Free Thy Name Is Love (The Yorkist Saga) by Diana Rubino Page A

I have never had any of those things in my own right. I
     have nothing of my own, and no one. I am little better than a
     charity case. The only difference is that I was raised in the
     palace, instead of an orphanage or gutter.

"You do not feel worthy of me? Think you need to win me? It is I who don't
     feel worthy of you, no matter what I do."

He looked stunned at her admission. "You are more than worthy—"

She shook her head. "How can I be? I do not even know who I am.
     Think about that for a while. You are married to a bastard, raised
     by the most hated family in the realm. And how can you say I am
     worthy, when you will not even spend more than a moment or two in
     the same room with me, will not touch me, be tender with me, even
     when I've tried to make the first move to end the coldness between
     us."

Her last words were almost choked by a sob.

He rose and in two long strides was standing before her, gazing
     down at her, suppressed tears glistening in his eyes, which had
     turned smoky with emotion.

"You know who you are. No matter who your parents were, it matters
     not, because you are Lady Starbury, the Duchess of Norwich, my
     wife! I want to be the very best there is, Dove. I want you to be
     proud of me, to look up to me, to respect me. I want a wife who
     loves me for me .
     I don't want an unwilling victim of a contract forced upon her by
     a vicious queen!"

"But the fact is we are married, and I am tired of waiting for
     some sort of kindness from you, Husband. So I am telling you, I
     will be obedient, in order to end this impasse between us."

"Obedient?" he echoed in confusion.

"Do as you will. Strip off my clothes and lie with me until you
     roll off me with exhaustion. Once you and I are truly married, we
     can have the family I long for. You might sire sons. Daughters,
     too."

He looked appalled at the very idea. "Nay, Dove, I will not have
     you sacrificing yourself in that way, nor easing your hollow ache
     with an even hollower act."

"Act?"

He shook his head sadly. "You do not love me, and I refuse to
     delude myself into believing you do until I am worthy of your
     love. I reject your wifely obedience, and there are other ways of
     finding children who need love and care than to produce one every
     nine months from your own body. I pity you that you were adopted,
     but it is clear that you have never learned what it is to truly
     love. I wish I could teach you, but it appears now that the lesson
     would be completely lost upon you. So get ye to your chamber now,
     and talk no more to me of wifely obedience."

"But Valentine—"

"Go! Jesu have mercy, just go!" he shouted.

She gathered her skirts, drawing herself up to her full height,
     not letting her bare feet detract from her august deportment.

The blaze in her eyes met his. She could sense the tension in the
     air binding their souls like a cord, defying either of them to
     sever it.

"Aye, I'll go now, because as I've said, I am trying to be
     obedient. But Valentine, if you expect me to fall in love with you
     before you are willing to perform any marital duties, then you
     shall die a childless old man, unless you go elsewhere to sire a
     houseful of bastards."

She turned on her heel, snatched up her scroll, and in a rustle of
     velvet and satin underskirts, left the room.

He stared after her, forcing himself to stay put. That rhythmic
     cadence in the walk, the swing of the hips, the little spring in
     each step, were becoming so attuned to his own bodily rhythms, he
     could almost feel her as she went.

Yet each passing day caused such increasing vexation, it now
     approached physical pain. Even days and weeks of separation had
     not eased his ache. And yet he had not thought he could be wounded
     more until now. Her last words had cut him to the quick.

She had so little faith in him as a man, them as a husband and
     wife, he felt as though his heart would break.

Denys was gone from the chamber, but her scent lingered,