"No . . ." Leila whispered, shaking tier headin horror. "I cannot believe it. How could anyone be so cruel?"
"Ah, but there's more, my lady. You asked and Ishall tell you . . . everything. Roger didn't stop there. Fueled by his greedand certain that I would never again see the light of day, he seized my landsin Wales and Surrey with de Montfort's blessing, claiming them as his own. Manyof his knights went to live inWarenneCastle, andone of them, Baldwind'Eyvill, became my wife'slover. He remained so secretly, long after I escaped from Kenilworth andrecovered what was mine."
"But you said you had no wife."
"True. She's dead now. Five years ago, Christinethrew herself from a tower window when she heard a false rumor that Baldwin hadbeen killed in a tournament. She left our one-year-old son, Nicholas, without amother."
"You have a son?"
"Yes," Guy answered, stopping his relentlesspacing to stand near the bed. "At least I know that he is mine. Baldwin isswarthy while Nicholas is fair. As soon as I saw the child bawling in themidwife's bloodied arms, I knew he was my son." His breathing was ragged. "Tragedyupon tragedy, though I cannot blame Roger for Christine's death. For that Iblame myself. I should never have agreed to the marriage. It caused her onlypain, for love never grew between us. She died in my arms, cursing me for theunhappiness she had known as my wife."
Stunned by all he was revealing to her, Leila waited amoment before asking, "Was your marriage arranged, then?"
She held her breath as she felt him sit heavily on thebed. With his back turned to her, she had to strain to catch his low-spokenwords.
"No, but it was thrust upon me in such a way thatI felt I could not refuse. Her father,RanulfdeLusignan, trained me from a lad to be a knight. It is acommon thing for a son born into nobility to serve his apprenticeship inanother lord's household.Ranulfwas also a greatfriend of your father's, and Roger became his page when your parents left forthe Holy Land. He treated us as his own sons, for he had none, only a daughterby his first wife. It is a good thing he died before he saw our friendship turnto dust."
"What happened to him?" Leila asked,unconsciously inching across the bed.
"An accident at a tournament.Ranulftumbled from his saddle, catching his foot in the stirrup. Hisdestrierdragged him across the field, and he was fatallyinjured before anyone could rescue him.
"How terrible!"
"Yes, hardly a fitting end for one of England's bravestknights," Guy said dully. "As he lay dying he lamented that Christinewas not yet married. No doubt he feared for her because she had no otherfamily.Ranulfwas twice a widower. Then he claimedit had always been his fervent hope that I inherit what had been his, the manorand castle in Surrey, and his daughter. Choking on his own blood, he demanded Iswear to take Christine for my wife."
The cabin grew very quiet, the only rustling soundsmade by Leila as she slid even closer. "So you swore?" she asked,seeking to nudge Guy from his brooding silence.
"God forgive me, yes, but it wasn't for her richdower. I had already inherited land enough from my father. I owedRanulfso much. He had saved my life several times duringmy hotheaded youth. I could not refuse him." Guy drew a slow, deep breath."It was the strangest thing . . ."
"What? "
"Ranulfchoosing meinstead of Roger. He had never before favored one of us over the other, and hehad long known Roger was enamored of Christine. Yet he made me swear, notRoger."
Leila's intuition wasprickedby this latest revelation. "How long was it afterRanulf'sdeath that your friendship with Roger faltered?"
"A year, maybe less. Christine and I wed almostimmediately and she seemed content until the turmoil brewing in the land begancausing constant separations between us. I think she sensed my heart was not inthe match, though she told me often that she believed I would grow to love her.Sadly, she was wrong. I tried, but it could not be forced. I swore when shedied that I would never marry again except for love."
Leila felt a flush of warmth at his last words.Marrying for love. What a curious notion.
A pointed question flew to her lips, one she wouldnever have been able to ask him if not for the enveloping darkness which lent astrange intimacy to their exchange. "Is this a common practice in yourcountry . . . to marry for love?" She heard him turn in the darkness andknew he was looking right at her, making her heart pound.
"No. Most marriages among the noble class arearranged. But I have learned from experience that tradition does not alwaysserve one well. I will not make that same mistake twice." He fell silent,as ifthinking,then asked quietly yet with a tinge oftension, "Tell me, Leila. Was your proposed marriage to that infidelAl-Aziz an arranged match, as your mother claimed, or one of choice . . . andlove?"
Leila was so startled she almost forgot to breathe.For somereason she did not want to admit her marriage wasarranged, nor that she looked forward to wedding Jamal for any number ofselfish reasons other than love. Instead she swiftly changed the unsettlingtopic.
"Lord deWarenne, yousaid your friendship with my brother faltered less than a year after yourmarriage," she stated in a nervous rush. "Did it never occur to youthat your differences might have taken root atRanulf'sdeath? Perhaps you do not know men's hearts as well as you say you do."
Guy exhaled with exasperation before answering, "No,it is not possible. Roger was always outspoken, yet he never objected to themarriage. And it was not he who became Christine's lover when I was inKenilworth but one of his knights."
"Maybe by then Roger no longer wanted what you hadfirst taken," she said, her theory making such perfect sense to her thatshe was amazed Guy could not see it. "Though the way he treated you afterthe Battle of Lewes seems to suggest some sort of revenge, yes? Perhaps it wasenough for him to throw you in prison and seize your lands, as well as theestate in Surrey which might have been his ifRanulf—"
Leila gasped in surprise as Guy suddenly rose to hisfeet and caught the hem of hernightrail, draggingher toward him until he could grab her around the waist. In the next instantshe was so locked in his embrace that she felt molded to his powerful body.
"What—what are you doing?" she stammered, herheart thumping with fear. She could feel his hardsinewedmuscles pressing into her flesh as if there was no clothing between them. "Letme go!"
"I should have known you would side with thebastard," he grated angrily, his breath hot on her cheek. "Blood isthick, even though you have never met your beloved brother."
"I've taken no sides!" Leila objected,wriggling futilely in his arms. "Release me . . . I cannot breathe!"
