Page 96 of Bold Angel
He did not mention the rage they were bound to encounter when Beltar discovered he had been duped. Still, once the girl was wed, he did not think Beltar would raise his might against them.
At least he prayed the man would not. Already Braxston Keep had more problems than he could handle.
The priest awaited them in front of the small alcove that served as the chapel. The last yellow rays of the late afternoon sun brightened the stained glass windows, reflecting the story of Christ’s early life, the pictures an uplifting message.
Ambra read them with cool resignation. If only her spirits could be so uplifted. Instead when she glanced at the man who would be her husband, lines of worry marred his forehead. His features had drawn into a taut, unreadable expression.
It took every ounce of her courage to repeat the vows, and only Beltar’s menacing arrival commanded her to do so. In minutes the wedding was ended, a blur of images that Ambra would scarcely remember come dawn. A special meal was prepared, and toasts rang out through the hall, knights and servants alike giving the newly wedded couple their blessings.
On a different occasion, Ambra might have enjoyed herself. Instead, each time her glance strayed to her husband, she saw his brooding expression and her heart constricted inside her chest.
“The hour grows late,” Richard finally said, maintaining his careful control. “Lord Ral has seen a chamber prepared for us upstairs.”
Ambra wet her suddenly dry lips. “Aye, as you say, the hourgrows late.” The knowledge of Beltar’s arrival had kept the celebration subdued and spared them the ritual bedding. Yet by the time they left the hall, her nerves were strung taut as the strings of a lute.
They climbed the stairs in silence and even inside their chamber, neither of them moved to pierce the quiet. Ambra assessed the tension in her husband’s wide shoulders. He had said he desired her, yet not a flicker of emotion showed in his face. He had said he wanted her, but taking her body, using it for his pleasure, even should she experience that pleasure too—in these final moments, she realized it was not enough.
“I cannot do this,” she said into the stillness, leaning a hand against the bedpost for support. “I will not.”
“What are you talking about?” Richard’s broad shoulders went even more rigid. “You are my wife. ’Tis too late now for regrets.”
“We’ll have the priest annul the vows. The marriage has not yet been consummated. ’Tis not impossible for us to—”
“The marriage will be consummated—and soon. You may count on that.”
“No!”
“For God’s sake, Ambra, we must do this. ’Tis the only way you will be safe.”
Tears welled but she blinked them away. “I cannot do it. If I didn’t care for you as I do, mayhap I could go through with it. But each time I see the regret in your eyes, it breaks my heart. No, Richard. I will not let it happen.”
Richard looked at her in stunned disbelief. “You are willing to marry Beltar because you believe I regret the marriage?”
“All I have left in this world is the person that I am. If the man I love does not value that person—”
Richard caught her arm. “What did you say?”
“Please, Richard. Lord Ral will do as you wish, I knowhe will. Tell him you’ve changed your mind, that you desire to wed another.”
He tipped her chin with his fingers. For the first time, the lines had left his forehead. “Why would I do such a thing… when it would be a lie.”
Her eyes searched his dear handsome face, trying to comprehend his words.
“’Tis truth that we are different,” he said. “And aye, it worries me some. But from the moment of our first meeting, you have stirred me in some way. Since the day I discovered you were a woman, you have been a fever in my blood.” He pulled her gently into his arms. “If ’tis truth that you feel love for me as well as friendship, then I am no longer uncertain.” He brushed a tear from her cheek. “We will make this marriage work—you will see. We will find a way to be happy.”
His kiss took the breath from her lungs and the fear from her heart. “Do you mean it, Richard?”
“Aye, ’tis a vow I mean to keep.” His lips covered hers once more, a kiss of possession that at last became tender.
“Are you afraid of what will happen between us this eve?” he asked softly.
“I have never been afraid of you.”
“I promise I will be gentle.”
Ambra shook her head. “I do not want gentle. When you kiss me, a fire rages inside me. ’Tis passion I want from you, Richard. Mindless blazing heat and kisses without end.”
Richard smiled so broadly deep grooves appeared in his cheeks. He cradled her face in his hands. “You are more woman than a man could ever hope for. You believed I regretted this marriage? Had I not wed you, I would have regretted it all the days of my life.”
