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“I won’t,” she objected.
“You will do it, if I have to take them by force.”
When he reached out for her, she backed away. She didn’t want him touching her again. “All right, I’ll do it,” she snapped, unclasping the buckle of the halter, removing her sword first. “But when my father hears about this, you’ll be the one with hell to pay. He won’t let you treat me this way.” She tossed the sword onto the bed and then did the same with her daggers.
The man seemed to think about this for a moment. No one wanted one, or possibly all three bastards of the crown coming after him. Her words must have concerned him because he changed his decision.
“I will let you keep the weapons but you cannot remove them from this room. If I find that to be true, I will take them from you no matter what your father says. You have one last chance to correct your behavior. Do you understand? No wife of mine will be wielding blades.”
Maira nodded, biting her tongue hard to keep quiet, trying to restrain herself from saying what she really wanted to say. If she spoke now, she would most likely offend him again and then her weapons would be confiscated for good.
“Meet me later in the great hall for the meal, Wife.”
“I’m not your wife,” she said under her breath.
“We’re going to remedy that sooner than you think.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, feeling the thumping of her rapidly beating heart all the way up to her throat.
“What I mean is that in three days’ time, I will have the Bishop of Durham here to help celebrate St. Catherine’s Day. I am leaving in the morning for a few days to collect him and escort him back to the castle. But as soon as we return, he will perform the ceremony that will make you my wife.”
“Nay, you can’t do that,” she protested. “I was granted permission from the late King Edward to choose which man I marry. I cannot be forced.”
“On the contrary, I have sent a request to King Richard to revoke that privilege since Edward is dead.”
“Richard is my cousin. He won’t agree to that.”
“Are you so sure? Because I believe that he will.”
* * *
“Sir Jacob,you can’t keep sneaking inside the castle or you’re going to get caught.” Will followed behind Jacob as they stopped their horses at the edge of the woods just before reaching Durham Castle.
“I have to,” said Jacob, dismounting and wrapping a dark cloak around him. “I think I made a mistake by telling Lady Maira my plan. I did it impulsively without thinking it through. I have to make sure she doesn’t reveal my secret to the High Sheriff, or all my hard work will be for naught.”
“Do you really think she’d tell?”
“I don’t know. I thought I could convince her to side with me, but now I’m not so sure.”
“Just let it go,” Will urged him. “It is taking away from our training back at camp. The festival is in a few days and the villagers need more help to prepare for the attack.”
“Nay.” Jacob shook his head, looking at the ground. “I can’t concentrate, because all I can think about is Lady Maira.”
“You are infatuated with the girl, and that’s not good.” Will shook his head and made a tsking sound with his mouth. “She is going to be your undoing, my lord.”
“Nay, I don’t think so.” Jacob hoped Will wasn’t right. “If I can just talk to her once more, I am sure I can get her to see things my way.”
“And if she doesn’t?” asked Will. “Then what will you do?”
Jacob ran a weary hand through his hair, narrowing his eyes and surveying the castle. “I don’t want to think about that. All I know is that I have strong feelings for Maira, though I barely know her. I can’t and I won’t let her marry the High Sheriff. He took Catherine from me and I’ll not let him take Maira as well.”
“I think this is more about a vendetta against the High Sheriff than anything else.”
“Not true.”
“You don’t need to worry,” Will told him. “I hear the daughters of the bastard triplets have been granted permission to agree to whom they marry.”
“Then I’ll convince her to marry me instead.” Jacob felt possessed by this woman and he couldn’t let it go.
