Besieged and Betrothed

‘How could you!’ She stormed across the flagstones, not even waiting for him to dismiss his men before launching into her attack. ‘How could you do it?’

‘My lady.’ He folded his arms as his soldiers hastened towards the door. ‘Do what exactly?’

‘What do you think?’ She pulled up short in front of him. ‘How could you marry me?’

‘Your father asked me to.’

‘You could have said no!’

‘So could you. You’re always telling me you have a mind of your own. I expected you to use it.’

‘How could I have refused? He’s my father and he’s dying! How could I refuse his last wish?’

‘He’s my friend, too. I could make the same argument.’

‘It’s different and you know it! You already had Haword. You didn’t have to humiliate me as well!’

The muscles in his neck and jaw all seemed to tighten at once. ‘I had no intention of humiliating you.’

‘Well, you have! You as good as said so yourself!’

‘When?’

‘After you kissed me! You admitted this is all just some game to you.’

‘That wasn’t what I meant.’

‘You said we were even and now you do this?’

‘Juliana...’

‘I don’t want to be married!’

His gaze darkened this time. ‘Especially to a blacksmith’s son?’

She narrowed her eyes, too angry to contradict him. Let him think that she despised him for his low birth. She despised him for enough other reasons now.

‘Especially to someone who uses his friendship with a dying man to secure his own future. You must have worked quickly, too. Tell me, how did you persuade my father to hand over my inheritance?’

‘I persuaded him of nothing.’ Lothar’s voice deepened dangerously.

‘He’s never even mentioned the idea of marriage before!’

‘By your own admission, he had doubts about a woman being allowed to hold a position of authority.’

‘Those were about Matilda, not me!’

‘They were about both of you. Your father asked me to marry you because he thought you needed protection.’

‘I don’t need anything from you! I was managing perfectly well until you came along.’

‘Managing?’ A ripple seemed to pass over his face, as if all his facial muscles were clenching at once. ‘You were starving yourself and your men to death for a cause you didn’t even believe in. If that’s what you call managing, then perhaps you aren’t fit to command after all.’

‘How dare you!’

‘As my wife, you’ll hopefully be able to keep your position as chatelaine without your father ever knowing you lost it. I would have thought you’d be pleased by that.’

‘You expect me to be grateful to be married to you?’