, he began to prepare the fire.
Annavieve, meanwhile, backed against the wall as the big knight fussed with the hearth. She kept the dress held up in front of her, as if it could protect her from the man. His presence in the room absolutely terrified her even as she thought back to their first meeting when he had so kindly cut her meat for her.
She hadn’t been afraid of him then. In fact, she had thought him quite handsome and chivalrous. It was what happened afterwards, the discussion about Hage and his killer reputation in the Holy Land that sparked the fire of fear within her. What had been intimated around the table had been ominous. Now, that same handsome knight, the killer, was alone with her in her marital chamber and the duke was nowhere to be seen. Her bewilderment was beginning to spark some irritation.
“Wheredid he go?” she asked again. “And why are you here? You had better give me some answers, Sir Knight, or… or I shall scream my head off and hope the entire palace comes running.”
Blowing on the small blaze that was beginning to grow, Kevin fought off a grin. He didn’t know why her breathless demand made him feel like laughing, but it did. Still, she had a point; she had a right to know where her husband had gone but Kevin had no idea what he was going to tell her. What should she say? Thatshe was an unwanted bride? It seemed so cruel to tell her that and, in spite of his hardened heart, Kevin was reluctant to make the woman feel low. Still, this was business. Victor had made it no more personal than a transaction and Kevin struggled to maintain that kind of thinking. That wounded heart, the one he’d spent six years making hard as stone, still had a soft center. He still felt things when he shouldn’t. Brushing his hands off as the fire began to blaze, he stood up and faced her.
“I would hope you would hear me out first before you make a spectacle of yourself, my lady,” he said. “I told you I will not hurt you. Do you not believe my word of honor?”
Annavieve wouldn’t insult the man no matter how fearful she was. “I do, my lord,” she said. “It is simply that… that your presence here is confusing as well as highly irregular. What has happened that you would come here?”
Kevin took a long, deep breath, realizing that, on top of everything, he was extremely weary. He’d been traveling for months and months, and today had been the pinnacle of that travel. Not only had the king demanded to see him, but he received a new liege and also found out his father had died. It was a lot to absorb, even for him, and things were weighing heavily on him. Now, he had to face this situation, an extremely unusual and terrible one. Still, his façade was like stone. He meant it that way, no matter how he was feeling inside.
“I am afraid my presence here is irregular, as you’ve said, my lady,” he said. “Will you please sit on the bed? There is much to tell.”
Annavieve hesitated a moment before doing as she was told. Keeping the dress pulled up around her, she sat on the edge of the bed, nervously, her big eyes riveted to Kevin, who remained by the hearth. He made no move towards her, for she was nervous enough. When he spoke, it was in quiet tones.
“There is no simple way to tell you this so forgive me if I am blunt,” he said. “I am sure you could tell by the duke’s reaction this evening that this marriage is not a welcome one.”
Annavieve nodded, somewhat embarrassed that the duke’s revulsion to her was being pointed out. “Aye,” she said after a moment. “That was obvious. I… I hope he understands that the marriage was not my idea. I was forced into it much as he was.”
Kevin shrugged agreeably. “I am not entirely sure the duke can see beyond his own needs or wants,” he said, “but that is his privilege. We are not to question the man’s motives in any way.”
“I understand.”
Kevin sighed faintly. “That being said, it is with great difficulty that I must bring up the reason for my presence here,” he said. “I am sworn to the duke, just as you are. It is our purpose in life to do his bidding. It seems that the king has ordered the duke to beget you with child and produce an heir to the Dorset dukedom, but the duke has informed me that he has no intention of doing such a thing. Understand that I have no choice in this matter, my lady, and neither do you. The duke has ordered me to consummate his marriage for him with the intention of impregnating you with an heir.”
Annavieve’s eyes widened as the impact of his words hit her. “Y-You…?” she repeated, stunned to the bone. “He… he does not want to… he has toldyouto do it?”
Kevin could see how overwhelmed she was by the mere suggestion. “Aye,” he said quietly. “That is why I am here. For all intents and purposes, I am the duke this night. You will look upon me as such.”
Annavieve’s mouth popped open in outrage, in panic. “I do not believe you!” she gasped. “Who could do such a thing? It… it is barbaric! It is horrible! What kind of man would order another to consummate his marriage? It is impossible!”
