Last night in the great hall, Kevin had brought up marriage. He had been drunk and he was well aware of the fact, but that did not lessen the truth that was in his heart. There was an old saying that spoke of wine being the catalyst for truth, and last night that had been the case, only it had been that strong pear cider that had burned holes in his stomach and given him a tremendous headache this morning.
It had also loosened his tongue beyond measure.
Kevin realized, as he looked at her, that he had been serious when discussing marriage with her. Oh, he had passed it off as conversation. He could have used the fact that the pear cider had gone to his head as an excuse, but it really wasn’t an excuse. He’d simply been testing the waters to see what she thought of a marriage to him and he had seen the light of hope in her eyes as he’d spoken of it. Heknewhe had. Even if her words had told him otherwise, her expression had told him that she was agreeable.
He was about to put that belief to the test.
He felt as if his whole life hinged on what would come next.
“Aeron has come to hear from your own lips that you do not wish to marry him and that you are not his woman,” he said after a moment. “Will you tell him that?”
Her gaze drifted to Aeron, now hanging on the portcullis, pressing his face between the slats to get a better look at her.
“Aye,” she said grimly. “I will carve it into his chest if I must.”
The corner of Kevin’s mouth twitched. “I will happily do it for you,” he said. “But it has occurred to me that you may have to do… more.”
“What do you mean?”
“I believe the man will never leave you alone as long as you are unmarried.”
She faltered, confused. “But Iamunmarried.”
“I know,” Kevin said patiently. “But would you be willing to tell him that you are betrothed?”
Over near the portcullis, Aeron suddenly shouted her name, demanding she come to him. Juliandra shuddered with disgust.
“I could,” she said. “But I am not betrothed to anyone and he knows it.”
“You could be betrothed to me.”
Her eyes widened. “A lie to be rid of him?”
“It could be the truth. If you agree to it, of course.”
Aeron was making more demands, distracting her, when she was trying desperately to understand what Kevin was telling her.
“The truth?” she repeated. “I do not…”
Kevin cut her off. “Marry me, Juliandra,” he murmured. “I asked you last night. I am asking you again today. I want you to become my wife not because of Aeron and not because I wish to establish any links to the Welsh, but simply because I feel… Iwantto marry you. Ever since you forced me to be your maid and truss up your dress, I have felt that my place in life is with you. Will you at least not consider it?”
Her mouth popped open in surprise and even as Aeron screamed at her, all she could hear or see was Kevin. The blood rushed to her head, a delightful rush, causing her to feel lightheaded.
She could hardly believe her ears.
“Are you completely serious?” she managed to whisper. “I told you that my father would not…”
He cut her off quietly. “Do not worry about your father,” he said, taking her by the arm and turning her towards the portcullis. “If you wish to tell Aeron you are betrothed, it would not be a lie. I am asking. It would be my greatest honor, Juliandra.”
Suddenly, she was facing the gatehouse and Kevin gave her an encouraging push towards it. She took a few halting steps, processing what Kevin had proposed.
Marriage.
She was stunned.
“Juliandra!” Aeron was practically rattling the portcullis as she came near. “My dearest, are you well? Have the brutes ravaged you?”
Juliandra made it to within several feet of the portcullis and came to a halt. “Aeron,” she scolded. “Why did you come here? You have no right to be here.”
