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“Did you never ask anyone what I looked like?” she asked.
“Lady Elizabeth has the reputation as a beautiful, fair-haired maiden.”
“And what color hair has the woman in the tower? It is certainly not fair.”
His eyes suddenly glittered as his face went pale. “If you are lying to me, I will discover it easily on the morrow, before the wedding.”
He stalked toward her, and she moved, keeping furniture between them.
“It will be a relief for my people to cease pretending to ignore me.”
She wasn’t sure why he was so positive he would know the truth in the morning, but she didn’t care. Now she had to stop what he might try in his anger.
He reached for her, but she danced aside, keeping away from the bed.
“You must stop this harassment at once, my lord,” she said firmly.
“And why should I? I’ve been lied to, made a fool of. Those people down below have been laughing at me all along.”
“They do not consider this a laughing matter, but one of life and death—mine, as well as theirs, should they be caught. They offered up their silence for me out of loyalty. And they will be loyal to you, if the king makes you earl.”
“If?”
“There is no guarantee. The betrothal contract stipulates that the next earl will be the Russell heir.”
“And I’ve proven how worthless he is. You should be glad I rid the castle of such a coward.”
But it was obvious he didn’t believe his own words. John had been the superior swordsman in their battle. Bannaster tossed aside the stool between them.
“I have conditions before I marry you, Lord Bannaster.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “Ah, leave it to you to lighten the moment.”
“I will make you an excellent wife. I will manage your castles, be devoted in public, and produce heirs.”
“And my part will be…?” he said sarcastically.
“That you do not touch me until our wedding night. And you must promise no retribution against my people, especially my maidservant and Lord Russell.”
“They lied to me.”
“I lied to you. If you cannot meet these conditions, I will make your life miserable. I will thwart you at every turn. If you think to show me off as your newest prize in London, I will make you the butt of jokes throughout the kingdom. I am quite the actor, as you’ve already seen.”
He narrowed his eyes. “And all I have to do is promise to leave your servants and Russell alone.”
“Aye, including the villagers. I made them part of my secrecy, and I can make them loyal to you.”
“And if Russell returns for you?”
“I will already be married to you.”
He turned away from her and went back to the chair before the fire. Only when he sat down did she let out a shaky breath.
“We have an agreement,” he said finally. He looked her up and down. “I don’t want a miserable marriage. I vowed to you that I would make you happy, and I will. Starting with our wedding night.”
He smiled at her, and it took everything she had to nod and hold back her tears. Once she was out in the corridor, she leaned back against the wall and released a shuddering sigh. Bannaster had been surprisingly malleable, considering how she’d deceived him for the last fortnight. The irony of it was, all she ever wanted was a husband she could make bow to her wishes.
But against John she’d had heated disagreements that somehow led to the greatest intimacy of her life. She had fallen in love with a strong, independent man, but now she would have to settle for her girlhood dreams of controlling a marriage.
