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speculatively for the span of several heartbeats. "By the way, if you're still thinking of thwarting this
marriage by trickery, think again. Come morning, I want proof of consummation."
Sin arched a brow at that. "Don't tell me you wish to witness the event."
"Hardly. I've already verified her virginal state. Come morning if there is no blood, then I shall have my
physicians examine her again. There had best be no maidenhead."
Sin gave him a dull stare. "You keep speaking as if I care whether or not I live or die. You have no real
power over me, Henry, you know that. All that binds us together is my oath of loyalty to you."
Henry narrowed his eyes. "You and I have been at odds since I first brought up this matter. I've no wish
to fight with you. I just want this settled. I need a strong yet passionless arm in Scotland. You are perfect
to infiltrate her people and maintain peace. Between you and the MacAllisters, it will secure my northern
borders and leave me free to scrape Philip off my weary heels. If this marriage is not consummated, then
she will be able to break the pact as soon as she returns home."
"I know, Henry."
"Then why are you making this so much more difficult than it need be?"
Sin had no idea. It was just a feeling deep in his gut that if he consummated his marriage with Caledonia,
then it would be eternal. And the last thing he wanted was to tie a woman like her to a man like him. It
seemed foul and cruel.
"Very well," Sin conceded. "Come morning, you shall have your proof of the deed."
Henry smiled. "Then I shall leave you to your new bride."
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As Henry left, Sin stared longingly at the papers he carried under his arm. How he wished he could undo
this day.
In truth, he didn't care at all what the others thought of him. But it did matter to him what Callie thought.
He didn't want to see her eyes dark with suspicion or, worse, hatred.
Taking a deep breath, he headed for the door and prepared himself to face her condemnation.
Callie's heart pounded as she pushed herself away from the door just moments before Henry threw it
wide. She gave a quick curtsy to the king as he passed, then waited anxiously to see her husband.
So, Sin was innocent of the murder.
The news relieved her more than she ever would have thought possible. He was far from an innocent,
but in this he'd had no part.
When he walked through the door, she bestowed her brightest smile on him.
Confusion darkened his midnight stare as he glanced about the crowd that watched him as if he were the
lowest of life and unfit to share the earth with them. But she didn't care what they thought. Let them be
fools if they must.
Her heart lurched at the sight of the drying blood on Sin's cheek. The wound was already purple and
jagged, and it must pain him. It was an ugly blemish on a man so handsome.
She reached her hand up to touch him. "Let me "
He shrugged off her touch and strode from the hall.
Callie swallowed the lump in her throat at his curtness. What would have made him behave that way?
Determined to find out, she went after him.
She caught up with her husband down the hallway, where servants bustled to get as far away from him
as they could. "Where are you going?"
Sin paused at the melodic voice behind him. She had followed?
He turned about to find her directly behind him, with her skirts held in her hands so that she could match
his much longer stride. Her trim ankles were bare to his view and the sight of them fired his blood. Not
even the plaid she wore, which reminded him of a heritage he despised, could detract from the way he
wanted to claim this lady.
His wife.
The truth tore through him.
"I want to be alone," he said more sternly than he intended.
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"Well, how fine is that?" Her voice carried the full weight of her sarcastic displeasure. "Here it isour
wedding day and you wish to spend it alone. Fine, then, call me shoe leather and have done with it."
He frowned at her words. "I beg your pardon? Call you what?"
"Shoe leather." She gestured toward his feet. "You know, the inconsequential matter that you tread upon
without thought. That is all I am to you, isn't it?"
He couldn't have been more stunned had she spat in his face. How could she ever think that, when to
him she was the very essence of heaven itself? He couldn't imagine a woman more noble or precious,
even if she did have an insufferable habit or two. "I have yet to treat you as if you were inconsequential."
"Yet, you say. Implying that the time will surely come when you will."
"I didn't say that, either."
"Didn't you?"
"Nay."
She looked up at him with a light smile at the corner of her lips and an impish gleam in her bright green
eyes. "So then, I do have value to you."
More than she would ever know. "This was all a game?"
She shook her head. "Not a game. I merely wanted you to talk to me." She took a step forward and
touched his arm.
Sin stared at the delicate hand on his biceps and it took all his strength not to crush her to him and claim
her lips with his. Not to lift her in his arms and run with her to their room, where he could lose himself in
the sweet softness of her body.
"I know you have been alone much of your life," she said gently. "But we are married now. No matter
how this came about, I fully intend to abide by my vows. I would be a wife to you, Sin, if you will let me."
Therein lay the problem. He didn't know if he could. Every time he had ever reached out to someone, he
had been hurt. Over the years, he'd learned to pull inward, to give no one that kind of power over him.
He had shut off his heart, his emotions, and learned to just be.
It was the only way to have peace in his life.
Now she wanted to change all that. He had hungered for love and acceptance for so long that he didn't
dare reopen himself to any tenderness now. It would destroy him.
"I need to be alone for a while," he said, gentling his voice. "Please."
She withdrew her hand. "I will be waiting for you when you are ready."
That was the kindest thing anyone had ever said to him. Touched to a level so deep it defied explanation,
he turned and made his way slowly toward the stables.
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"I don't know if you'll ever reach him, milady."
Gasping in alarm, Callie turned in the hallway to see Simon drawing near from behind her. "You were
eavesdropping?"
"Only a little."
She smiled at his honesty. "Where is Jamie?"
"Aelfa took him to your room. She and I will watch over him tonight for the two of you."
"Thank you."
He nodded.
As he started to leave, she stopped him. "Simon, is there anything you can tell me to help me with Sin?"
"He is a hard man, but a fair one. No one, including me, really knows your husband, milady. Sin just is.
He asks for nothing and relies solely on himself. If there is a way of reaching him, I do not know it. All I
know is that it won't be easy. But if you're willing to try, then I am willing to help."
"You're a good man, Simon."
He laughed aloud at that. "Beautiful women keep saying that to me, and yet they all end up married to
another. Perhaps I should try being bad, and maybe then I could go home with the fair demoiselle."
Callie smiled at him. "I doubt you could ever be bad."
A young maid approached them timidly from up ahead. Callie greeted her. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]