Page 50 of The Raven and the Rose
She threw him a challenging look. “Surely as a gentleman you will allow me the benefit of the doubt?”
“I am not a gentleman, only a man, with a man’s desires!” he asserted. He saw a flicker of fear in her eyes but was determined not to soften toward her. His fingers dug cruelly into her creamy shoulders, and his eyes narrowed. “Do you know what I think? I think you enjoy the stalking, the wooing, and my advances just so you can retreat. We are fencing. You parry every time I thrust.”
“Wooing has a devious purpose—to get something!” she accused.
“To give something as well as get something—pleasure in bed. I would like to do that with you,” he said.
She tried to pull away from him. “You are hurting me!” she cried.
“Hurting you? By God, I haven’t begun yet. What you need is a good beating, followed by a good fucking, and I’m going to give you both!”
She wrenched herself free of him and fled the room sobbing. And his relentless voice followed her out the door: “I am a man who always collects his debts.”
Roseanna tried to hide the fact that she had been crying when she reached her rooms, but Kate was difficult to deceive. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing!” Roseanna sniffed. “I won every hand. Five hundred pounds, his ruby earring, and the unborn colt that his stallion sired.”
“Didn’t he win even one game?” asked Kate skeptically.
“When I saw that he was about to win the last game, I upset the board. Losing to Ravenspur would be too awful to conjure!”
“In other words, you had another brawl,” stated Kate.
“How you exaggerate! We parted on the best of terms,” she said, tossing her head and going through to her own chamber. Before she closed her door she added, “However, if he comes calling, I will not receive him under any circumstances!”
Alice was already apprehensive. “Kate, you got rid of him last night, but what will we do if he comes again tonight?”
“You can get rid of him tonight—it’s your turn,” said Kate, laughing.
“Oh, I feel sick. You can’t mean that Kate,” whispered Alice.
“Go on with you. I’ll speak to him if he comes. Mind, you’ll have to back up whatever I say. Two are a stronger defense than one.”
“But Kate, it’s his castle. I don’t see how we can prevent him from visiting his own wife in his own castle.”
“Listen, my gal Our first duty is to Roseanna. We are her servingwomen, and we take our orders from her. Stop worrying your guts to fiddlestrings! Perhaps he’s had enough of her naughtyworks for one night.”
Alice crossed her fingers and prepared for bed. Kate donned a warm nightcap and flannel robe and extinguished the lamps. No sooner did they get into their beds than a low knock came upon the outer door.
Kate mumbled, “No rest for the wicked,” and lit a candle. Alice caught her breath, her worst fears realized. Kate held the candle high and peered out the door, which she had only opened a crack. She knew full well it was Ravenspur but asked, “Who is it?”
“Kate, for God’s sake, open the door. Don’t keep me standing in this corridor all night,” he said irritably.
“But my lord, as ye can well see, we’ve all retired for the night.”
“Goddamn it, woman, let me in!” he demanded with controlled fury.
She stepped aside, and he entered and said, “Light the lamp.”
Alice flew from her bed and fumbled endlessly until she finally managed to illuminate the room.
Kate said as assertively as she dared, “My lady has long ago retired. She bade me not disturb her, and she locked her door.”
He looked at her evenly and said, “Roseanna knew I would come.”
Kate shook her head, crossed her arms across her chest, and planted her feet firmly. “No sir, that is a lie, or why would she lock her chamber door?”
His eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked from one woman to the other. “By Christ, this is a conspiracy!” His words were deadly and quiet. His soft, ominous tone was far more deadly than if he’d raved. “Tomorrow you’ll both return to Castlemaine. I’ll not have two damned dragons barring me from my own wife’s bed! Start packing.” He kicked open the adjoining door to reveal Roseanna hastily donning a scarlet velvet bedgown.
