Free The Heiress by Evelyn Anthony

like that then he’s no Macdonald!’
    â€˜He won’t resist her,’ Katharine said. ‘Poor child, I only wish he would! James, James, what have we done? Even for Dundrenan and Clandara, isn’t the price too high for that unhappy girl to pay?’
    â€˜Her heart was set on it,’ he answered. ‘You know it was; she loves him. She was determined to have him.’
    â€˜I cannot bear him,’ Katharine said slowly. ‘Can you imagine what it means to a mother to detest her only son? To look at him on his wedding day and not find a single warm feeling towards him in my heart.… Why couldn’t he have been like you?’ she demanded. ‘Why must he take after your brother? Whenever he looks at me it’s Hugh I see; whenever he laughs it’s Hugh I hear.…’
    â€˜Yet he’s your son, my love,’ Sir James reminded her. ‘There must be some of you in him, he can’t be all Macdonald.’
    â€˜If there is it’s too well hidden for anyone to find it,’ she said bitterly. ‘I’m not sure we ought to go to Paris tomorrow; perhaps we should stay for a time in case Anne needs us.’
    â€˜We are going tomorrow,’ Sir James said gently. ‘It will be best for Anne, I promise you.’
    â€˜And where is my eager bride? In bed already—not asleep , I trust?’ Anne had been waiting alone in her room for three hours after they retired from their guests. She had been dressed by her maids in a white night-gown trimmed with four layers of priceless lace, her hair brushed out over her shoulders, and she had spent the first hour walking up and down her room, waiting for the sound of steps, waiting for him to come. At last she climbed into the big canopied bed and wept as she had not done since the night after her mother died. Worn out with tears and emotional fatigue, she fell asleep and that was how Charles found her when at last he came into her bedroom. She looked very childish and innocent lying in the middle of the ornate bed, holding one side of the satin pillow in her arms. He stood beside her, and as he watched she moved uneasily, and the movement exposed her pale breasts under the thin gown. He was in his dressing robe and breeches, and he was just drunk enough to be dangerous to anything or anyone that crossed him.
    â€˜Wake up,’ he said loudly.
    Anne’s eyes opened and then she sat up, drawing the sheets over herself. She looked into the pale mocking face and the narrowed green eyes, and she flushed to her hair.
    â€˜I have waited hours for you,’ she said slowly. ‘Now I hope you’ll be gentleman enough not to disturb me. I am very tired!’
    â€˜Oh, really?’ The narrow eyes became slits and there was an angry glitter in them. ‘I married you this morning, my dear cousin, don’t you remember? And I’ve a mind to disturb you, as it happens!’
    She made a movement to escape him, but he was too quick for her. For a few desperate moments she tried to fight him, and he felt the scorching pain of her nails on his skin. ‘You little vixen,’ he said. ‘You damned shrew—’
    He tore the magnificent nightgown from neck to waist and ripped it off her. Then the full weight and strength of his body stilled her struggles and she submitted and was mastered, the tears streaming down her face as the moment of possession came, bringing with it unbearable pleasure and pain. She lost consciousness for a few seconds, and then the crushing arms released her. When she opened her eyes he was still holding her, but gently now.
    â€˜You’re my wife,’ he said softly. ‘I’ll trouble you very seldom, but when I do, by God I hope you’ve learned not to say no to me!’ Then he withdrew from her and turning on his side he went to sleep.
    There were no tears left in her then; she was bruised and hurt, trembling with weakness; exalted and horrified at