Prisoner of My Desire Read Free

the only indication that her words affected him. “I have only your best interests at—”
    “Liar! I will do what you want, but if you tell me once more that I am to benefit by it, I will scream.”
    He did not argue with her. What he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and kiss her, for the fire of her fury stirred his desire for her even more than her beauty. But he did not dare even a kiss. Did she go to Lyons’ bed without her maidenhead, he could repudiate her, thereby ending Gilbert’s hope of getting his hands on the old lord’s wealth.
    So all he said was, “Then come, we ride for Kirkburough today. You will be wed tomorrow.” And be in his own bed at the very first indication that she was safely breeding.

Chapter 2
    They arrived at Kirkburough just as the sun was setting. The gates of the town were still open, but it was to the keep overlooking the town that they rode. Rowena found it appropriate to see the high walls of this large fortress awash in a red glow, a portent reminder that she was entering hell.
    Gilbert had wisely kept his own counsel during that twelve-mile journey, for Rowena had reached the point where she no longer cared what she said to him. Legally, he was her stepbrother and her guardian, and there was no one to decry that he was both of these by foul means. But if it were not for her mother, Rowena would have utterly balked and done anything to escape her present situation. She thought she might even be able to kill Gilbert, so much did she hate him after today. But she could not escape, forshe had no doubt whatsoever that her mother would suffer horribly for it, and her mother had suffered enough at the hands of the d’Ambrays.
    She understood more fully now why she and her mother had been separated immediately after they had been taken from Tures. If Rowena and Anne could have somehow escaped together, they could have found aid from one of the powerful magnates who were opposed to Stephen, as Walter Belleme had been. Likely Rowena would have had to marry then to protect herself from the d’Ambrays, but it could have been to a man of her choosing.
    None of which mattered now. She was here, to be wed on the morrow. If only…God’s mercy, how often she had thoughts that began so.
    If only her father had not loved her so much, she could have been safely married at the tender age of fourteen, as most daughters were. Her betrothed was an honorable man. He would have waited to consummate the marriage until she was older and better capable of bearing children. But her father had not wanted to tempt that kind lord with her budding beauty, nor had he wanted to give her up so soon.
    If only he had not ridden out himself to face d’Ambray’s army, he might still be alive. Tures would have been besieged, but they could have escaped and gone to Henry’s court, or even to one of the other lords who supported him.
    If only the laws governing women were upheld, if only Henry were king…if only Gilbert would die. But ’twas too late even for that. Shewas in Lyons’ keep, which put her effectively in Lyons’ control, as if they were already wed. He would still marry her to have whatever it was he sought, whether Gilbert was there to force her into compliance or not.
    Rowena was almost numb with despair as she mounted the stairs to the Great Hall. ’Twas immediately apparent that Gilbert had not spoken falsely of Lyons’ worth. Just crossing the bailey, Rowena had counted nine household knights, and the towers and walls teemed with men-at-arms. There were more knights inside the hall, where tables were set for the evening meal with gold plate and fine linen. Even the walls displayed the lord’s wealth in useless weapons of polished silver and gold, most encrusted with fine jewels.
    Servants abounded, surely one or more to serve each guest, but in this Lyons did not waste his money. Their clothes were nearly rags, their bodies none too clean, their demeanor cowed to the point of trembling