"When Roger takes one look at you, Leila, it willbe as if the cat has found the cream."
"Now you are speaking in riddles."
"This one is easy to understand," he saidgrimly. "Your brother paid dearly to redeem his lands and his place in societyafter the rebellion, perhaps too dearly. Financially, it has nearly broken him."
"I am sorry to hear this, my lord, but what has itto do with me?"
"Everything! You will fetch a very high price inthe marriage market, my lady. Perhaps not among the firstborn sons of thenobility, who usually seek rich heiresses, but among others who might seek tobetter their station by acquiring an aristocraticwife."Guy's voice grew quiet as his eyes moved over her lingeringly. "Thenagain, there are probably those who would pay a king's ransom just to possessyour beauty."
Leila swallowed hard as that same stirring warmthflooded her body. How could he make her feel this way when she was so angry?Had she no control over her emotions any longer?
"If this is all true, my lord, then how could youbring me to this country, knowing Roger might sell me to the highest bidder?That would seem to make you as ruthless as he."
"I don't know," Guy replied, dragging hisfingers through his hair and sighing heavily. "Maybe I thought it wouldstill be better than the life you had in Damascus.
"So you became my judge just because I was aChristian woman living in a world you didn't understand and couldn'tappreciate. Thank you for your kind consideration, my lord. My life is now somuch better for it."
Guy exhaled slowly in the face of her pain andbitterness, more determined than ever to make amends to her if she would onlygive him the chance. No matter what she said, he still believed he had done theright thing in bringing her to England. Now even more so and for entirelyselfish reasons. He would not rest until she became his wife.
"Leila, it doesn't have to be that way. Spareyourself what your brother is most assuredly going to make you suffer. It iswithin your power to save yourself. We cannot marry without your consent. It isthe law. If you agree, I will confront Roger with the bed linen I saved fromthe other night—"
At her sudden gasp he quickly sought to soothe her.
"It must be done. The enmity between us runs toostrong for Roger to give me your hand willingly. He must know what happened inProvins. He will have no choice but to accept. There couldbe a child . . . our child—"
"No! I don't want to hear any more!" Leilacried, brushing past him as she fled from the bed to the window. She threw openthe shutters and leaned heavily on the sill as she fought for breath.
A child. She had never even considered thatpossibility. Dear God, she was so confused, her reason and emotions pulling herin opposite directions. She barely noticed the cool rain pelting her face andthe front of her gown, but she was very much aware when Guy came up behind herand placed his hands upon her shoulders, squeezing them and kissing the top ofher hair.
"No!" She jerked away from him and spunaround, her back to the wall. She felt so trapped, so overwhelmed, all shecould do at that moment was cling desperately to the plan of last resort whichshe had nurtured sinceProvins.
"I told you, Lord deWarenne.I do not wish to marry you! I want to go home, to Damascus . . . and I musttrust my brother to help me accomplish this. I cannot believe he would hurt me,his own sister. Even if it was his intent to force me into a marriage, hecouldn't do so without my consent. That is what you said, isn't it?"
"Ah, Leila, Leila, it's not that simple. There aremany ways for unscrupulous men to gain verbal consent so they might furthertheir own ends."
Leila suddenly grew fearful, wondering what else Guymight have in store for her. She tried to back away further, but there wasnowhere else to go. "Ways you might employ, my lord?" she accused.
"No," he answered firmly, his expressionbecoming hard. "I would never force you to become my wife."
"Then have done! Please! I have given my answer."As her strained cry died in the room, she slumped against the wall and buriedher face in her hands.
Guy was silent for what seemed a long, long moment,thenhe reached out and drew her slowly against him, lockingher within his arms. Too exhausted to struggle, Leila closed her eyes as hethreaded his fingers through her braided hair and gently tilted back her head.
"Look at me, Leila."
She did so and was stunned anew by the intensity of hisemotion as he bent his head and kissed her. His lips were warm and tender, yetso undeniably possessive that when he finally pulled away she was breathlessand light-headed, her mouth aching from his passionate bruising.
"Here is my answer, lady fair. Go to your brotherand make your plea. If he agrees that you may return to Damascus, then God go withyou. But if he threatens you with a forced marriage, know this, Leila. I willbe close at hand if you need me. Perhaps then my own offer won't seem sounappealing."
Your offer is most appealing!Leila wanted tocry out as Guy suddenly released her and strode from the room, closing the doorfirmly behind him.Any woman would be rich beyond measure to possess thelove that shines like truth from your eyes!
"Only it cannot be me," she murmuredbrokenly, turning to stare blindly out the window.
What she wanted lay far across the Mediterranean Sea ina land of rivers and trees, fruits and colored birds, where her life's workbeckoned and a dark-eyed man was waiting for her, calling out her name . . .
How strange, she thought, numbly wiping the rain fromher cheek.
Now that she was trying to conjure Jamal in her mind,she couldn't even remember what he looked like for the striking, blue-eyedgiant of a man standing in his way.
