Ramon closed the door, which shut with a thud of finality that set Carly’s nerves on edge even more. The minute he turned to face her, she started talking, the words tumbling out as fast as she could force them past her lips.
“I know you’re angry, Ramon, and I don’t blame you. I-I had hoped we could talk about this the night of thefandango,but unfortunately we didn’t get the chance. I’m sorry for what has occurred, but I had to do what I did. I wasn’t about to marry that… that peabrain, Vincent Bannister—I don’t care how much money his family has. And after what he did to me in the barn, I had to marry someone. Surely you can see that. I would have been ruined. This way—in time—it will all be forgotten. We can get an annulment and you can marry whomever you wish. My reputation will of course be somewhat tarnished, but it won’t be completely destroyed. I’m hoping my uncle will take me back, that by then he’ll have realized he can’t force me to do his bidding. If I can’t go back to del Robles, then I’ll do something else. I can go to San Francisco. There’s bound to be some sort of work there, even for a woman.” She glanced up, her face blushing a bit. “Respectable work, I mean. I’m very resilient. I can take care of myself. I’ve done it—”
She broke off then. She had almost told him she had taken in laundry in the mine patch. Good heavens, she couldn’t possibly tell himthat.
“You are finished?”
“Yes… well, I suppose I am. Except to tell you how sorry I am to involve you in all of this and to say that I really appreciate your help… grudgingly given as it may be.”
“Now you are finished?”
Why was he still so angry? “You understand what it is I’m trying to say?”
A subtle turbulence moved across his features, shifted in the depths of his eyes. “You are saying you do not mean to honor the marriage. That this was only a means to rid yourself of Bannister.”
“Of course. I’ll be free of Vincent and in time, you’ll be free of me. I’ll go back to my uncle, or get a job in the—”
He gripped her shoulders and jerked her against his chest. “I think it is you who does not understand.”
“What… what are talking about?”
“You have had your say, now I will have mine. What I am tellingyouis that we are married. I have taken you for my wife in front of God and a priest. I have given my solemn word and I do not mean to break it. And neither…querida… will you.”
For the longest time, Carly just stared at him. “You—you can’t be serious. We have to get an annulment. You don’t want to marry me. You want a Spanish wife. You want your children to be Spanish. You’ve taken a vow, promised your family and friends.”
A corner of his mouth curved up, but his smile was far from pleasant. “Si, chica.I believe I made that clear.”
“Then why can’t we simply—”
“I have told you why. Because we have spoken the vows. Because we have pledged ourselves before the sacred altar in the church.”
“But—”
His face grew harder still, cutting off her words. “Our bedroom is there.” He pointed out to the patio to a heavy oakendoor opening off the central courtyard. “Go. Make yourself ready. Prepare yourself to accept your husband.”
Carly’s mouth went dry. She stared into Ramon’s dark features. “You can’t mean to… you can’t possibly expect me to—to—”
“I expect you to do exactly what you have pledged to do in the Holy Mother church. Now go!”
Carly bit hard on her trembling lip, a cry of stark terror lodged in her throat. This wasn’t Ramon. This was the cruel, ruthless man she had known on her journey through the mountains. This man was the Spanish Dragon.
It took every ounce of her courage to lift her head and walk from the room with at least a semblance of dignity. Moving as if her legs were made of wood, she headed out the door leading onto the courtyard, then turned down the covered hallway that lead to the door Ramon had shown her.
Lifting the heavy wrought-iron latch with trembling hands, she swung it open and stepped into the lamp-lit interior. The room was small and neat and reminded her a little of Ramon’s room in the simple adobe cabin in the mountains, except the furniture was finer, dark carved pieces from Spain. There was very little of it, just a heavy bureau with a mirror on top, a large carved armoire, a night stand, and an overstuffed horsehair-covered chair.
A pair of boots, fashioned of fine black leather, sat neatly beside the bed, silver spurs with big Spanish rowels strapped to the heels. One of his flat-crowned, wide-brimmed hats hung on the back of the door by a long, finely braided length of leather.
Carly moved farther into the room toward the bed, her heart thudding dully. A beautiful white silk nightgown, embroidered with snowy white flowers across the yoke, had been carefully laid atop the quilt, among the fragrant pink petals of a rose. Seeingit made her stomach tighten, and suddenly she felt dizzy. Dear God, everyone believed this marriage was real!
Ramon believed it. That was the reason he was so angry. He didn’t want her for his wife, yet she had forced him to wed her, heedless of his feelings, thinking only of herself. She had thought he would understand, that he would be willing to help her.
Instead of a dandy like Vincent, she had a husband who despised her for ruining his life.
Carly pressed a hand against her lips to hold back her tears but the ache of them scalded her throat. She wouldn’t cry, she wouldn’t! She hadn’t broken down when he had marched her through the mountains, she wouldn’t allow herself to do it now. But dear Lord, she was frightened.
She remembered his cruelty the night of the raid, how cold and heartless he once was. She knew little of what occurred between a man and a woman—she was terrified to think what Ramon might do to her in his anger.
She lifted the beautiful white silk nightgown with trembling fingers, felt the coolness of the fabric as it slid through her hands. Then a faint knock sounded, jerking her attention in that direction. It was a timid knock, she realized, definitely not Ramon.
