Chandra walked into the small chamber to see Jerval sitting in a sturdy wooden tub, water swirling about his waist. His golden hair was plastered wet about his head. His knees were sticking up. He was a beautiful creature—she would grant him that. “Don’t ask me to scrub your back.”
“A pity,” he said. “I would prefer your soft hands to my own calluses.”
“I have just as many calluses as you do.”
“Mayhap, but somehow they feel different to me.”
She frowned down at him, looked at the expanse of strong back. “Perhaps another time. Heed me now. This is important.”
“I thought it would be since you hunted me down in my bathing tub.” He was delighted to see her, and pleased that she would search him out on their wedding morning. It was simply not done, but then again, she was unique, this bride of his. “Come, what concerns you, sweeting?”
Sweeting. An endearment that sounded natural when he said it. She liked the feel of it, the warmth of it, but there wasn’t time for that now.
“It’s Mary. She is Sir Stephen’s daughter.”
“Aye, I have spoken briefly with him. He appears a hard man, with little humor and an iron fist.”
She nodded. “Mary has been my friend forever. We were raised together. I would like her to come with us to Camberley. I am here to secure your permission.”
He lifted his arm to soap his chest, aware that she was looking at him now, and wondering if she believed him well made. He said, “Surely such a matter should be discussed with Sir Stephen. She is young, comely, ready to wed.”
“No, we cannot do that.”
“Why not?”
“I suppose you should know,” she said, looking at his hand holding the sponge, rubbing over his belly now. “But you must swear to me that you won’t tell anyone else of this. Please, Jerval, it is very important.”
“I would never betray your confidence, Chandra.”
“Lord Graelam raped Mary. In front of me and two of his own men.”
Jerval leapt to his feet, sending waves of water splashing onto the stone floor. “Raped her? By God, that miserable whoreson.”
He realized he was naked, and quickly eased down into the tub again.
She hadn’t seen him naked before. It was a revelation even though she had seen many naked men over the years. She was very grateful that he was firmly seated in the tub again.
“Yes, he raped her.”
“But it was you he wanted.”
“It was to bring me into line. Neither Mary nor I would tell him where my mother and John were hidden. Without them, he could not force me to wed him. It was my fault that it happened, for had I only spoken, Mary would have been spared, but I did not speak. I held myself silent while he raped her, praying that her sacrifice would be worth the cost.
“But it wasn’t, of course, for Lady Dorothy came out of the hidden room with John by herself. No one may know. Mary’s father, Sir Stephen, would blame her. What you felt when you met him is true. And he would come to know the truth, for Mary would have to tell him when he sought her a husband. I doubt that he would be kind to her. He might kill her, for she wouldn’t be worth anything more to him. It isn’t fair, Jerval. None of it is her fault.”
“No, it isn’t. Of course she will come with us. Fret no more about it, sweeting. It will be our secret. Assure Mary that I will not betray this.”
“Thank you. You are a man and yet you are reasonable.”
“You are a woman. Are you reasonable as well?”
“I will try to be,” she said, and he smiled at that. She was chewing on her lower lip, thinking hard.
“I can already hear the merrymaking,” he said, then added, “I jumped up because I was so surprised at what you said. I am sorry if I shocked you.”
“You did not shock me. I have seen more men unclothed than women. You are a man.”
“As in just a man like all other men?”