Page 51 of To Desire

Naught else mattered. She’d once been afraid to share her gifts with the world, for fear of persecution, but after these past weeks, Liana feared nothing as much as being without Darien beside her.

“I love you, Darien. And would be honored to call you husband.”

He kissed her then. The feel of his lips, no matter how scandalous, made all of her apprehension fall away. As the courtyard cleared, she did not wish to leave his arms and told him so. But . . “The announcement,” she reminded him.

Darien smiled. “You already know what Sir Eamon will tell the others.”

A chill ran through her. “Do you mean?”

He nodded.

“Tell me.”

“The lord of Wallingford accepted your vision and admitted they had thought as much. With Matilda in Normandy, having given the reins of her cause to Henry, some had begun to see him as the next heir, and not his mother. When I spoke to him, FitzCount strengthened his resolve and negotiated with Stephen in earnest, but his son refused to accept it.”

“But then he died?”

“Aye. News of that reached you?”

“It did, though it was not verified. But I’d seen it already and knew it to be true.”

“You saw Eustace’s death?”

She shuddered. “I did, but knew not who it was at first. I thought perhaps . . .”

Liana could not continue.

“You thought it could have been me?” He wiped away a single tear that had escaped from Liana’s eye down her cheek.

She nodded. “Aye.”

“I am safe,” he reassured her. “And here with you. Did I not promise you I would return?”

She offered him a shaky smile. “You did.”

“After his death, there was little resistance remaining. Henry himself came to Wallingford.”

“You saw him?”

“I did. Took a meal in the hall with him. The next day, the treaty was signed, Stephen recognizing Henry as his adopted son and successor in return for his homage to him as the current king. William renounced his claim to the throne and is set to pay homage to Henry at Winchester in exchange for the security of his lands. There are more details to the treaty⁠—”

“Which I will learn later. I wish only to be alone with you.”

“Do you? Why, pray tell, does my betrothed wish for such a thing?”

She laughed at his flirtation. “So that you may kiss me again, more freely.”

“You wish only to kiss me?”

Liana shook her head.

“You may be too shy to say the words, but I am not. I wish to kiss you, on the mouth.” He leaned toward her, whispering into her ear despite the lack of any presence around them. “And every other part of you before I make you mine, in truth, this eve. There will be no question whether or not we will marry, because, after this eve, you will no longer be a virgin, Liana. You will be mine. Tonight, and always.”

She swallowed. Darien was a man of his word, that much she knew. And so, for better or worse, their course was set, and Liana did not wish to turn away from it.

From their destiny that would be as entwined as she had envisioned.