Page 51 of The Raven and the Rose
He was so large he filled the doorway. “Madame, this game is finished. This is the last time I come to this damned chamber, for you will occupy it no more! You will come to me from now on, and you will come tonight!”
She knew she dared not deny him, but she temporized. “My lord, I will need time to get my things together.”
“Madame, I will allow you five minutes!” He slammed from the room in such a high temper that Alice slipped to the carpet in a dead faint.
“Good God!” Kate exclaimed. “The girl hasn’t the guts of a louse, although I must admit that those dark eyes can put the fear of the devil into you.” She lifted Alice onto her bed and rubbed her hands and arms vigorously. “Come on, lambie, wake up. He’s gone now.”
“How dare he?” demanded Roseanna, venting her own temper now that he was safely gone. “This is beyond the beyond! To think he can actually dismiss my own servingwomen! By God, I’ll tell you one thing—if you leave, we all leave!” She pioked up a silver hairbrush and paced around the room.
Kate tried to reason with her. “Roseanna, he’d dare do anything. He’s all man. I told you you wouldn’t get far throwing your imperious orders at him.” Roseanna angrily brushed the tangled mass of her curls. Kate continued. “You’ll have to go to him, lovey. Your five minutes were up long ago.”
“Ha!” flared Roseanna. “I may have to move to his chamber, but I shall certainly take my own sweet time about it. It’ll give that devil of a temper of his time to cool down.” She got a great deal of pleasure imagining him waiting impatiently for her.
“Roseanna, if you were a clever girl, you could have him eating out of your hand,” pointed out Kate. “Sugar, not vinegar, my girl. That’s what softens a man.”
Roseanna realized that Kate had a point. If she were to control her temper and use more subtle means to get her own way with him, her life would be more pleasant. After all, she only had to go near the man, and he couldn’t resist touching her. She smiled a secret smile—she would control him through his desires.
An hour had long passed before Roseanna obeyed her husband’s summons. She took no light to guide her. She needed none, for she walked a direct path unerringly to his chamber door. She opened it with a little flourish and boldly entered.
Ravenspur stood naked to the waist; his body was sleek, the muscles taut. He was handing a goblet of wine to the young servingwoman who was with him.
The woman gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth. Roseanna was stunned. The firelight turned her scarlet-clad figure to flame. His faithlessness hit her with such a blow, she was as still as death. After a full minute of frozen horror, Roseanna approached the young woman, snatched the goblet from her hand, and dashed it into the fire. “Get out!” She uttered the command like an empress. A detached part of her brain decided to send the woman to Castlemaine in the morning. A word to Joanna would teach the servingwoman her place. The young woman fled, eager to be gone from this highly charged atmosphere. When they were alone, she demanded, “How dare you forget your vows so quickly?”
“Your five minutes were up an hour ago! How dare you forget your vow?” he countered.
She ignored his words. “You faithless bastard! Know this, Ravenspur. There will be only one woman to hold the place of honor here, and that woman will be me. You will not put me in a position where I am laughed at or pitied.”
His eyes raked over her assessingly. She was magnificent and wildly beautiful in her towering rage. “Then honor your vows and take your rightful place as my wife. I pledge never to be unfaithful! Otherwise, I will sleep with who I damned well please.”
“I do not love you,” she said with regal dignity.
He countered, “I am not asking for your love. I am asking for my marital rights.”
She said slowly, “You mean that if I share your bed on occasion, you swear never to commit adultery?”
“A lot depends on how you behave in bed,” he said slowly. But not wanting to push her too far, he added, “I suppose I could live with that. Is it a bargain?”
She didn’t answer him. She went over her alternatives mentally and found they were intolerable.
“Yes,” she said softly.
For a blank moment he couldn’t remember the question and stared at her. Then realization of what she had promised hit him. “Roseanna!” he said with fervor and moved to take her in his arms.
“My God, not now! Not after you’ve touched her!” she cried, aghast. She put up her hand to fend him off; it came into contact with the crisp black mat of curls that covered his chest. Her touch branded him as if he’d been seared with a hot iron. He clenched his fists at his side to stop himself from snatching her into his arms and lifting her into his bed. “Tomorrow night!” he demanded.
She nodded.
“Swear it!” he insisted, remembering her deception at backgammon. “If you don’t give yourself to me, I shall take you by force, Roseanna. Never doubt it of me!”
“Tomorrow,” she promised, and turned to leave. Letting her go was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do. Before she left, she turned and spoke to him. Her delicate brows were marred by a frown. “She isn’t even beautiful,” she said.
His rich, deep laughter rang out. By God, she was jealous! He was halfway home!
Kate and Alice were avid for news when Roseanna returned, but she was disappointingly uncommunicative. Kate had already dragged out a large trunk ready for packing. Roseanna said quietly, “Go to bed; we’re staying. Get me up early. I’ve many things to see to.”
The next morning, Roseanna went down to the dining hall to join her husband for breakfast. His eyes lit up with pleasure at the sight of her. She wasted no time in stating her purpose. “I’ll need one of your men to act as escort. I’m sending one of the servingwomen to my mother at Castlemaine.”
Roger kept a straight face. He had no intention of interfering with her decision to be rid of the wench. God help any servant who crossed Lady Ravenspur! “Certainly, Roseanna. I’ll send Dirk to you after breakfast. He can wait and take letters for you, if you care to write them.”
