Page 29 of Saxon Blade Norman Blood
“No, I do not have a lover, Norman or otherwise.” Her voice was calm despite the color on her cheeks. “And I will not hear another word of your accusations. I told you I found the ring in the river. I told you I was not sent by anyone. You will have to believe me. If you are unable to accept my word, then there is nothing I can do.”
His temper exploded at her defiance. “Christ, sometimes I wonder why I even bother with you Saxons! It has brought me nothing but trouble.”
“Then why don’t you and all your friends go back to Normandy? You wouldn’t be missed,” she snapped back. “Why are you even here, if it’s so unpleasant?”
A bitter taste invaded his mouth. The conversation had taken yet another turn. “I could tell you I came here to seize an opportunity in a country where Norman nobles are given lands and privileges by the new king,” he answered slowly.
“And I could pretend to believe you. Or you could tell me the truth.”
“The truth… No one has ever asked me that before. Men don’t usually question my explanations.”
“Men.” She snorted.
Composure restored, William regarded her with a tilt of the head. “You do not think much of men, do you?”
“No. They tend to be self-centered, aggressive, lecherous fools.”
“Now I know where I stand,” he said with a reluctant smile. “If such is your opinion of men, I doubt the real reason of my presence here will do much to restore your faith in us.”
“Let me guess. You killed someone, and you had to flee for your life. You didn’t think about glory and opportunities when you crossed the British Sea; you just wanted to save your neck.”
“Yes,” he said, crossing his arms on his chest. “That is a fair summary of the situation.”
10
A deafening silence followed the shocking declaration.
Rowena had not expected such an uncompromising answer, she had only meant to mock William, but now he was telling her he had killed someone, years before he had murdered her stepfather. A shiver went down her spine. The man in front of her was capable of killing men as easily as she plucked flowers and feel no remorse over it.
“Who was he?” she whispered, afraid of finding out.
A shadow passed over William’s face. “My overlord.”
His overlord.
Her heart jumped into her throat. She’d not expected his victim to be a man of such importance.
“How could you do such a thing?”
His hazel eyes became hard. “I would never have killed him had he not been determined to kill me first. You might argue that I was only defending myself.”
“Why would he want to kill you?”
“Because he found me in bed with his wife.”
Rowena’s mouth fell opened. This was getting worse and worse. Though she had seen him run his sword through Godric, she was shocked to discover the depths of William’s depravity.
“I know how it must appear,” he interposed before she said anything. “But believe me, I had mitigating circumstances.”
“I’m sure you did.” She breathed deep and, despite herself, took a step back. Had she made a mistake in lowering her guard? Was he nothing more than a ruthless killer after all?
He shrugged, not the action of a dangerous beast about to pounce. Her fear abated somewhat.
“The Comte du Vallon never paid his wife any attention, so it is hardly surprising that she would find men who did,” he started to explain. “I would never have dreamed of approaching someone like her, but she pursued me relentlessly. She was a beautiful woman, determined to have me. Though I have since become more adept at resisting temptation, she was the first woman to behave thus toward me. I confess I was overwhelmed.” A pause. “So I gave her what she wanted.”
“You dishonored your overlord?” She was not surprised to hear that he attracted women like flowers attract butterflies, but she did not want to dwell on the flutter of unease the idea had provoked inside her.
“I did what any young man of seventeen would have done in my place.”
