Free The Dumont Bride by Terri Brisbin Page A

pay dearly for her lack of virtue? Either way would be in his power as her husband and lord and there would be no one able to protect her if he sought to punish her. She had only the queen’s words to give her hope.
    “I will retire to my own chamber now, my lady. I will rejoin you in the morning to make our appearance before your people.”
    She watched from her place by the hearth as he walked slowly to the door that opened to his room. Didthis simply postpone what would happen? He turned to face her once more before leaving her chamber.
    “I would ask that you share this arrangement between us with no one else.”
    The only person she could speak to about such intimate matters was her maid Alyce. Alyce knew everything about her and would go to her death before revealing any of it to anyone else. Alyce had proved herself to be trustworthy even in the face of John’s threats and intimidation.
    “Not even the woman Alyce, if you please.”
    A bittersweet smile crossed his face as he spoke. Did he read her thoughts now? She nodded at him and he left without another word, leaving her confused and overwhelmed by her body’s reaction to his slight touches and passionate kiss.
    Emalie gazed around the room and stared at the drying stain on her bedsheets. Christian’s mark on her sheets was almost exactly the size of the one left there the night that William had taken her virtue. Alyce had shown her the sheet before burning it to protect her. Now here was this fake one proclaiming her purity to any who would see it.
    A part of her wanted him to know the truth. A part deep within her twisted with guilt over deceiving this man brought to save her people. Another part of her, trained well by her father, recognized that Christian Dumont, le Comte de Langier and now Earl of Harbridge, had his own price to do what he was doing. For in her limited experience, no man, especially not a nobleman, did anything that did not fulfill his need for power, land or titles. That she may be recompense for some task or past glory from the king did not surprise her.
    Emalie circled the room, blowing out the candles and trying to calm herself before sleep. She crept into the bed, hearing the ropes creak under her weight. Settling on one side and trying to keep her sleeping gown from the stain, she closed her eyes and waited for sleep to come. A thought came to her even as she fell under sleep’s power—he had shed his own blood to protect her.
    But knowing that her monthly cycle was already late by many days, she wondered if his attempt would be successful?
     
    Christian strode over to the hearth in his chambers and poured more wine for himself. Sitting in a chair near the fire, he pondered his actions, still not believing his luck this night. Clearly she was an innocent and had not understood his situation. For in asking him for this delay, she had saved him from revealing his truth—that he could not have consummated their vows this night. In spite of a measure of desire, his body had indeed betrayed him.
    Taking a deep drink from his cup, he remembered her face as he spoke the words granting her boon. A flash of relief first, followed by suspicion, then relief again had filled her expressive eyes.
    So, she was relieved not to have to face that particular duty this night? Was it simply maidenly reticence that caused her to make her unusual request? Placing the goblet down, he rubbed his eyes and stretched his arms.
    Emalie had turned out to be so much more than he had anticipated since discovering the nature of his duty to Richard. Surprise, amusement, respect, and even a little desire had filled him at each of their encounters.He knew full well that his refusal to turn the chatelaine’s keys back over to her angered and embarrassed her, yet she kept her dignity and did not berate or challenge him in public. His first inspection of the records and conditions of the keep revealed that she was clever and efficient in her handling of resources