He reached out and took her hand, feeling for himself just how loose the ring was. Then he snorted. “My mother was quite a bit larger than you are. All of her rings are large because her hands were so fat. This was the smallest one I could find.”
Avalyn smirked because he was smirking. But he wasn’t letting go of her fingers. Discreetly, she pulled her hand away and fiddled with the ring, removing it from that finger and trying it on others to see if she could find a better fit.
“It is lovely, my lord,” she said, knowing he was expecting an answer of some kind. “As always, your generosity is outstanding.”
Charles watched her as she slid the ring on nearly all of her fingers. His hands fidgeted fretfully in his lap, his gaze moving between her lovely face and the activity on her fingers. Twice he opened his mouth to speak and twice he closed his lips. He couldn’t quite bring himself to say what he was thinking, struggling to summon the courage.
“I should like to discuss our wedding with you, if I may,” he finally blurted, causing her to look up at him with surprise. “I…I realize that the time spent here at Guerdley has been time for us to become acquainted and I have enjoyed it very much. But I must be honest when I say that I am anxious for us to wed. I am anxious to come to know you better and to have you as my wife. Surely there will be no prouder man in all of England.”
She watched his face as he spoke, and eventually sighed with reluctance and resignation. She knew he was looking for a positive response, anything that would indicate she was ready to move forward, but she simply couldn’t do it. The mere thought sickened her. And with Brogan’s appearance this day, she was more reluctant than ever to give Aubrey false hope. She didn’t want to hurt the man, but she clearly had no intention of setting a wedding date.
“My lord,” she said after a moment, gazing back down at the ring now on her thumb. “I am most flattered by your attention and eagerness. And I am not oblivious to the fact that you are eager for us to wed, truly. I believe you are a very kind man, as well as a very talented one. But… but I am still growing accustomed to all of this. I am sorry if it is taking longer than you had hoped.”
The faint smile faded from Charles’ lips. His fidgeting hands grew worse. “I am not asking to marry you tomorrow, my lady. But if we could only set a date, then it would….”
She bolted to her feet, turning her back on him. “I cannot,” she said before he could finish his sentence. “Most betrothals have years to become accustomed to the idea. You and I were given minutes. I do apologize if I have not readily accepted the idea as you have, but I cannot help what I feel.”
He was trying not to become upset. “I do not blame you for what you feel, for clearly, I am getting the better end of this bargain. But whether we marry next week or next year, still,some day we must marry. What difference does it make if it is tomorrow or in five years?”
She looked at him, then. “The difference is that I am not ready for it right now. You must allow me to settle in to this idea, my lord.”
His flabby jaw began to tick and he rose on his big legs. “May I ask something of you, then?”
“Of course.”
“Would… would it be possible to not have Inglesbatch hanging over you night and day? I would like to spend some time with you and this cannot be accomplished with is constant presence.”
“William is not only my knight; he is my friend. I feel safe when he is near.”
“But no harm can come to you in my presence, my lady, I swear it. Will you at least consider it?”
He was pleading and her guilt was magnified. Whether or not she meant to be cruel to the man, she was being so nonetheless. She walked over to him, gazing into his fat face, his sincere brown eyes. She felt a good deal of pity for him. Impulsively, she put a hand on his sweaty cheek.
“You are a good man, my lord,” she said softly. “I thank you for your patience. I would ask for a little more.”
The hand on his cheek undid him. He closed his eyes to her touch, having waited a very long time for contact of this magnitude. He instinctively put his fat hand over hers, feeling a very great longing at that moment.
“I know I am not the prize you had hoped for, Avalyn,” he said quietly. “I am not a handsome man, nor finely mannered, nor even great at conversation. But I promise I will make the best husband that I can possibly make.”
She smiled; she couldn’t help it. He so desperately wanted to please her. “You are all of those things, my lord,” she said softly. “You must not diminish yourself.”
He gazed deeply into her soft golden eyes. “May I ask another question?”
“Aye.”
“I pray that you will not become upset by it, for I do not mean it in a slanderous manner.”
“I will not know until you ask.”
He took a deep breath. “Inglesbatch… is there something more to your relationship with him? I only ask because…”
The golden eyes flashed and she pulled her hand away. Charles could see, instantly, that he’d made a grave mistake. Avalyn took several steps back from him, her eyes blazing.
“What must you think of me if you must ask that question?” she hissed. “You know very well that my heart belongs to someone and it certainly is not Inglesbatch. Do you think I give my favors and emotions so freely to more than one man?”
He shook his head so hard that his jowls wobbled. “Nay, my lady, of course not. ’Tis just that Inglesbatch is always with you and your uncle told me that he carries feelings for you. I simply thought that…”
“You thoughtwhat?”
