Was he saying what she heard? Fear took root inside her. “You speak as if you’re planning a will.”
Turning his back, he retrieved his mail hauberk from the floor. “I won’t be staying here much longer. I’ve other duties abroad.”
“And you’ll have a wife, here.”
“Ariel—”
“Valteri,” she shot back, interrupting him. “You cannot run from this. From us. We are tied together now.”
Anger darkened his gaze. “Was that your plan last night?”
“What? How could you say that?” Furious, she pushed him toward the door. “Begone with you! You’re no better than my brother!”
Valteri was seething as he reached for the door.
Until he heard her whispered words.
“I’m not a whore.”
Closing his eyes, he told himself to just keep walking.Let her hate me.
But the tears in her voice…
Damn it.
He let go and turned back toward her as she pulled her kirtle over her body. “I am well aware of the fact that you are the farthest thing from a whore that has ever existed, lady. Only a woman as noble as you would bring me to the noose of marriage. Believe me, Ariel. I’d sooner be gutted and hanged with my own entrails than do this.”
“Then why are you doing it?”
“Because I won’t see a lady made a whore because of me. But by marrying me, you will be tainted. I just don’t know which will be worse.”
“And if the choice is mine?”
He scoffed. “You don’t have a choice, and we both know it. This is war, lady. A Saxon maid who takes a Norman into her bed is a traitor to her people. Even if I wasn’t devil spawn, they would hate you for what you’ve done.” Dropping his armor, he closed the distance between them andcupped her cheek in his hand. “You’ve no idea the horrors I’ve seen. What people will do to each other. They have slit the nostrils of maids for lesser crimes. Scarred their faces.”
“Yet you would abandon me?”
With a ragged breath, he shook his head. “Nay. I cannot.” Pulling her against his chest, he held her close. “It seems that we’re both damned no matter what we do.”
Two days later, Ariel glanced about the hall, her heart hanging heavier than the weight of the earth on Atlas’s shoulders.
Never had she seen so many dour faces.
True to his promise to Belial, Valteri had drawn up the marriage contract and they had all signed it.
Wace had planned their wedding feast, but no one was festive. Not even the dogs appeared happy as they nosed about for scraps.
The poor musicians kept starting songs, only to stop when no one responded or danced.
They’d have been better off playing a dirge. It certainly would have been more befitting of everyone’s somber mood.
“Milord?” Yet again, she tried to take Valteri’s mind off the fact that no one approved of their marriage.
He looked up from his trencher, his gaze as empty as the hollow cheers they’d received when they first entered the hall. “Aye, milady?”
She opened her mouth to speak, only to close it as Belial leaned forward with his goblet. “’Twould seem our people have indeed found common ground. Neither Norman nor Saxon has cause for celebrating.”
In that moment, she wanted to slap him. Winking as if he knew what she was thinking, Belial stood and motioned for the befuddled musicians to stop. “Good friends, I wish to bless our happy couple with a toast.”
