“You are looking especially lovely. Your skin is flushed, and you’re glowing. It seems the thought of our pending nuptials is agreeing with you.”
“Certainly,” I agreed. Although I knew exactly the real reason I appeared flushed and glowing. The memory of Torben’s kisses this morning was enough to have me nearly panting. I daresay that would not have been very ladylike. Which almost made me want to do it, just to see the look on Cathal’s face, and Torben’s, too, for that matter. I smothered the smile that wanted to break free. I was acting like a school girl with a crush. Ridiculous, really.
The rest of breakfast passed in an uneasy silence. My father and mother no longer went out of their way to make small talk with Cathal, and I hoped he hadn’t noticed a change in their attitude toward him. I kept shooting them glares, trying to silently implore them to keep up our charade a bit longer.
“If you’ll excuse my queen and me,” my father said suddenly as he stood and reached his hand out to my mother. “I’ve not been feeling well this morning. Considering the importance of the coming occasion, I think I should take every opportunity to rest until then. I’d hate to be sick during my eldest daughter’s wedding banquet.”
Cathal looked over at them and a small smirk appeared. “Certainly, Albric. It is good you have a queen to wait on you.”
My father’s jaw tightened, and I held my breath, hoping he would keep his temper in check. For some reason, it sounded like Cathal was baiting him.
“It is my pleasure to care for my husband,” my mother said, her tone genuine, leaving no doubt that their love for one another was sincere. She turned to me and smiled. “Do not forget to come find me when you are done, Allete dear. Lidia and your sisters have the final preparations to go over with you for the banquet.”
“Yes, Mother,” I said and then watched as they left the room.
“I am to spend another day apart from you?” Cathal asked, the barely contained anger boiling beneath the surface of his carefully controlled fa?ade.
“What is a few days when we will be married soon, and I will be with you every single day for the rest of your life?” I asked, giving him my most innocent smile.
He stared at me, trying to gauge my tone. I could see him contemplating whether I was being sarcastic. Finally, he shrugged. “I suppose you are correct.”
I had no appetite whatsoever, owing mostly to the fact that the distracting memory of the feel of Torben’s lips on mine refused to leave my mind. Still, I finally managed to clean my plate. I set down my fork and pushed my chair back. Cathal stood as I did.
“I will bid you good day, my lord,” I said.
Before I could turn to go, he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close to him. It was extremely forward in such a public setting, and I resisted the urge, barely, to shove him away from me.
His head leaned down until his mouth was next to my ear. “I see how your guard looks at you. If you do not tell him to back off, I will cut out his eyes.”
I wanted to look at Torben, but I made myself continue to stare at the wall just past Cathal’s shoulder.
“Do I make myself clear?” he asked as his hand squeezed my side painfully.
I smiled and tried to look as though his advances were most welcome. I knew that I couldn’t let my eyes betray me in that moment. Not only was Cathal scrutinizing my face, I could feel Torben’s eyes boring into me as well. There would be no way I could look in his direction at that moment and not betray some sort of emotion. And I couldn’t let him know Cathal was causing me pain. Torben might just kill Cathal right then and there if he saw me wince. If that happened, he’d be arrested on the spot. I had to protect him because I knew he would not protect himself. His concern would be for me alone.
“Of course, my lord,” I said as pleasantly as I could.
He released me, after a final warning squeeze and stepped back giving me a warm smile. The look in his eyes made my skin crawl. “I look forward to seeing you at the banquet. I have, of course, provided an appropriate dress for you. Your mother has it. It is a gift.” Cathal took my hand and lifted it. He pressed a kiss to the back of it and then released me. As he strode from the room, I forced myself to inhale so I would not pass out. I hadn’t realized my breath had been caught in my throat.
Once I’d gathered myself, I glanced around the table and gave a smile to those who remained. Lizzy and Dayna were there, a few members of the court, and Thomas, who was glaring daggers in the direction Cathal had just departed.
“I bid you each a good day,” I said with a small curtsy. Knowing Brant and Torben would follow, I walked from the room without looking back. Dayna would come find me soon enough. Lizzy I wasn’t sure about. She’d been gone so much lately that I did not know what to expect from her. And I’d been so caught up in my own problems that I had not been a very attentive older sister. Thomas would, no doubt, have something to say to me at some point. Yes, my day would be filled with concerned family who meant well, and yet would not understand what had taken place between Torben and me.
Honestly, Thomas was the one I worried about the most. He was so protective of me, and I wasn’t sure how he would feel about Torben being a Viking. Regardless of what he thought, however, he’d just have to accept my new situation as is. It was my life, and I wouldn’t live it without Torben.
We were half-way to my mother and father’s chambers when I felt Torben’s hand on my waist guiding me to my right. We entered a small sitting room, and the door closed behind us. When I turned to face him, I saw Torben staring at the ground. I could imagine Brant standing sentry outside the door.
“Torben,” I said gently. I felt as though I was approaching a wild beast ready to pounce at any moment. “Are you all right?”
His shoulders rose and fell with each heavy breath. One hand was clenched into a fist at his side, while the other rested on the hilt of his sword. “I did not realize how difficult it would be to watch him touch you. That was agony, but it wasn’t the worst part. The worse part was knowing he was hurting you and not being able to immediately hold him accountable for it. That is not the way things are done in my clan.”
I bit my lip. Clearly, I hadn’t succeeded in hiding the pain Cathal had inflicted. “How did you know?”
When he finally raised his head, the rage in his eyes caused me to take a step back. “I felt your pain.”
I covered my mouth with my hand as a shocked gasp escaped. “What? How?”
He shook his head. “I do not know. But as soon as you felt it, I did, too. The sensation in your side, where his hand was, I felt it all. But that’s not everything. I also felt you trying to keep me from knowing about it. I wanted to cut his hand off.”