The Rock Read online

  It was late afternoon by the time she arrived. Fortunately, the smithy was already gone for the day, and the young apprentice who let her in was too awed by the lady from the abbey, who knew so much about smithing, to ask too many questions about her waiting for her old “friend.”

  He was eleven, he informed her, and the smith was his father. She entertained him with stories from her past watching Thom work while he finished up his chores for the day. By the time he left, she was sad to see him go.

  With the boy gone and left without distraction, she began to grow nervous. She had not eaten since the midday meal, and her stomach started to grumble as darkness fell outside. She should have grabbed a hunk of bread and cheese. And wine—plenty of fortifying wine. But she hadn’t really thought that far ahead.

  What was she going to do if Thom wouldn’t forgive her? She didn’t know anything about seduction—she was a virgin for goodness’ sake! She should have asked someone. Not Joanna, obviously, but maybe Lady Helen? She had the feeling she would have understood. Perhaps she might have offered some tips? Suggestions? Tactics?

  Elizabeth took off her heavy fur-lined wool cloak—despite the fire going out some time ago, she was warm—and tossed it on a bench. As it fell, it gave her an idea.

  No. She couldn’t. She looked down at her remaining clothes—a fairly simple and easy-to-remove surcotte and cotte. Could she?

  Elizabeth was pacing anxiously around the room when she finally heard the door open. She froze, glancing over as a man entered. Only when she saw the tall, familiar frame did she heave an inward sigh of relief. He had a sack slung over his shoulder, which from the size and shape she assumed was Jamie’s sword.

  She was standing to the side, so he shouldn’t have noticed her right away. But almost like prey sensing danger, his eyes immediately locked on hers.

  His utter lack of reaction sent a pang of foreboding to her heart. He didn’t look surprised, he didn’t look furious (what she’d expected), and he certainly didn’t look happy (had she secretly hoped so?). He didn’t look anything. There wasn’t a flicker of emotion in the cold, blue-eyed gaze that met hers.

  Oh God, was it too late? Had she completely destroyed all the feelings he once had for her?

  “How did you know—” He stopped, his mouth falling in a grim line. “Joanna.”

  Elizabeth nodded mutely. He looked so imposing—so distant—so utterly unlike her Thommy that the nervousness she felt earlier returned tenfold. Her confidence wavered and the first icy beads of perspiration dotted her brow. She was so sure she knew him, but what if she didn’t? What if nothing she did could make him forgive her? What if all she succeeded in doing was humiliating herself?

  It didn’t matter. She had to at least try.

  “I know I shouldn’t be here like this, but I had to talk to you, and you left me little choice.”

  He crossed into the room, putting the sword down on the table before turning to look at her. “And why should it make any difference what I want?”

  “That isn’t what I meant—”

  He held up his hand to stop her. “Go ahead, say what you have to say, and then leave. I have work to do and people are waiting for me.”

  Elizabeth felt a flash of temper, but reminded herself that he had every cause to be disagreeable. She’d wronged him. Horribly. But his impatient and indifferent attitude was definitely grating.

  “I’m sorry. I made a mistake, Thom. I never should have agreed to marry Randolph.”

  “So you’ve said. Why should that make any difference to me?”

  Nothing could prevent her temper from flaring at that one. She pressed her lips together, praying for patience. “Because you love me.”

  “I did. More than anything in the world.”

  Her heart sank like a stone. Fear gripped her. He still did. Don’t believe him. She remembered what Lady Helen had said about Magnus telling her he no longer loved her—because he was stubborn. “And I love you,” she whispered.

  “Not enough apparently.”

  She took the barb, which although warranted still stung. She lifted her chin and met his gaze. “Enough to break the engagement with Randolph.”

  The first crack in his steely shield appeared; she’d surprised him. But then his eyes narrowed. “When did you do that? I was just with your betrothed. He gave no hint that the engagement had ended.”

  She flushed. “I tried to tell him earlier, but he had to leave. I wrote him a note, though, that my cousin will give him, and sent one to Jamie as well.”

  “I’m no expert at betrothal agreements, but I believe it takes a little more than a couple of notes to break one.”

  Condescension and sarcasm were definitely not her favorite combination. She glared at him, snapping, “I know that.”

  Thom merely shrugged. “I still don’t understand why any of this should matter to me.”

  She was fuming and her hands were on her hips. “Because I want to marry you. Although right now, I’m trying to remember why.”

  Her flash of temper did nothing more than elicit a cocked brow from him. “I believe you already refused my proposal, and I don’t recall issuing another one.”

  If he was trying to embarrass her and make her feel foolish, it was working. She looked up at him pleadingly. “I was scared and confused, Thom. Can you not try to understand?”

  “I do understand. What I don’t understand is what has changed.” He paused, as if something had suddenly occurred to him. “Of course I do. My situation has improved enough for you, is that it? Now that I’ve achieved some renown, that I’m to be knighted and presented with land, I am worth taking a risk on?”

  “None of that had anything to do with it.”

  “So the timing of your ‘grand epiphany’ is just a coincidence?”

  She shouldn’t be surprised that he’d question her motives, but it stung. “I knew I’d made a mistake the moment I stood next to Randolph to say those vows, but it wasn’t until I learned what you were going to do, and that your life was in danger, that I knew I would do whatever I had to do—no matter what the cost or how unpleasant—to extricate myself from it.” Seeing he wasn’t convinced, she added, “If you don’t believe me, ask Joanna. Ask Lady Helen. Ask my cousin. They’ll tell you. I tried to tell you myself, but you wouldn’t listen.” She took a deep breath that was almost a sob. “God, I could have lost you, Thommy. I was so scared. How could you have put yourself in danger like that?”

  The tears in her eyes and obvious despair seemed to mean nothing to him. “You lost me the moment you said those words binding you to another man. Whether you regretted it before or after doesn’t matter.”

  She took a step toward him. “You don’t mean that.”

  But he did. She could see it. He doesn’t want me, he doesn’t love me anymore.

  No, he was just being stubborn . . . wasn’t he? His feelings couldn’t change that fast. She had to find a way to get through to him. “What can I say, but I’m sorry. I made a mistake. It all happened so fast, I couldn’t think clearly. I had a plan—I thought I knew what I wanted—and when you came in and tried to change everything at the last minute, I made the wrong decision. I would do anything to take it back, but I can’t. All I can do is try to correct it and beg for your forgiveness.”

  He stared at her emotionlessly. Mulishly. Not giving a blasted inch.

  “Is there nothing I can do or say that will make you forgive me? Is your heart that hard? Will you allow pride and stubbornness to prevent you from taking what I’m offering?”

  The hot flare of anger in his eyes was the first sign that he might not be as indifferent as he seemed. “What exactly are you offering, Elizabeth? Somehow I don’t see your brother welcoming me into the family. So are we to run off together? You can be damned sure if we do that there won’t be a knighthood or a barony—or anything else for that matter.”

  Was he relenting? From his expression it was questionable, but at least he appeared to be considering it. She