Shana Abe Read Online Free PDF Page B

breasts.
    Avalon took a step away. “I regret I cannot tarry further, my lords. I have traveled far today. Though not as far as you, I am sure, cousin Warner.” She gave the smallest smile to Warner, watched his gaze linger on her lips.
    Claudia at last hit a sour note on her instrument.
    “I find I am fatigued as well,” she said, rising and handing the psaltery to one of her attendants. “I will escort Lady Avalon to her chambers, my lord.”
    Bryce examined his wife, then looked at Avalon, who strived to appear impatient.
    “Good eve, then, my dears,” he said to them both, and bowed.
    “I look forward to seeing you in the morn,” said Warner to Avalon, and she nodded again, taking Claudia’s arm and ignoring his stare on her back as they left.
    Avalon remembered the way to Luedella’s chambers but walked back in silence with Claudia, matching her slow, measured pace, perhaps a result of all the wine.
    Marry Warner! Again Avalon smothered an amazed laugh at the thought, then threw a glance at Claudia, who kept moving forward in her haze, unperturbed.
    Obviously the notion was completely mad, but Bryce’s plans threw her own into disarray, and the damage could be anything from inconvenient to disastrous, dependingupon how soon he thought to push her into the engagement.
    “Tomorrow night we are having a celebration,” said Lady Claudia evenly to the walls as they walked.
    “Oh?”
    Perhaps Claudia had her own chimera; she seemed to know what Avalon was thinking. Her face was serene as she met Avalon’s gaze. “Can you guess why, my lady?”
    Disaster.
    “I believe so.”
    “I thought as much.”
    Claudia let that hang in the air for a moment until they passed a sentry guarding a doorway, then she continued.
    “Men do strange things, do they not?”
    “Aye,” Avalon agreed, wholeheartedly.
    “Take any man. Take my husband, for instance. Your own cousin. He may have a castle of his own. He may have lands reaching out forever. He may have power, serfs, knights. He may have all this, but will it quench his thirst for more?”
    Avalon didn’t reply.
    “A man is an unfathomable thing,” Claudia said, thoughtful. “We women cannot comprehend the desires he keeps in his head and in his heart. Perhaps it is better this way. Perhaps it is better not to know why a man would do something rash, for example. Something certain to bring trouble onto his house.”
    They had reached Luedella’s door. Claudia released her arm. “Perhaps it is better not to understand why a man would turn his life into a dare against two kingdomsand a mighty group of families, just to gain more of what he already holds.”
    The torchlight softened Claudia’s features, was captured by the darkness of her eyes and sunk down into them, absorbed.
    “Perhaps,” Avalon said.
    “I have heard that your fiancé has returned from his crusade, Lady Avalon. I have heard that Marcus Kincardine has come home again.”
    Avalon took in this new shock, tried not to let it show on her face, but Claudia gave a bitter smile.
    “It’s true. I have heard that even now he rides to claim his bride. Which is why, I think, Warner has hurried over from France so quickly, and why my husband has brought you here so suddenly. I believe now you have a very clear idea what will happen at the celebration tomorrow night. Warner will not have the luxury of asking you nicely to wed. He is a man after my husband’s mind, I think. Not opposed to—” she seemed to consider her thoughts, raising a finger to her lips, “—to force, I would think.”
    There were no words on Avalon’s tongue, surprise had taken them away and left her with a pounding heart and the whining tinge of panic in her mind.
    “Are you aware of what the Kincardine has been doing in his absence, cousin Avalon? Are you aware of what they call him, your betrothed, this man my husband thinks to cross?”
    Avalon, mute, shook her head.
    “He is called Slayer of the Unholy,” Claudia said,