Lady Thief - By Rizzo Rosko Page 0,20

bed. Despite this happy thought he could not help the twinge of irritability that overcame him with the conversation of bearing children.

He could still remember overhearing his grandfather lecturing his father for not having more sons. When the old man finally left the world William was the one to be spoken to and eyed harshly for not producing any sons quickly enough.

Thank the Lord the man had died before Blaise was born.

Regardless of his words to the contrary, Bryce had to speak up again. “Not safe enough, especially with no battles to go to. Your sword wielding reminds me of a boy swinging a stick. Improvement is what ye need. How will ye defend yer lands and family without it? Sending the boy to do it when you are still capable would not look well.”

William hated the topic of his battle skills even worse than the topic of children, and while it was true he had not picked up his sword in years, he knew perfectly well that he looked better than a boy wielding a stick. “My skills are hardly so poor, and I would never send him to defend land he had yet to inherit.”

Hugh scratched his chin. “Blaise is eighteen already, and he has not married or produced any sons of his own. I would say you were in trouble as well, my friend.”

William poured himself another drink, and wagered he would be good and drunk very soon with the way this conversation kept going in circles. “And what of your son? He is over fifteen and his wife has yet to bare a child.”

Hugh shrugged, unfazed by the attack. It made William want to throw him out of his seat. “The girl is thirteen, I suspect they have yet to consummate the marriage with the way she continues to play with her dolls. Idiot boy plays with her on occasion as well. When they do consummate the marriage they shall have many children. Even if they do not, I have other sons.”

“And this conversation is over.” William said, irritated with himself for not stopping the curious questions of his friends sooner.

Hugh looked pained at the sound of his voice. “Forgive us, we meant no insult.”

William groaned and let his head flop onto the table despite the audience. He was spared from forgiving them of their nosiness when Adam burst through the double doors. Panting like an over-exercised horse.

William stood, but Adam spoke first.

“Milord, yer wife has just had the pleasure of meeting yer son.”

The jaws of all three men fell open when William fled from the room at unnatural speed. The pitcher of wine wobbled when the door slammed behind them. Bryce caught it before it could tilt over.

Not one man stood to follow.

“Should we go with ‘im?” Bryce topped off his goblet and made himself comfortable on the bench.

“I doubt that will be necessary.”

“Aye, he has been struck by a woman of beauty and does not want to share her with the man who would have been her husband. I do not believe our assistance will be appreciated.”

Bryce clenched his large fist. “Ye can quit talking like such a long winded dog. If ye wanted to stay and drink ‘tis all the explanation I’ll be needin’.”

Hugh raised his goblet. “I’ll drink to that.”

***

Marianne stood with her back straight and stared up at Blaise with clenched fists, resisting the need to slap his face.

Blaise was tall, taller than William, but the smirk on his face vanished when he realized his size would do nothing in his favor by way of intimidation.

He turned up his nose at her, a slight shake of his head as he turned his back. “Old pest.”

Marianne saw red. She lunged to claw out the eyes of the person she most hated when arms reached around her belly and pulled her back.

Blaise turned and laughed at her, an open mouthed, loud taunt. Robert smirked from behind his master while pretending to look elsewhere. All reason left her mind as she struggled madly to free herself.

“I will kill you!”

“Then come and kill me, my lady! I am standing right here.” He mocked. As she had mocked William on the morn of their wedding. Blaise stood just beyond the reach of her fingers, fingers that itched to rip his eyes from his skull.

But Marianne could not move one step forward. A large hand covered her mouth and she found herself slammed so roughly onto her feet that her knees gave out and she collapsed on