Lady Thief (16 page)

For the first time she stopped to realize
that there were guests about who could see her in this state.
It
occurred to her that perhaps she really did not have the hold on
her emotions that she thought she did.

The larger man shook his head in the
direction Blaise had left in before addressing William.
“I do not
know why ye let the boy get away with being so cruel to ye.” He
said before staring down at Marianne in an equally meaningful
way.

Marianne heard what was not said.
The large
man also did not understand why William allowed her to rant and
rage at her husband like she did, and truthfully Marianne did not
know the answer either.

Marianne feared William would speak of her
behavior as well.
His silence was equally accusing.

Wishing to take the attention away from
herself, she puzzled over why the larger man would mention Blaise
in the first place when all he did was storm off.
She heard Blaise
say naught of William when she stormed in.
She deducted that he
must have been speaking ill of William’s skills before she
arrived.

Wishing to redeem herself for her wicked
display, she spoke loudly with both arms crossed.
“From what I have
seen William is improving his swordplay splendidly.”

Both men had the good grace not to mention
the sudden change in the subject, nor that she had never seen
William spar previously to know whether he truly improved or not.
Still, a pleased grin appeared on William’s face.

“Marianne, my dear, might I introduce you to
my brother in spirit, Lord Bryce of Ironside.”

Marianne curtsied politely, blushing and
wondering if it made a difference in his opinion of her now that
he’d seen her in a rage.

The man had a bright smile hidden under his
gnarled hazel beard.
“I knew ye’d be plenty o’ fun.
Said so myself,
even Nicholas figured ye’d have a fiery spirit.
Hugh thought Will
had gotten ye with—”

“Quite enough, old friend,” William
interjected, but ‘twas too late, Marianne knew what Lord Ironside
was about to say.
Her face blazed.

She decided the best course of action was no
action at all and said naught.
She pursed her lips and smiled,
though the smile she gave suggested she was trying to hide lemon
juice in her mouth.

“I pray that I have not ruined your practice,
you may both continue if you wish.” Though that would not stop her
from demanding a real explanation from William as soon as his guest
was out of the way.

“I do no’ think so, milady,” Said Bryce,
turning his attention back to William.
“I think we are better to
start this again first thing on the morrow.”

William nodded.
“Aye, I have some other work
that could be seen to while I wait for our next match.”

Bryce snorted and shook his head.
“Don’t know
how ye manage to sit there like that, adding numbers all day,” he
poked the pointed end of the wooden sword at William’s chest and
jabbed him.
“‘Tis no wonder yer skills are lacking.”

William slapped the sword away, but Marianne
could see that he took no offence to the comment.

Bryce turned to the stables, where his horse
waited for him.

“Will you not stay the night and have some
supper?” She offered, not sure if she liked the idea of letting a
guest leave without being fed, as she was certain no well bred lady
would allow.

Bryce turned at the mention of food.
“I
canno’ cheat a beautiful woman like yerself out of one o’ yer spare
rooms when I live just an hour south, but if ye’ll be so kind, I
would love to stay for supper.”

***

The man ate more than a pack of starved
wolves and had the manners to match, but Marianne could see why
William enjoyed having him as a friend.
She could sense they had a
genuine liking for each other that truly was brotherly.
When they
spoke to each other it was without any formalities.

Marianne was glad to meet him, his jolly
humor and inappropriate jokes of both his and William’s clumsy
boyhood made her forget that James stood several feet behind her.
She now wished to meet the other friends William hid from her,
because Bryce was correct, William did spend most of his time in
his solar.
Marianne was glad for someone other than herself who
wanted him to spend time outside of that stuffy room.

When they bid him farewell Marianne was
shocked to see that he hadn’t even brought any men for protection,
just a single horse.

“Ye need no’ worry fer me.
Who would try an’
rob me?
I’m huge and look like a beggar.” He waved his hands over
his torn clothing, a smile hidden under his beard at the worry on
her face.

Marianne looked at the clothes he’d been
training William in.
They hung loose on his huge body and smelled
of filth.
She wondered if he dressed like so all the time or just
for the sake of their practice.

Marianne chided herself for being foolish and
decided it was the latter.

***

After Bryce left, Marianne had completely
forgotten about James and Olma, and would have continued to be
oblivious of them had William not ordered them away.

“Is that the end of my punishment then?” She
asked, crossing her arms as she turned and walked towards their
bedchamber.

Her body flooded with warmth when he caught
up and pulled her close, walking hip to hip with her with his arm
snaked around her body and hand resting against her belly.

He walked as though his touch was
commonplace, and he seemed not as affected by it as she.
He sighed
over her question, showing no symptoms of a flush in his cheeks.
“‘Tis not meant to be a punishment.
You know that.”

Marianne was about to respond that she
thought he needed to stop having her followed until he leaned in
and closed his teeth around the lobe of her ear, calmly, as though
that were also commonplace behavior.

Marianne stopped walking, his action caused
that familiar flutter in her chest and the feeling of being very
far away from everything.
“Wha—what are you doing?”

He pulled her closer and they stood no longer
hip to hip but now her back was to his chest.
Servants walked by,
and Marianne squirmed under their stares as they passed, slower to
get the entire scene, but William refused to acknowledge them or
let her move.

His breath in her ear warmed her further, his
hands trailing tingles along her body.
“I have waited long enough
to have my wife.”

Marianne shuddered and her body blazed with
impatient fire.
Finally!
Finally!

Marianne forcefully turned and pushed her
mouth up onto his.

When he kissed her with his entire mouth it
caused such a delicious ache in her, a spreading warmth through her
blood that had not been there before.
She felt he would enjoy it if
she did the same.

She could tell she shocked him by taking the
initiative but he eagerly allowed her to do as she wished with him,
and when she slipped her tongue into his mouth like he had done to
her before, he welcomed it and suckled hungrily.

Marianne mentally damned the servants.
Had it
not been for them scurrying in and out of hallways she would have
been delighted to allow William to take her where they stood, eager
to discover how far these sensations he had been teasing her with
could go.

“Thief!”

Blaise’s angry shouted statement jerked
Marianne out of her lusty haze.
She spun, ready to lash out for the
interruption.
He marched towards the both of them, fists clenched
and his eyes boring accusingly into her, as though he wished to
pierce her and draw blood with them.

William was immediately alert, whatever lust
he had apparently vanished as he pulled himself away from his wife
to give his son his full attention.
“Who is the thief?”

Blaise stopped before them and thrust forward
his finger.
“She is!”

Chapter Ten

William’s eyes flashed
.
“Careful with
your words!”

Color traveled up Blaise’s neck, as though
just remembering he was accusing the wife of his father.
Even so,
the scowl remained.

“Several gold and silver plates are missing.
The cooks and the sewing-maids have also informed me that spices
and silks are gone as well.”

Marianne felt the rage from William burning
as though she stood next to a blazing fire.
She let it spread into
her, consume her.
This weasel was accusing her of theft!

The old feeling of wishing to claw his eyes
out returned with a mad vengeance, and she forced herself to remain
at William’s side.
If she took one step towards Blaise she would do
just as she wished.
“What makes you think I would steal from my
husband?”

His gaze on her was cold.
“Your father is
missing, and so are my father’s horses.”

The violent feeling inside of her
intensified.
“You pathetic swine!
‘Tis not enough that you insult
me at every opportunity but now you try to drag my father in mud as
well?”

Blaise’s face reddened like fire.
“He drags
himself in the mud!”

“How long has he been gone?” William demanded
above their raging voices.

Marianne whipped her head around.
He would
not look at her.

“No one has seen him since early this
morn.”

William scratched his jaw.
“I had just
arrived, and was also preoccupied with Archer and Clovis while
Robert returned the animals to the stables.”

Marianne could not believe what she heard,
but William continued his pondering, pretending not to notice her
open staring.

“I will need to speak with Robert.”

“I already have.” Blaise said quickly.

William waited.
“And?”

“He has told me that he did not see Holton
with any valuables, but that he was acting strangely and said that
he might wish to take a ride later.”

“So Robert did not help him to saddle and
pack the horses?”

Blaise shook his head.
“Nay, but another
young stable boy did see Holton trying on his own, and assisted him
with it.
He told me that Holton rode off by himself.”

William seethed.
“He could have packed all
those horses with valuables.”

Marianne did not want to believe it.
She
could not believe her father was capable of theft, and while at
first she could not, within seconds of the accusation she found her
way of thinking to be swayed to what could only be the truth.
She
knew that trying to defend her father’s honor would only result in
naught but more hot temper, so she remained silent.

Even though her father was a man who rarely
thought of anyone but himself, she had an inkling of his plan.

“Perhaps he wished to sell the items for
land?”

Blaise sneered at the idea.
“What land could
he purchase with stolen goods?
Once he was accused everything he
purchased would belong to my father in the end.”

“Unless he went abroad,” said William.
“Still, we do not know how much he took, and whether it would be
enough to buy him a sizable amount of land to live off of.”

Marianne did not believe that was what her
father’s intention.

Her face must have given her away because
Blaise was quick to attack her again.
“Do you know something that
perhaps you are not telling us, my lady?”

William looked at her as well, apparently
awaiting an explanation.

Marianne’s mood deflated.
Only a moment ago
her husband spoke of making love with her.
But of course, why
should she think that his lust would lead to mutual trust?
He
wanted her in his bed.
He had not forgotten that she forced him
into the marriage.

Marianne cleared the lump of pain from her
throat.
“I believe he might wish to give whatever stolen items he
has to sir Ferdinand.
Perhaps to regain some of the land
surrounding Holton House.”

The brows of both men raised high at her.

William was the first to speak.
“Why only
some of the land?
Why not try to bargain for the house and the
land?” He shook his head, as though dismissing the idea.
“Even if
Holton had twice the amount required for a house that size,
Ferdinand would never sell it back to him.”

She looked away from the both of them.
She
still felt William’s eyes on her, as though he wished to hear what
she thought her father would do since she knew the man best.
“My
brothers, all of them, are buried on that land.”

A small gasp left William’s mouth as though
it had been pulled from his throat.
“I was unaware you had
any.”

Even Blaise was silent, though his eyes not
any less accusing.

Marianne nodded.
“Aye, five of them,” her
voice became smaller.
“All gone.”

William sighed and rubbed his face.
“Send
some men out to find him, but he is not to be harmed.”

“The man is a thief!” Blaise was spitting
with shaking rage.

William refused to lose his calm the way
Blaise did so easily.
“And those items could have easily been
misplaced.
I do not wish to send men off to beat him on the chance
he really is just gone for some air.”

Blaise glared and William glared back, his
spine as stiff as his tone and fists clenched.
“I will not be moved
by you.
You are finished doing as you please, and I shall not
change my mind.
Send the men, and if I hear that you twisted my
words to have him harmed then you shall sleep in the barn until the
first snow.”

Marianne stood stunned, her face mimicking
that of Blaise’s, who rocked back on his feet at the threat.
The
image melted into the shocked outrage she witnessed the day William
grabbed a fistful of his orange hair when he defended her from his
son.

Body tight, Blaise did as he was bid and
stalked away with all the bluster of a winter storm.
There was no
pout on his face or an ungentlemanly slouch in his back.
The air
around him did waft thick, however, and passing maids and children
scurried out of his way.

Marianne wished she could ask William about
the true relationship between him and Blaise.
She could not for a
moment believe that William was Blaise’s father, not when he had
Robert’s orange head of hair and face.
So then why did William keep
Blaise under his roof and call him his son when he so obviously was
not?

Marianne sighed.
If there had ever been a
chance for her to convince William that she did not need a squire
to follow her, this event surely destroyed it.

Why did her father have to bring ruin to her
happiness?
He always seemed to be around the corner with a piece of
bad news to spring upon her.

The deaths of her brothers, Reggie slipping
from his horse, Blaise’s insulting letter, her engagement to Sir
Ferdinand, and now this.

The anger bubbled inside her like boiling
water.
Her body shaking with effort to contain it.

“I am not a thief.” She spoke the words
without thinking.

“I never assumed you were, my dear.”

She wished he would refrain from calling her
that.
A sweet pet-name was meant for lovers, not strangers.

They would have been lovers had Blaise not
stormed in on them and made that horrible accusation.

“I do like seeing your cheeks that color, my
dear, but knowing ‘tis not I making you so angry upsets me.”

Marianne ignored him, spun and tried to storm
away.
She should have known he would not let her.

He grabbed her and forcefully turned her.
Marianne found her entire body pressed closely into his chest, his
chin resting atop her head in his attempt to contain her anger.
“No
more will you stomp around like a spoiled child.”

“
Spoiled child?
” She raged, now
wishing to claw out his eyes instead as her voice rose.
“Blaise
accuses
me
of stealing from my new home, and you—”

Her words stalled on her lips when William
dragged her into the next room.
He returned her to her feet before
he slammed the door.

She knew the room without turning around.
‘Twas one of the rooms she had yelled and screamed for the servants
to clean, and in the end she had to help clean it because the few
maids willing to get back to their work straight away had been
scattered all over the castle with other chores, and completing
them as slowly as possible.

The large bed in the center of the room with
its clean sheets took up all of her attention, and she flushed with
the recognition of where William’s thoughts had gone.

“If you think for one moment that we are
going to do this now—”

William went to her, wrapped his arms under
her bottom and lifted her into the air as though she weighed less
than a girl’s doll.
Marianne shrieked, her fists pounded his
shoulders and back uselessly, but he held firm until throwing her
onto the bed where she bounced helplessly.

She nearly slipped off, but he was on her in
an instant, clasping her wrists and holding them above her head
with only one of his much larger hands.

She blew locks of red hair out of her eyes
and glared at him.
“If you do this, I shall never forgive you.”

He was neither smiling nor scowling.
“You
certainly think highly of yourself.”

“I think no such thing.”

“And you obviously think very little of
me.”

“
What?
”

“I would never force myself on you, and have
never done so to any woman.
Ever.” His grip on her wrists
tightened.
“I would have thought that after sharing my bed with you
all this time, you would have a little more sense than that.” He
paused.
“And respect.”

She snarled and struggled despite knowing he
was much too heavy for her to move, ‘twas more for him to see that
she would not give in to him so easily.
“Forgive me if my wits have
abandoned me while you press me into the bed.”

William dropped her wrists and moved to close
the curtains surrounding them.
Marianne’s shock took hold of her
with this new movement.
Her confusion gripped her as tight as
William’s hands and she could not lower her arms from where they
had been held.

He returned and settled himself next to her,
laying one hand palm down on the blanket beside her head.
While he
did not put his whole weight onto her this time, there was enough
of him there to make her aware that she was still under his
power.

“If you would like to scream as you are prone
to do, I would prefer that you not do so in front of the servants.”
He reached out for a pillow and handed it to her.
“Screaming and
shrieking into this should stifle most of the noise.”

Marianne lowered her hands but did not take
the pillow.
“Nay, I think I shall not scream today.”

He raised a brow at her, tossing the pillow
away.
“And you will not try to gallop off into the forest?”

She glared again, but she did not put her
usual spirit into it.
“You have made that quite impossible already,
dear husband.”

She did not use the name with any of her
earlier sarcasm.
In fact she shocked herself with the playful tone
she heard there.

William smiled, tracing her jaw with the tip
of a large finger.
“Simply because you decide not to scream does
not mean I wish for you to contain your anger.
You are allowed to
be cross with Blaise.”

Marianne eyes widened.
How had he seen
through her like that?
“What gave you the impression I was not
going to be angry with him?”

His pleased smile turned from innocent to
wickedness.
“My dear, whenever the world vexes you, you either
scream at the top of your lungs, or you run away from it.”

“You will haunt me with the forest incident
for the rest of my life, won’t you?” Marianne shut her eyes against
him, exasperated and willing for her strength to not leave her.
“I’ll have you know that was a singular moment of foolishness.”