Besieged and Betrothed

‘You’re right, I should have thought of it.’ He sat down on the edge of the mattress, almost as far away from her as it was possible to get. ‘You’ve no need to fear me, Juliana. I won’t touch you. This marriage is only for your protection, remember?’

‘So you don’t want me to pay the marriage debt?’

The words were out before she could think better of them and his shoulders stiffened visibly.

‘I wouldn’t expect it of you, no.’

‘Oh.’ She felt an unexpected sense of disappointment.

There was a brief silence before he spoke again, his voice sounding calm and measured, as if he were choosing his words with care. ‘Though you could still demand it yourself.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Just that the debt works both ways. You could ask me to pay it, too. I can’t refuse if that’s what you want.’

She bit her lip, not knowing how to answer. Never in a thousand years would she ever do anything so brazen, but the images it brought to mind were...intriguing.

‘Do you want me to?’

She gasped, suddenly realising how incriminating her silence must sound. ‘No!’

‘Ah.’ His tone was expressionless. ‘Then we ought to get some sleep.’

He blew out the candle and she rolled away, determined to put all thoughts of marriage and debts and beds out of her mind, though she had a feeling that any such attempt was already doomed to failure. How could she not think about them lying beside him? Surely it wasn’t possible to feel any more mortified.

‘Juliana?’ His voice sounded softer.

‘Yes?’

‘You looked beautiful tonight. I should have told you before.’

‘Oh.’ She felt her heartbeat accelerate. No one apart from her father had ever called her beautiful before, but he sounded like he meant it.

‘Nothing at all like a stablehand.’

She gave a tremulous laugh. ‘Thank you.’

‘The next time I say anything like that you have my permission to hit me again.’

‘You think I need your permission?’

This time it was his turn to laugh. ‘No, I suppose not. Goodnight, Juliana.’

‘Goodnight.’

She closed her eyes, struck with the feeling that it was going to be harder to sleep now than ever.

Chapter Twenty-Six

‘What are you doing?’

Juliana lifted her head to find Lothar staring at her with a bewildered expression from the doorway.

‘A tapestry.’ She didn’t know whether to feel amused or offended by his reaction. ‘I’ve never made one before. What do you think?’

He took a cautious step into her chamber, as if afraid that her behaviour was some kind of trick. ‘What is it?’

‘Just a border so far. You can say it’s a pretty pattern, if you like.’