Page 62 of An Ill-Made Match

Roland shot her a look. “Not really,” he said. “Mason used to get a little het up about it at one time. But they’ve been married four years now and have three children. It’s all water under the bridge.” He whistled, and the dogs who had roamed on ahead came circling back.

“I hope-” Eden broke off, biting her lip.

“What?” Why did she suddenly look so troubled, he wondered?

“I only hope that Lenora is as understanding,” she said. “About what I’ve done. Cutting her out I mean, as your bride.”

Roland did not speak for a moment. “She’s sure to be,” he responded carefully. “For she does not know me any better than Linnet did. Not really.”

“My uncle said…” Eden began, only to break off again.

“Tell me.”

“He said that if Lenora forgave me, then he would send on my things.” When Roland did not speak, she carried on. “Though I suppose he would naturally send them to Caer-Lyoness, rather than here.”

“It doesn’t matter either way,” said Roland dismissively. “I’ll buy you new things.”

“You misunderstand me. It’s not so much my belongings,” Eden said sadly. “As the knowledge that my cousin does not hold it against me. You see, we were very close growing up. Rather like your brothers, our ages were similar. When my Uncle took me into his household, it was in the role of Lenora’s companion.”

“You were his niece,” Roland reminded her shortly. “And should not have required any other role to secure his protection.” It rankled to think of her as a poor relation at Hallam Hall. Having to justify her place there, as if she did not belong.

She looked surprised by his words. “I told you did I not, that my father was a spendthrift and a gambler. My uncle had to pay off his considerable debts.”

“I still fail to see how that is your fault.”

Eden was silent a moment, pondering his words. “I always felt the need from a young age to prove to Uncle Leofric that I was not wild and ungovernable like my father. That I would not bring shame on the family name, but was respectable and dutiful and good.”

“You haven’t brought any shame to his door,” said Roland sharply.

“Only because you married me,” said Eden in a slightly choked voice. When he made an abrupt move toward her, she flung out her arm to ward him off. “No, don’t comfort me, I’m well. I just wanted there to be some frank speech between us.”

“Then let me return in kind,” said Roland. “When I woke up in that bed with you on that first morning, I wasn’t angry. Not by a long chalk. So, let’s have no more talk about you taking anyone else’s place. It wasn’t anyone else’s. It was yours. Are we understood?”

Eden stared at him a moment, open-mouthed. And, when he held out his hand to her, she took it.

**

Roland and Cuthbert left early the next morn, and Eden found herself sat at the window seat in the sitting room, waving them off.

Roland had made love to her again the previous evening and he had taken his sweet time about it too. He had been tormenting and provoking and seemed to want something more from her, which she found alarming. At one point she had simply asked him to tell her what he expected her to say.

His hands had cupped her breasts. “Yes, my lord and master would be nice,” he had sighed throatily. “But I’d settle for a measly ‘yes husband’.”

Eden had pressed her lips together and turned her head to one side. She certainly wasn’t saying anything so ridiculous!

“No?” he had tutted, his voice warm and teasing. “Even in this little thing, you refuse to please me?”

To her horror, Eden had felt hot tears spring to her eyes and spill over. She’d blinked rapidly to try and banish them before he saw.

“Eden,” he’d groaned. “Sweetheart.”

Sweetheart, why did he insist on calling her that? She had given a choked sob, but Roland’s lips had already been on hers, coaxing and sweet. She had let him comfort her with his soft kisses and his hands, stroking her back, encouraging her to respond to him.

“You know you please me, wife,” he had said huskily. “None so well as you.” His hands had roamed down her hips and pulled her flush against him. “Oh Eden,” he had sighed gustily, shifting his weight to press against her.

He had taken his time, refusing to be rushed. He had stripped them both entirely naked and turned her this way and that, petting and lavishing her body with his touch and kisses in some rather peculiar places. Brushing them against her ribs and the underside of her breasts, before turning her onto her stomach and kissing up her spine. Strangely, his lips had avoided the usual spots. She had wondered if his jaw had been too stubbly to kiss along her neck or the valley between her breasts. When she had the chance, she reached out to touch his jaw with the back of her fingers to check. At her touch, he had shivered, and his need had finally grown urgent enough to put an end to his tormenting explorations. First, he had set her on her hands and knees and put his mouth to her again, making her yell and sob like an abandoned creature. Then he had mounted her from behind and driven into her, until her arms had given out. In the aftermath, he had been very tender and affectionate, falling asleep with his face buried in the back of her neck, as he had the night he had taken her virginity at Tranton Vale.

She watched as they disappeared down the hill, and sat for a moment, feeling rather forlorn. Parnell jumped up onto the seat beside her, and instead of remonstrating with him, Eden found herself wrapping her arms around his neck. He gave a small whine and Eden sighed laying her cheek against his curly coat. She had already eaten, dressed and braided her hair. The dogs had been racing between the Keep and the stables for the past two hours as Roland and Cuthbert had loaded up the jousting gear. Castor was still skulking outside, but Dimon, Seth and Nudd lay dozing by the fire which Fulco had lain for her. He entered the room now with a basket full of freshly cut logs.