She pivoted away from him and drew closer to the bed, imagining eight bodies tucked beneath the sheets and furs. “I’m afraid it will be a rather tight fit, milord.”
“What?”
“Can ye no picture it? Look closely.”
Alex stood next to her.
“Ye would surely prefer the middle. And I will sleep to yer right, as is my proper place, and Layla, yer favorite concubine, will sleep to yer left. I’m afraid the rest will have to fight for their positions. I doona want the responsibility of keeping track of such things.”
Alex gaped at her. “Keely…”
“I am not happy about it, Alex. I have no choice but to accept the unnatural cravings ye developed in that strange land.”
“Keely.”
“Is Layla beautiful?”
“She is nothing next to ye.”
“What about the… What did ye say?”
“Layla pales in comparison to ye, Keely. All of them do.”
Her heart raced at the rare compliment from Alex. “I-I…”
Alex reached for her hands, cradling them in his. “Did ye not listen to the vow I took belowstairs? Pledging my body to ye?”
“Of course I did. How many men have spoken the same words at their wedding only to break their sacred vow soon after? If I had a choice, I wouldna be here,wewouldna be here.” She started to panic, fear of the unknown growing inside her. How could she trust Alex? It seemed they shared common concerns. And a marriage built on anything but trust was doomed, was it not? “Tis not too late to send me back to my father.” She couldna hide the tears in her eyes. “Please…”
Alex frowned and released her hands. “Keely. Ye disappoint me greatly. Where is the brave woman I married, the one who dinna stumble over her words in front of Father Michael, who accepted her future as my wife?”
“Ye dinna give me a choice!”
“Aye, I did.”
“When?”
“Did anyone force ye into that gown? Make ye stand in front of the priest and my captains? Ye spoke the words, lass—freely.”
Keely covered her face with both hands, struggling to take a steady breath. “Ye threatened me, Alex. Made it abundantly clear that I had no choice but to marry the man ye’d chosen for me. I assumed it was Jamie, not ye.”
“Would ye prefer my cousin?” His eyes narrowed.
“Alex! Why are ye playing games with me? Twisting my words—yer words? So much has happened these last few days. So much pain and death. How could I think clearly?”
“Lass,” he started. “Whether ye know it or not, our fates were sealed long ago. The day we pledged ourselves to one another, was the day we were legally bound.”
“What are ye saying?”
“Tis known as consent—like handfasting. Though we had no witnesses, we spoke the words before God. Yer marriage to John was invalid.”
“I doona believe it.” Feeling faint, she sat on the edge of the mattress, her slippered feet dangling over the floor.
“I dinna accept it very easily either, lass. But Petro is gifted in many ways. He understands law. If ye doubt my word, ye are welcome to summon him to this chamber and question him thoroughly.”
“Now?”
“Aye.”
