Page 14 of Beguiled
“Love? Of course not. My emotions are not important in so great a matter. Surely as a noblewoman you understand that.”
She fidgeted with a piece of cheese. “I should like to think even if love is not present initially that it would grow.”
“Love can always grow. ’Tis a choice we make to respect and cherish someone.”
“Then you disregard feelings of attraction altogether?”
Heretofore, I’d never met a woman who snared my attention for long—at least long enough that I’d felt any sort of attraction worth pursuing. What would have been the point? “Perhaps after I am married I may enjoy the luxury of fostering love and attraction. But at the start, any sort of arrangement would be purely practical.”
“You are such a romantic, my lord.” Her voice gently scolded me even as she slanted a look my way that fanned warmth through my veins once more. What was it about this woman that made me react in so strange a manner?
“What about you?” I needed to change the subject. “Do you have hope for love?”
She hesitated, staring at the remaining cheese in her hands.
At once, I wished I could take the question back. Of course she didn’t have any hope of love, not with her blemishes. “Forgive me for asking. You likely had to give up much when you came to live here.”
“My mother never mentioned any marriage plans for me. Perhaps she never intended for me to have a future.”
Her mother? “Then your father is gone?”
She nodded, her eyes filling with shadows. “He died three years ago from a heart attack.” As she settled next to me and finished feeding me the cheese, I could see from the tense way she held herself that her grief was raw and her love still deep.
We talked of our fathers for some time, reminiscing and sharing fond memories. Finally, the guard above called down to her, and she stood and began to repack the baskets. I didn’t want her to go. Strangely enough, the more I talked with her, the more I wanted to keep conversing.
When she started up the ladder, I was tempted to call her back and ply her with more questions. Not because I wanted to use her in escaping, but because I genuinely was interested in knowing more about her.
No matter what physical imperfections she might have, she was an intriguing woman. And once the door above closed and darkness descended, I already anticipated her next visit.
Chapter
6
Pearl
Over the nextweek, I spent hours upon hours down in the dungeon with Mikkel tending his wounds, changing bandages, refreshing poultices, and conversing about a wide variety of topics including politics, philosophy, history, and even religion.
Not only was he well educated, but he reflected deeply on matters and had a wealth of wisdom to add to almost any subject. I’d never had such thorough and thoughtful discussions with anyone before, and I enjoyed my time with him, even making additional excuses for why I needed to descend into the dungeon.
Whenever Irontooth or Felicity questioned the appropriateness of my spending so much time with our prisoner, I reminded them Gregor sat a dozen feet away chaperoning us. And, of course, Tommy or one of the other outcasts guarded the entrance and likely heard our conversations as well.
Besides, Irontooth had given me just a week in which to learn Mikkel’s purpose on the island, and I endeavored to make the most of every minute to befriend him and gain his trust. Yet, for all my attempts to elicit more information about his deeper motives, he always held back.
Of course, I withheld from him as well, although the better I knew him, the more I wanted to confide in him. On some level, I sensed he would do me no harm. But at the same time, I’d learned I had to be careful whom I trusted. After all, if my own mother could betray me, anyone could.
On the sixth night of captivity, Irontooth commanded workers to prepare a pyre of wood in readiness for burning Mikkel and Gregor. I halted beside Irontooth in front of the growing stacks, trying not to show my dismay. “I thought we were feeding our prisoners to Loch Ness.”
Irontooth crossed his arms and glowered at me. “I changed my mind.”
I didn’t want the prisoners to perish either way. But at least in the sea, they’d have a fighting chance of escaping. “Give me a few more days.
“You’ve had long enough. Tomorrow they die.”
With increasing desperation, I descended into the dungeon, carrying what could very well be Mikkel’s and Gregor’s last meal.
Earlier in the week, I’d felt guilty for keeping Mikkel so heavily bound and had Tommy unshackle his hands. Now while he ate, my mind spun. I needed to increase my efforts at getting him to talk, even if that meant I must bind him again and scare him with threats.
As soon as I entertained the prospect, I tossed it aside. He was too strong a man to capitulate under duress. He’d shown that by never once taking any of the pain medicine I offered.
