The Seduction (Unexpected Circumstances 2)

“I’m sorry, my lord.”

“Will I always become ‘your lord’ when you think you are in trouble?”

“Probably,” I finally answered. Branford laughed, and the tense mood was instantly lifted.

“That’s where you heard me first speak of Lily,” Branford said.

I nodded.

“Who is she?” I asked.

“Lily was,” Branford said, correcting me, “my best friend.”

“What happened to her?”

“I’ll tell you,” Branford said. He stood and held his hand to me. “But it would be easier to show you at the same time. Let’s go.”

“I didn’t think we were to leave the rooms,” I said. “Queen Sunniva…”

“My mother’s intent was for us to be alone together,” Branford insisted. “For all practical purposes, we will be. She wants us to know and understand each other, and you cannot understand me without understanding thi

s. She would not object.”

“All right,” I said.

Branford led me out into the hallway, where I noticed a guard standing outside the room. He was young and physically intimidating—his bulging muscles clearly visible under the chain-linked armor. I recognized him as one of the guards normally at the door to the great hall. He nodded and greeted us both.

“Good morning, Sir Branford, Lady Alexandra,” he said.

“Good morning, Dunstan,” Branford replied. “Is there some reason you are standing outside my rooms?”

“Queen Sunniva has ordered me to keep you in my watch, Sir Branford.” Dunstan shuffled slightly from one foot to the other. “I’m to report if you…take leave of each other.”

Branford growled something indiscernible under his breath, took my arm, and led me down the hallway with Dunstan walking a respectable distance behind us. Branford glared down at the floor in front of us and continued to mumble under his breath until we reached the doors and headed outside. When we reached the castle gates, he took a deep breath, ran his fingers through his hair, and looked out over the organized chaos before us.

The sun was bright and shone down on the busy marketplace where many merchants held various wares to sell in carts, baskets, and makeshift tables all around the entrance to the castle gates. There was a woman holding a basket of flowers, a farmer with a cart of vegetables, and a man with a string of fish hanging from a rack. It was not dissimilar to the marketplace in Hadebrand though I did not recognize any of the merchants. I started forward, but my husband stopped and leaned over to me.

“Alexandra,” he said and bade me look into his eyes. “When we are in common areas together, you will hold my right arm. I will always be addressed first, and if I give whomever addresses me leave, they will address you as Lady Alexandra. When returning their greeting, do not use a title at all. Just call them by their names. Understand?”

“Yes, Branford,” I said and smiled up at him. “Thank you.”

“I’m trying,” he said with a slight smile. He offered his right arm to me, and I wrapped my fingers around it.

Branford pulled me back between two of the carts where a man with white whiskers adorning his face, but long dark hair on his head, sat with a bowl in his hands of what looked like porridge.

“Channing.” Branford waved and greeted him.

“Sir Branford!” the man said. He stood, depositing the bowl on the ground beside him. “I wondered when you would return. This must be your beautiful new wife.”

“Alexandra,” Branford said as he turned to me, “may I present Channing—the finest breeder of hunting dogs in Silverhelm. Channing, this is my wife, Lady Alexandra.”

“Greetings, Lady Alexandra,” Channing said, and he bowed to me. I felt heat rise to my face.

“A pleasure to meet you, Channing,” I responded in kind. I saw Branford’s smile out of the corner of my eye and was glad he had taught me how to address someone.

“Have you come to see your new beauty, Sir Branford?”

“I have indeed,” Branford replied.