The Conquest (Peregrine 2)

"Even to bring Anne's riches into your family?"

"I wouldn't marry you…" She looked at him stretched lazily before her. "Her father will not allow her to marry a Peregrine. You have seen to that. You have made all of England laugh at us."

"I did not make anyone laugh at your family. I did not put honey on Severn's armor or remake your family's banner. If I want to beat a man, I do so with a sword or lance." He smiled at her. "You have seen that."

"I know you could not beat my brother, so you loosened his cinch to make it seem that you could beat him."

"I could beat your brother were I to lose an arm."

Zared's face turned an unbecoming shade of purple, and she leaped on him, ready to strangle him.

He chuckled and rolled with her, tossing her back and forth in his arms, moving his head when she tried to claw him.

After a few moments Zared realized he was playing with her, and her body went rigid. When his hands loosened their grip she moved off of him.

"I will not marry my enemy." She looked away from him.

"I thought you cared for your family name," he said, rolling to his feet. "I thought it mattered to you whether the Peregrine name is a great source of humor." He started walking toward his horse, but Zared put herself before him.

"You know nothing of family pride," she spat at him. "You live on stolen land. Your brother is insane. If you fight, you must do so in disguise."

"I disguised myself to protect your family name," he said, aghast. "I did not want people to know a Howard beat a Peregrine."

"You beat my brother?" she yelled. "You had to loosen his cinch to—"

He bent and kissed her.

Zared turned her head away, hating the way he made her feel. "It is because I love my family that I would not marry a Howard," she whispered.

"A marriage alliance would end the feud."

She looked back at him, recovered again. "Your brother would—"

"I would live with you," he said. "Wherever you wish. I will go with you to live with your brothers."

She blinked at him. "Rogan would kill you," she whispered.

"I doubt he can."

"You are a fool."

"Probably,"

he answered, shrugging. "I may be a fool, but I am not without honor. I did not loosen your brother's cinch. I can beat him without such low tricks."

"Ha! You could not—" She stopped because he looked as though he might kiss her again. She turned away. "It matters not. It is done now. Lady Anne will not marry a man who causes laughter."

"Then you will not do what you can to stop the killing, or to help your family bring a rich bride into the family. I understand." He took the reins of his horse.

"I would do all that I could to protect my brothers. I would do anything."

"Oh?" he said, one eyebrow raised. "It does not seem so to me."

She looked at him, eyes narrowed. "How do you plan to get Hugh Marshall to allow his daughter to marry a Peregrine?"

"You leave that to me."

She gave him a slow, humorless smile. "Do you plan to throw a cloak about her head, put a gag in her mouth, and kidnap her? Howards are masters at kidnapping defenseless women. Will you force her to marry my brother? Do you mean to start a feud between the Peregrines and the Marshalls? Do you plan to unite with the Marshalls to wage war on us?"