Lady Thief - By Rizzo Rosko Page 0,65
at the pained look on her face. “Shall I continue?”
“Yes,” Marianne said quickly. “Please, do. I am sorry, but I have mentioned this suspicion to Blaise already.”
William’s lips thinned, displeasure clear on his face. Marianne wished she had the ability to see his thoughts.
Finally, he replied and continued brushing the mare. “’Twas not a great secret, I suppose I cannot have you punished for asking about that which nearly everyone is aware.”
She was silent, more ashamed of herself than she had ever been and she hugged herself. “Perhaps forcing you to wed me has been the only intelligent act of my life, as no other man would have had the patience, and I would have been sent to a convent.”
He smiled at her attempt to lighten the dark mood. Her spirits lifted.
William took a breath and spoke clearly. “Blaise is the son of my first wife, Alice, and Robert. She went to his bed shortly after our marriage.”
Marianne gasped, a thousand questions swirling through her head.
“You must forgive me, as any doubt I have ever expressed of your loyalty has stemmed from that event all those years ago.”
“But why keep Blaise as your son, why allow Robert to continue to serve here at all?”
His smile was laced with an old sadness. “I loved Alice, and I have no doubt that she returned that love. Her tryst with Robert was an error more on my part than hers.”
Marianne cocked her head curiously, but he continued to speak before she could ask more questions.
“I drove her to him.”
Marianne did not believe that, but there was no venom in her voice when she spoke her thoughts. “Though you can be infuriating, for all your patience with me I find it difficult to believe that you could send any woman to another man’s bed.”
“You would be surprised at what could send a wife into the arms of another man. Even a servant who offered her some slight kindness.” William stopped brushing as he spoke, and the mare nudged him for attention. He ignored the animal and took Marianne’s hand. They moved to a corner of the stable.
He touched her cheek, gently with the back of his knuckles. Marianne enjoyed the feeling but her curiosity was not settled.
“And, what could send a lady into the bed of a servant?”
Her back was to the wall of the stable and he stood wonderfully close. The fear she felt at his oncoming punishment was no more.
“How did you feel when we consummated our marriage?”
The question brought her out of her haze. “I beg your pardon?”
He continued as though he hadn’t heard her. “Did you feel loved? Were you satisfied?”
His question embarrassed her and poured heat into her body. “‘Tis not the place to be stroking your ego.”
He shook his head and smiled. She was certain he was smiling at her expense. “There is no ego involved. Answer the question.”
Marianne shifted, blushed, and answered despite herself. “‘Twas very pleasant.”
“Pleasant enough to put color in your cheeks, I see.” A slow, confidant smile lit up his face.
Her cheeks only colored more. She nodded, then watched as his smile vanished.
“Would it then shock you to learn that such intimacy can be used to cause pain? Not only of the heart, but true physical pain? Some men are skilled enough to use it as a form of torture.”
Marianne laughed, once. William did not laugh with her, his expression heavy, and so she was silent.
From what William had made her feel, in her heart and body, it seemed impossible that such an act could ever be used for torture. Yet he stood, determined and severe, telling her so.
“How can that be?”
“Young men are mostly guilty of this. They are as unskilled in the bed as their lovers or wives, and are unaware that to prevent this pain in the woman’s body, the passions of both parties needs to be stirred. ‘Tis thought to be normal for a woman not to enjoy the physical attentions of her husband.”
Marianne suddenly knew what he was referring to. “Do you mean Alice?”
He closed his eyes and nodded. “Aye. I had not known ‘twas possible we could be intimate without causing her some discomfort, and she believed I was causing her harm purposefully. Rather than hurt her further, I ceased to perform my duties as her husband. She took it to mean that I had ceased to love her as well.”
William backed away from her to pace. Marianne’s body chilled now that the heat of him left her.