Page 32 of The Wager and the Wedding

It wasn’t until the sun sank in the sky in a riot of color that Martin stepped away from his business and approached them once again. “My ladies, will you do me the honor of joining me?”

He offered one arm to Isabella and the other to Adelaide and accompanied them down to the hold he had turned into a pathetic attempt at a sylvan grotto. If he thought to impress her with a few scraggly tree branches, some tent fabric, and a fancy lantern, he had a great deal to learn. She was as impervious to his attempts to create a romantic setting as she was to his wooing. Her heart certainly didn’t melt a little at the sight, nor did she allow herself to smile as her sister took in the scene, wide-eyed.

“It’s beautiful,” Adelaide said, pausing as they entered. “I feel like a fairy princess in here.”

“Why thank you, Lady Adelaide,” Martin said as he pulled out chairs for each of them in turn. “I’m rather proud of how it all came together. What do you think, Isabella?”

He helped her into her seat as she tried to come up with a cutting response. “Why anyone would want to pretend to eat in the woods is beyond me. What is the attraction? Do youlikebeing plagued by mangy woodland creatures trying to steal your food while you eat? For my part, I much prefer the comfort of a great hall, thank you very much. If you hoped to impress me, you have fallen far short of the mark.”

Martin crossed his arms and shook his head, smiling. “Liar. You like it. I heard you gasp the first time I brought you in here, and I saw you smile just now when you thought I wasn’t looking.”

Ugh. Did he have to be so perceptive? “That night, you must have seen me stifling a sneeze, and just now, I was holding back laughter. It truly is ridiculous the lengths you’ve gone to in your efforts to impress me. Have I not told you I have a heart of stone? You’re wasting your time.”

Adelaide laughed. “Don’t worry, my lord. She likes it. And she does have a heart under all her bluster for all her protestations to the contrary.”

“Traitor,” Isabella murmured. Didn’t Adelaide understand the potential consequences of encouraging the baron? She would need to have a talk with her sister about the dangers of Lord Martin before the night was out. The man wasn’t trustworthy. How could Adelaide not see that? “Let’s eat quickly and get out of here. I don’t wish to endure Lord Martin’s company any longer than I must.”

“But we were going to play together! You agreed!” Adelaide gestured at her lute.

Curse it, she had. “I’m sorry, sweeting. You’re just recovering, and you shouldn’t push yourself. And I don’t want to spend any more time in his company than I must.”

Adelaide sighed heavily and gave Martin an apologetic shrug.

“As my lady wishes,” Lord Martin said with a little bow. “I’ll have Baldwin bring in the food.”

He left the cabin for a moment, and Isabella turned to Adelaide. “I’m trying to save you from being sent off to France. Please don’t take his side. It only complicates matters.”

“I think you underestimate him. He’s been nothing but kind to both of us. I think you’d be far better off with him than some stuffy earl you hardly know. As for me, I’ll be fine. I’ve survived Mother for all these years. Can Lady Eleanor truly be so much worse? I’d rather stay with you, but what hope do any of us have of defying the woman who is poised to become the queen of England any day now?”

Before Isabella had a chance to respond, Martin returned, followed by Baldwin carrying trays with enough food to feed half the crew, and it all smelled heavenly. There was a venison pie with a perfectly flaky golden crust, a bowl of roasted carrots and parsnips, a loaf of fresh bread, a lump of soft cheese, and a pitcher of wine. Her stomach betrayed her by growling as Baldwin arrayed the food on the table.

“Eager for more of Baldwin’s cooking, beloved?”

She refused to answer, crossing her arms and staring down at the plate laid before her.

“Thank you, Baldwin. You have outdone yourself. My deepest thanks for your efforts.” The man was kind to his crew, not that it mattered. He was still a thorn in her side.

“Yes, thank you, Baldwin,” Adelaide called out as the scruffy cook made his exit. “Really, Isabella, you’re being terribly rude. Just look at this lovely feast!”

“I will endure this dinner if I must, but don’t expect me to enjoy it.” And she didn’t. Mostly. The food was delicious, and the easy rapport between Martin and Adelaide as they ate made her heart ache. But she had to remain strong. She couldn’t give Martin an inch, or all her plans would be for naught.

When the interminable dinner finally ended, Martin insisted on a bit of music, having a sailor bring Adelaide’s lute and hiscitole. Isabella endured it in stony silence, determined not to be charmed by the touching scene. At last, she succeeded in dragging Adelaide away, much to her sister’s chagrin.

“I don’t understand why you treat him so poorly when he’s being such a gracious host,” Adelaide said as soon as they were safely back in their cabin with the door closed.

“Because I want a better life for you than I’ve had. Is it so wrong of me to want to defend you from risking your life by sending you off to serve Lady Eleanor? What if you take ill while you’re serving the duchess? Do you think anyone is going to tenderly nurse you back to health?”

Adelaide put her hands on her hips. “I’ve survived all these years with Mother without your help. How is Lady Eleanor worse?”

Guilt assailed her at her sister’s words. “I never would have left you in Mother’s clutches for so long if I’d had the means to come to your rescue. I’ve worried about you every day since you left. Your delicate constitution—”

“Do you think I don’t worry about you too? I don’t want to see you throw your life away on some awful earl when you’ve had the good fortune to marry someone kind and thoughtful. You’ve sacrificed enough already serving Lady Eleanor all those years. And let me worry about my own phlegmatic lungs. I’ve endured them my whole life. I know how to take care of myself.”

Isabella forced herself to take a deep calming breath before responding. “First of all, Lord Martin isn’t kind and thoughtful. He’s a preening coxcomb who thinks far too much of himself. Can’t you see that he’s manipulating you? The man drives me mad, and I have no desire to spend the rest of my life with him. Second, I’ve only just found you again. I’m not ready to let you go. Third and most importantly, I refuse to entrust your health and your life to a woman as volatile and capricious as Her Grace. I love you too much to lose you again.”

Adelaide’s arms dropped, and her expression softened. “I love you too. Let’s stop fighting. If you don’t trust Lord Martin, then I’ll do my best to follow your lead. Do you truly not like him?”

“I loathe him.” She couldn’t stand the way he got under her skin and made her feel so hot and restless. There was no way she was going to give in to his campaign of seduction, despite her mad moment of weakness. “You should get some sleep, my sweet. You need rest to keep up your strength.”

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