Free The Woman Inside by Autumn Dawn Page A

alternative.”
    His jaw locked. “You don’t have much faith in me, do you?”
    “If that were true I wouldn’t have given you the antidote.” She held his
gaze. “Women are wary creatures, my lord. We like to make ourselves as safe as
humanly possible, so we surround ourselves with people we trust and take
precautions. It is no more than that, and it ... eases my mind.”
    My lord, was it? Apparently she was trying make herself safe from more than
Eville. He slipped the vial in his pocket and flicked a glance at Roland.
    Roland stood and stretched. “Come, Crow. I’ve a mind to practice swordplay
tonight and you strike me as an excellent target.”
    Raven gave him a suspicious look, but rose just the same. “I’m not that easy
a mark.”
    Roland snorted. “We’ll see.”
    Raven hesitated before leaving. “I found these. Thought you could use them.”
He dug something out of his pocket, placed it on the table before Ceylon could
say anything and then vanished.
    Ceylon picked up one of the carved disks rocking on the table. “Buttons. He
carved me buttons.”
    Uric studied the intricate carvings. “I’d noticed he seemed to be out of
favor tonight. So did Roland. I suspect the boy will be sore tonight. Roland
likes you.”
    She looked stricken.
    He chuckled. “Perhaps I should have said ‘respects’? Although I have to
wonder why the idea alarms you. Most woman would be flattered to receive the
attention of a warrior like Roland.”
    She toyed with the buttons. “He is sweet--”
    “Sweet!”
    A feminine glare speared him. “But he’d have no real interest in me.” The
words ‘a woman like me’ remained unsaid.
    He heard them just the same, and understood what blocked his own way. “Why?
Do you have a lover we don’t know about?”
    “No!”
    “Ah.” He nodded knowingly. “You’re secretly pledged to a nunnery?”
    She folded her arms.
    Enjoying himself, he said softly, “You’ve tasted the pleasures of lovemaking
and found them not to your taste?”
    Hot embarrassment painted her cheeks. “You know I ... I d-don’t....”
    He winked. “Sorry. An unfair tease. Still, you haven’t answered me.” Careful
not to threaten her, he took her hand and slowly raised it to his lips, giving
her the lightest of butterfly kisses. “Don’t you want to experience the joys of
marriage? Of children?” he murmured.
    Transfixed by his gaze, she stammered, “I ... it’s impossible.” She blinked
as if fighting against a spell. “I would have to be in love. To trust him. And
how can I? All men leave in the end.”
    A slight frown puckered his brow, as he tilted his head. “Who left?”
    “My father. Her lovers....” She shook her head as if coming out of a trance
and pulled away. “It doesn’t matter. Who would want me?”
    Uric had never liked games, and he sensed that toying with Ceylon would get
him no where. Hands folded in a businesslike manner on the table, he leaned
forward. “I’ve seen many beautiful woman, Ceylon. I know you’ve heard of my
past, of the women I’ve brought home as potential brides. The ones that ran.
What you might not know is that none of them were beautiful. Not even remotely.”
A muscle flexed in his jaw. “I chose them for their sweet tempers, thinking to
counteract my mother’s poison. It didn’t work.”
    She didn’t say a word.
    “My point,” he continued doggedly, “Is that looks don’t sway me. I had my
choice of pretty brides and didn’t take them, because when I looked inside I saw
nothing of value.” He paused to underscore his words. “That’s not what I see
when I look inside you.”
    She looked at her hands, still resting on the table.
    He covered her hand with his. “You’re a beautiful woman, Ceylon. You could
make a wonderful bride.”
    “You hardly know me.” Her voice sounded strained.
    “I know you as well as I knew the others, and I like far better what I
see.”
    Yes, but a man who had already