Lady Thief - By Rizzo Rosko Page 0,104

a gambling addict.” Marianne said. “Elizabeth saved Blaise's life, we owe her more than our suspicion."

"My dear, I am shocked that you so eagerly defend the girl, considering your hatred for her father."

Blaise had heard this story more times than he could count, and so he stopped paying attention to the bickering of the older people in the room. Blaise's true father was not the man standing in the room with him at all, but a mere groom who worked in the stables. Robert. Despite his lack of education or wealth, the man had still managed to deceive Blaise's mother, the first Lady Gray, Alice, into believing her husband felt no love for her because of their constantly botched intimacy.

She allowed herself to be fooled by a man far beneath her, letting a mere servant seduce and bed her. William, unaware of his wife's betrayal, sought the help of a prostitute named Bertha to teach him the ways of the marriage bed. It would allow him and his wife to perform their matrimonial duties without William causing any harm to Alice.

Thankfully Alice confessed to her sin shortly after the affair. Unfortunately, she already had the child of another man in her womb. She gave birth to Blaise months later. She died during the ordeal, but William, who loved them both so dearly, raised a bastard son of a servant as his own anyway.

The groom, Robert, was sent away, only to return years later, cold and starving during the winter months. William took pity on the man and allowed him to stay as a groom once more.

As Blaise grew older, he allowed himself to be fooled by the man just as his mother had been. Believing Robert to be the victim of William's lack of love for Alice, Blaise had sympathized more with a servant than the man who was raising him. He had allowed himself to be used, not realizing until Robert kidnapped Marianne and sold her to Ferdinand that he had been tricked.

Robert had only taken such an interest in Blaise in the hopes that one day, after William's death, Blaise would lift him from his status as a groom and allow him luxuries other men of such low stations could never even dream of.

William did not hold Blaise responsible. And when they went to Ferdinand to retrieve Marianne from his clutches, Blaise was forced to take action when the man pulled out a dagger and rushed to kill his father and Marianne.

Did Eliza know that Blaise was responsible for the death of her father? Did she even know what sort of man her father had been? Blaise knew that if he would ever have any peace in his own home, he would need to find the answers quickly.

William approached Marianne and gently took her hand from its resting spot on her belly, though she still frowned and turned her head away in a pout. "Do not trouble yourself, my dear. I am not accusing the girl of anything, merely giving warning to stay on guard."

Marianne's face softened. "I like her. She reminds me of myself."

"'Tis a dangerous notion ye speak of," Blaise said behind his goblet. Marianne spun her vicious eyes on him. Blaise knew that if not for her condition she might have leapt across the room to brawl with him.

'Twas just as well that a knock sounded at the door.

“Enter,” William called. Olma opened the door and curtsied to the people in the room. Blaise's eyes were drawn to the vision behind the servant girl. The same gown as before, yet she still appeared as serene and heavenly as when his eyes first witnessed her in it.

She was too beautiful, too innocent to be involved in some devious plot to worm her way into his family and this castle.

He shook his head to clear it. Thoughts such as that were exactly why he needed to keep his defences strong against her sinful smile. Her eyes half lidded and full mouth parted as though inviting him to kiss it. Surely she could not know the silent message she was sending him at that moment?

He shook himself again. Fool. She is the daughter of a prostitute. She is perfectly aware of her behaviour.

Blaise returned her lusty smile with a snarl. Oddly displeased with her open shock and the way she stepped back.

"Blaise!"

He cringed at Marianne's voice shrieking in his ear. She glared down at him with her hands fisted on her hips.

He met her stare of annoyance with