Page 37 of The Sword and the Damsel

“Call me Daniel.”

They returned to the others. Lady Alais’s eyes were wide with apprehension, following his every movement. He wanted to go to her and speak with her, but he wasn’t sure if he was allowed. Would they have a chance to speak before they wed? There was so much he ought to know but had never even considered. Most of all, he wanted to reassure her that he understood his role and would not press for anything she didn’t want to give. She must be terrified. It had all happened so fast.

“We’ve reached an agreement,” Daniel announced. “I’ll speak to the priest to see how quickly we can schedule the ceremony. I’m hoping we can do this tomorrow unless there are any objections.”

Lady de Vere clapped her hands and said, “I do love a wedding!” as if nothing was amiss in the world. Lady Carenza and Lady Iselda rolled their eyes. Lady Alais stared at her mother in obvious disbelief.

As the family started to go their separate ways, Victor asked Daniel if he might have a word with Lady Alais. Daniel gave a nod and asked his wife to stay and chaperone. She was not the chaperone Victor would have chosen, given the naked hostilityin Lady Alais’s eyes when she looked at her sister, but he would take what he could get. He moved to stand beside her.

Lady Alais still sat in her corner, crumpling the fabric of her dress in her clenched hands.

“Lady Alais, I was hoping we could talk for a moment.”

She looked up and then, before he even realized her intentions, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head against his chest. “Thank you,” she murmured.

He folded his arms around her gingerly, uncertain how to respond, especially with Lady Carenza watching. She fit well against him, and the delicious scent of lemons and thyme rose up to his nostrils. He inhaled deeply as his heart began to pound.

“I’ll be a good wife, I promise! You know the rumor is a lie. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you believe me. But I’m untouched. I swear. And I’ll always be faithful. And I’ll give you as many babies as you want. And—”

“Lady Alais, slow down. I wanted to check that you truly want to go through with this. I’m yours if you want me, but if you change your mind, I promise I won’t be offended.”

“Change my mind? I don’t understand.” She pulled back to look up at him. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes luminous.

“You were cornered. I was your only escape, but I’m under no illusions that you would choose me were circumstances different. I know I’m scarred and that you don’t think I’m—”

She raised a hand to his face and caressed it. He froze. She traced a finger along his scar, down his cheek, across the bridge of his nose, and down to the corner of his mouth. Then she trailed it along his lower lip. He closed his eyes as she traced his scar, fearing what he might see in her eyes. The thought that she might pity him twisted like a knife in his gut while her gentle touch pulled him in closer. It was agony, and he couldn’t pull away.

Their lips met. He knew he should step away. She must have been doing this out of gratitude rather than true affection, but there was no escape. His body wouldn’t respond to his mind’s frantic pleas. Her lips brushed against his, sending lightning to his extremities. He didn’t respond. It was all he could do to keep breathing.

“Is something wrong?” she whispered, pulling away slightly. “Why won’t you kiss me?”

Everything was wrong. He was wrong for her. She was doing this out of desperation. She could never feel for him what he felt for her. But his body wouldn’t listen. Ferocious need flooded his veins, and he could no longer hold back.

His hands cupped the back of her head. He pulled her to him, and he kissed her as he’d dreamed of kissing her, night after night. He lost himself in her. He was no longer a man but merely a collection of impulses and sensations. And in some distant corner of his mind, he became aware that she was kissing him back with equal fervor. There was no hesitation, no resistance. She was hungry for him.

It wasn’t possible. He must be mistaken. And yet there was no denying the heat that had sprung up between them. Her hands clutched at him. Her body pressed against his own. Her mouth was soft, sweet, and demanding as they tasted each other for the first time. It was unbearable, and he needed more. He pulled her closer, his hand caressing her curves with hungry reverence, but at that moment, Lady Carenza cleared her throat.

They pulled away from each other, trembling. Victor tried to think of something, anything, that would calm his body’s desperation before he had to face Lady Carenza. He closed his eyes and imagined jumping into a frozen pond.

“Are you done with your talk?” Lady Carenza asked with dry amusement.

“Carenza, I’m going to kill you,” Alais said through gritted teeth.

“Don’t worry, Alais. You don’t have long to wait. You can survive for one more day. And as for you,” she said, turning to Victor, “you had me worried for a moment there, but you’ll do fine.”

He had no idea what she meant by that and continued to focus his attention on icy things as he exited the room, avoiding eye contact with Lady Alais.

He made his way to his tiny room in a daze. He collapsed on his bed and lay staring up at the ceiling without bothering to undress. Lady Alais de Vere had kissed him. She. Kissed. Him. Passionately, too. And tomorrow, she would become his wife. But it made no sense. None of it made any sense.

Before the sun set on another day, he would be the husband of the woman he loved. Did he dare hope that someday she might grow to love him too? But he couldn’t get ahead of himself. She was wedding him out of necessity and was probably terrified. It was his chivalric duty to give her the time and space she needed to accustom herself to marriage.

He groaned as he realized what that meant. He was going to have to sleep in the same room as her without touching her, all the while knowing he couldn’t visit Jane to keep his urges at bay. It could go on that way indefinitely. In fact, it had to because he couldn’t face the consequences of giving in. The only thing worse than Lady Alais’s pity would be her regret. This was going to be absolute hell, and there was no going back.

Chapter Fifteen

The wedding ceremonywas quick and quiet, carried out in the family chapel in the castle instead of at the church. Late afternoon sun poured through the stained glass and dappled the small group of attendees. There was no time for a new dress, so Alais wore her favorite red one, the same dress she wore the day she met Sir Victor. She carried a bouquet of white autumn crocuses from the castle garden that she’d picked herself. Sir Victor wore a black velvet cotte with gold embroidered trim over plain black breeches. She couldn’t help thinking how lucky she was to be marrying such a noble and honorable man, and she admired his striking figure and warrior’s face.

Her heart raced as he promised to be hers to have and to hold until death parted them. The holding part sounded especially delicious. She’d hardly been able to think of anything else since their kiss the night before. Throughout the ceremony, he kept giving her inquiring looks, as though expecting her to interrupt or stop the proceedings. He himself went through every step and spoke every word of his vows without hesitation, his face full of devotion, which was surprisingly tender, considering he was only marrying her to help her save face and her reputation, and especially keep her out of the nunnery. She was marrying a good man, she thought to herself as he took her hand and led her from the chapel. And he certainly wasn’t a sheep.

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