Page 81 of The Raven and the Rose
He took her hand and placed it on his groin to give her an idea of his unusual size. He whispered, “I won’t be satisfied until I’ve put my yard up you more times than my brother.”
She knew he was obsessed with his brother the King. She wanted to cry out that Edward was her father, not her lover, but she dared not. If he knew her child was Edward’s grandson, he would take not only his lands but his life.
George pulled her to the bed. He quickly disrobed and lay back awaiting her. She had expected him to fall upon her and ravage her, so this behavior surprised and alarmed her. It would be worse than she had imagined if he expected her to service him. She stood quietly by the bed, gathering her courage for what had to be faced.
“I’m waiting, little girl,” he said in a menacing tone, narrowing his eyes.
Slowly she removed her robe and knelt upon the bed. She looked at his sex organ with alarm. It was enormous. Using the coarsest language, he told her in shocking detail what he wanted her to do to him.
As she knelt down to him, her silken hair swept forward like a curtain to cover her shame. Suddenly his hand shot out to grab her hair in a cruel grip. “You intended to bite me, didn’t you?”
She offered no denial but quickly veiled the triumph in her eyes lest it incense him further. He got off the bed and ordered her to kneel at its edge. He came up from behind her and tried to enter her. Roseanna had had no experience of what it was that he attempted.
“Christ Almighty, you’ve never been initiated—you’re too small!” he ground out. Frustrated in everything he desired, he flipped her flat onto her back and ordered thickly, “Spread yourself!” He thrust inside her cruelly until she thought she would burst. “Respond to me!” he ordered. Then his avid mouth fastened onto her breast and he sucked her milk from her. Once he’d satisfied his cruel desires, he fell into a stupor.
Later that night, Roseanna sat in the window embrasure. She was too numb to feel or think. George roused in the great bed.
“What are you doing over there?” he demanded.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she murmured.
“If you cannot sleep, I haven’t used you enough. Come back to bed.”
In the morning she escorted the duke and his gentlemen to the stables. She wanted to see with her own eyes that he had quit the place. His greedy eyes fell upon the white mares. “Are these Arabians?” he asked.
“No, sire. They are bred by the Cistercian monks at the Abbey of Jervaulx.”
“I have a fancy for them,” he said smoothly.
“These are only mares. I’m sure if you visited the abbey, you would find the stallions more to your taste.”
“Perhaps,” he temporized. “Next time I visit you, little girl, perhaps you will be generous enough to gift me with the mares.”
The mares meant a great deal to her, especially since they had all been bred to Mecca, but she heard only the wordsnext time I visit you.
She reached her bedchamber on shaky legs. As Kate came toward her with the baby, she cried, “Don’t bring me the child while I’ve the stink of that pig on me. Get me a bath, Kate!” She scrubbed herself until her skin was raw, and she would not come out of the water until Kate said, “The shame is his, not yours, Roseanna.”
“You are right, of course, Kate. I have no time to waste in this fashion. I must be up and about, making plans to protect my son. I’m going to have to wean him, Kate. I must place him where he will be safe, and that may not be at my side.” She donned a black mourning gown and went briskly around, giving her household orders. In the midst of all this, her mother arrived.
“Kate, what lies have you been telling me that Roseanna was half dead, walking around in a trance?” asked Joanna.
“I’ve had a rude awakening,” said Roseanna caustically. She took her mother up to a bedchamber close to her own and told her everything that had happened, leaving out no detail. “I want you to take my son to Castlemaine. That isn’t out of George’s reach, but Ned won’t be nearly as vulnerable. Take Alice back with you, and I would appreciate it if you also took Rebecca and her little girl. Tristan will never forgive me if I don’t keep them out of harm’s way.”
“What about Kate?” asked Joanna.
“Kate is my strength. Without her, I’d go mad,” Roseanna said simply. “I’m going to arrange for old Dobbin to take all the best horses home to my father.”
“Isn’t that going a bit far, darling?” asked Joanna.
“I’ll not let that whoreson swine have even the smoke off their horseshit! Everything belongs to my son, and I’ll die saving it for him!” she vowed.
“It’s a man’s world, Roseanna. Haven’t you just had that lesson driven home to you?”
“Then I’ll get a stronger man! I’ll go to Warwick if I have to,” she threatened.
“He’s above temptation—I tried years ago. His God is ambition, and he will sacrifice everything to it. Women mean nothing to him.”
“Then I’ll appeal to Ravenspur’s overlord. Surely the Earl of Lincoln will at least listen to me if I swear him allegiance for my son’s land and title.”
