Leonie was in a misery of dread. She did not want Rolfe to hurt her. But he was going to beat her. Why else would he take her away from the others?
It did not seem as if he would ever stop, and she wanted it over and done with. She was being allowed too much time to be overcome by her fear. The farther he took her away from the others, the worse became her imagined punishment.
They came to another clearing, the ruins of an old tower centered in it. Rolfe rode toward this, stopping by the crumbling stones to set Leonie on her feet. The place was ominous, stark in the moonlight, but not as ominous as her husband dismounting. He removed his helmet and his gauntlets with slow deliberation. Hemoved toward her and stopped a foot away, his face hard.
“Who told you I was unfaithful?”
She started, disbelieving. The anger was there. His features were harsh with anger, too, his lips in a hard, straight line, but why was he asking such a thing?
“I…do not understand.”
“What did you tell Henry?”
“I—” She gasped, recalling the conversation she had had with the king the day before. Anger rose swiftly. “He had no right to repeat my words!”
“The king’s rights are not under discussion. Who told you I was unfaithful?” Rolfe asked again.
“No one had to tell me,” she retorted. “Do you think I cannot see with my own eyes? Lady Amelia is not your ward. She was never your ward.”
“She means nothing to me,” he said swiftly.
“Is that supposed to set everything right?” Leonie cried. “A man will rut with the serving wench at his neighbor’s house, and she means nothing to him, but that does not mean he is faithful to his wife! He is only more discreet than a man who keeps a mistress under his own roof—for all to see.” She was close to tears.
“Damn me, Leonie, I have not touched another woman since we wed!”
That only stirred her anger. “You touchedme!Have you forgotten you would have taken me to bed at Pershwick without knowing who I was?”
“So!” He looked at her hard, his eyes probing. “You still have not forgiven me for that.”
“I mention it to prove the falseness of your words, my lord. Youhavetouched other women. The fact that Lady Amelia was still sharing your chamber when I was brought back to Crewel proves it.”
He came toward her then with a low growl, but Leonie stood her ground. Even when his fingers bit into her arms and he lifted her off the ground so that they were face-to-face, she did not flinch.
“Tell me why it matters to you, madame.” Rolfe’s voice was dangerously calm. “Did you not say that you did not care how many women I bedded?”
“With discretion.”
“I did not realize there were conditions,” he said sardonically. “So you truly donotcare?”
A lump rose in her throat. “I do not.”
He set her down and turned away. Leonie bit her lips, despising herself.
“Why do you want me to care?” Her voice turned soft.
“A wife should care,” he said quietly.
“A wife should not be insulted with the presence of her husband’s mistress.”
Rolfe swung back around, his body taut with anger. “There was never any insult intended. I have told you she is no longer my mistress.”
“If you wanted me to believe that, my lord, you would send her away.”
“Do not ask that of me, Leonie.”
She swallowed her pride. “Iamasking. If she means nothing to you, then you have no reason to keep her.”
“She does not…want to go,” he said tightly.
