plan, Father Olwen?"
The priest pursed his lips, studying the floor as he rocked back and forth on his heels. Tess finally noticed the tattered ends of her braid and smoothed the frayed tassel before letting it drop to her side. She was sure Uncle Ian knew of the lie. He could always see through her fibs. But what of Baron Montague? Did he know the truth as well? Lord help her, she had the most insane urge to marry this savage warlord!
"What say you to the lady's story?" the priest asked Kenric.
" 'Tis the truth as I know it," he agreed amiably. "Except for one part."
Tess felt her heart stop beating. She waited breathlessly for the baron to expose her deceit.
"There will be a war no matter what she does with her life."
She closed her eyes and sighed in relief. Her lie was safe from Baron Montague. She didn't hear him move silently across the room, didn't know he was anywhere near until his warm fingertips lifted her chin. Her eyes flew open in surprise. He looked deep into her eyes, his expression unreadable. Tess was sure time stood still as they stared at each other, nothing spoken, yet a certain message passing between them in that silent exchange. A warning, yes, but perhaps something more.
"She'll marry me," he said arrogantly, his eyes never leaving hers. He lifted his hand and brushed his thumb across her lower lip, sending another strange shiver down her spine. "Surely you suspected this in the woods, Lady Remmington."
He didn't give her a chance to answer. His hand dropped abruptly to his side, as if he couldn't bear to touch her another moment.
"Do not be difficult, Lady. I am not a man known for his patience with the wiles of women."
Tess frowned over his arrogance but kept silent, not about to explain that she'd thought them mercenaries, hired swords to see her safely to a nunnery. He would surely think her a fool.
"Best we get on with this," Kenric told the priest. He took hold of Tess's hand, dragging her toward the altar. "We have wasted enough time."
That was all Tess needed to spur her into action. She tried to pull her hand away from the baron's, and when that didn't work, she turned to face him.
"I have yet to hear Father Olwen's advice." She took the priest's hand with her free one, her voice pleading. "These are men of war, Father. They think only of fighting. Surely you can see the Tightness of my plan and give me sanctuary."
Tess nearly winced from the baron's crushing grip on her fingers but she kept her eyes on the priest, heartened that Father Olwen seemed to consider her words. The priest was her only hope.
"The church is for those with a true calling," Father Olwen said finally. "You must obey the wishes of your king."
"But—" Tess made a strange squeaking sound when Kenric squeezed her hand so hard she thought surely the bones would break.
"The hour grows late," Kenric said in a curt tone. "Your uncle needs to be well on his way when your absence is discovered."
"This is happening so quickly!" Tess looked to her uncle for support, but Ian pushed his hands forward, suggesting she should get on with the business. She bowed her head and softly whispered her misgivings. "I have so little time to think over this new plan."
"Best you think quickly, or your stepfather will be here to witness the ceremony." Kenric sighed impatiently. "You've a choice, Lady. Either me, or MacLeith."
She seriously considered MacLeith, but only for a moment. The Butcher of Wales was hardly the best choice to her way of thinking, but she was free of her stepfather for the first time in five years and in no hurry to relinquish her freedom. But marriage? To this man? The price of her freedom was too high. Yet, perhaps if she were clever enough, she could escape the baron just as she'd escaped MacLeith. If Tess could somehow reach King Edward and explain her convent plan, he would see the wisdom of her actions and annul this hasty marriage.
Her gaze traveled slowly from the tips of Baron Montague's boots to
The priest pursed his lips, studying the floor as he rocked back and forth on his heels. Tess finally noticed the tattered ends of her braid and smoothed the frayed tassel before letting it drop to her side. She was sure Uncle Ian knew of the lie. He could always see through her fibs. But what of Baron Montague? Did he know the truth as well? Lord help her, she had the most insane urge to marry this savage warlord!
"What say you to the lady's story?" the priest asked Kenric.
" 'Tis the truth as I know it," he agreed amiably. "Except for one part."
Tess felt her heart stop beating. She waited breathlessly for the baron to expose her deceit.
"There will be a war no matter what she does with her life."
She closed her eyes and sighed in relief. Her lie was safe from Baron Montague. She didn't hear him move silently across the room, didn't know he was anywhere near until his warm fingertips lifted her chin. Her eyes flew open in surprise. He looked deep into her eyes, his expression unreadable. Tess was sure time stood still as they stared at each other, nothing spoken, yet a certain message passing between them in that silent exchange. A warning, yes, but perhaps something more.
"She'll marry me," he said arrogantly, his eyes never leaving hers. He lifted his hand and brushed his thumb across her lower lip, sending another strange shiver down her spine. "Surely you suspected this in the woods, Lady Remmington."
He didn't give her a chance to answer. His hand dropped abruptly to his side, as if he couldn't bear to touch her another moment.
"Do not be difficult, Lady. I am not a man known for his patience with the wiles of women."
Tess frowned over his arrogance but kept silent, not about to explain that she'd thought them mercenaries, hired swords to see her safely to a nunnery. He would surely think her a fool.
"Best we get on with this," Kenric told the priest. He took hold of Tess's hand, dragging her toward the altar. "We have wasted enough time."
That was all Tess needed to spur her into action. She tried to pull her hand away from the baron's, and when that didn't work, she turned to face him.
"I have yet to hear Father Olwen's advice." She took the priest's hand with her free one, her voice pleading. "These are men of war, Father. They think only of fighting. Surely you can see the Tightness of my plan and give me sanctuary."
Tess nearly winced from the baron's crushing grip on her fingers but she kept her eyes on the priest, heartened that Father Olwen seemed to consider her words. The priest was her only hope.
"The church is for those with a true calling," Father Olwen said finally. "You must obey the wishes of your king."
"But—" Tess made a strange squeaking sound when Kenric squeezed her hand so hard she thought surely the bones would break.
"The hour grows late," Kenric said in a curt tone. "Your uncle needs to be well on his way when your absence is discovered."
"This is happening so quickly!" Tess looked to her uncle for support, but Ian pushed his hands forward, suggesting she should get on with the business. She bowed her head and softly whispered her misgivings. "I have so little time to think over this new plan."
"Best you think quickly, or your stepfather will be here to witness the ceremony." Kenric sighed impatiently. "You've a choice, Lady. Either me, or MacLeith."
She seriously considered MacLeith, but only for a moment. The Butcher of Wales was hardly the best choice to her way of thinking, but she was free of her stepfather for the first time in five years and in no hurry to relinquish her freedom. But marriage? To this man? The price of her freedom was too high. Yet, perhaps if she were clever enough, she could escape the baron just as she'd escaped MacLeith. If Tess could somehow reach King Edward and explain her convent plan, he would see the wisdom of her actions and annul this hasty marriage.
Her gaze traveled slowly from the tips of Baron Montague's boots to
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