smirked again, “and your father told me of him.”
“You swine!” Marianne pushed hard and stumbled away from him, humiliated and angry with herself.
He stared as though what he had done had not caused his blood to rush like hers did, still did. She could barely believe her beating heart. How was that possible?
Unexpectedly, he chuckled, and it unnerved her.
She fisted her hands on her hips and prayed he would not notice how she had reacted to him. “Now what is amusing you?”
“‘Tis amusing to know that I truly am an old fool, no matter how I try to deny it.”
“What?”
“Why else would you stage a kidnapping for Blaise? You did not want an old man creating a chill in your bed, and here I am, doing just that. No, you are young and wish to feel the fires of passion, am I correct?”
Marianne swallowed and tried to ignore the pooling heat in her belly. How could he have been so right? Weakly, she nodded her head, and William did the same, bringing his hand up to his chin in thought.
“Very well,” he approached her as he spoke, and she tried to back up only to realize she was still against the wall. “If you want passion I shall give you passion. I shall take you to my bed and ravish you until you were unable to leave. I will give you heated kisses and promises and children.” He stood before her but refrained from touching her. “Is that what you would like?”
She scowled, pushing at him with such a force that this time she succeeded in heaving him away. “No! I do not want your false promises or your body if all you will think of is mindless pleasure! I am not your plaything and never will I be!” She brought her fist down on his shoulder, and he barely flinched under the attack.
***
He grinned a predatory grin. Success! This was the fiery spirit he had met in the church, this was the woman who convinced him with the help of a blade that marriage to her was the correct choice.
Very well. He would play along with her wishes, for now, but soon the time would come when she would not only be willing, but she would leap into his embrace at his call.
“I apologize for the assumption, my dear.”
She bristled at the name and his grin became wider. “But regardless, I shall become more attentive to your needs.”
She eyed him suspiciously, and he got the feeling she believed he was saying one thing but meaning another. “Thank you, milord.”
“Call me by my given name or naught at all, Marianne.”
“Thank you, William.” She said, and he was surprised that there was no venom in her voice.
***
“You may go now. Off to show me what you can do with the servants whom I am incapable of controlling. I shall see to finding you a female escort on the morrow.”
Thinking of how lonely she had been over the last week in William’s castle, Marianne nodded her head gratefully.
He stepped aside for her to leave and she scurried out of the room.Like a frightened child, she admonished herself.
She wondered why she felt like such a fool for turning down his offer to attend to her needs.
Chapter Six
Early the next morn, Marianne shivered awake in her chilly bedchamber, ate another cold breakfast, and felt her anger rising.
This was the end of this nonsense. She would show William that she could deliver on her claim and that she could do it in a timely manner.
She found the serving girl William promised her. Instead of a plump, middle aged woman like she expected, Olma turned out to be a shy little thing, not yet twenty, who could barely stand the sight of her own shadow.
Marianne circled the girl who was to be her companion, tapping her chin thoughtfully when Olma did not so much as look up at her.
What strange behavior in a serving girl. If she were to break such poor habits in the rest of the servants she would have to start with Olma.
“Stand up straight and watch where you are going. You do not wish to walk into a wall, do you?”
“Nay, Milady.”
Olma trembled under Marianne’s hard stare and stern voice.
Be gentle, she reminded herself. She wanted Olma to do her work properly, not scare her half to death.
Marianne lifted the girl’s chin. “You may smile. I am sure you have a pretty smile and it will help me to feel better knowing