Chapter Four #3
Therefore, Roi entered Cheltenham’s solar with the mood of an unhappy and weary man, removing his gloves and taking the time to look at the richly furnished chamber.
He’d spent two days reminding himself that everything he saw would eventually become his, and what he saw did not disappoint him.
Not even the wine that Robin gave him, which was quite good.
So far, everything had been good. He liked what he saw and his mood was starting to lift, just a little.
Then a woman entered the chamber.
That was when he wasn’t quite sure what he was seeing.
An exquisite creature with long blonde hair floated into the room, wearing a dress of red silk that emphasized a figure the curves of which Roi had never seen before.
She evidently hadn’t known her father was in the chamber, along with his guest, and she quickly dropped into a low curtsy.
Roi had no idea who she was until Robin extended his hand to pull her to her feet.
“My lord,” he said to Roi. “You remember my daughter, do you not? This is Lady Diara, my daughter. Diara, this is Sir Richard de Lohr, Beckett’s father.
You have met him once before, at his home of Pembridge Castle.
He has come to Cicadia because he has graciously agreed to fulfill the marriage contract and marry you in the place of his son. ”
Diara dropped into a curtsy again before their eyes even met. “My lord,” she said. “You honor us with your presence. Welcome to Cicadia.”
Now, Roi was starting to realize what he was seeing.
His bride. The truth was that he didn’t remember Diara le Bec looking like this.
He wouldn’t have been able to pick her up out of a crowd.
Somehow, in the past year or so, the lady had grown up and matured into magnificence he’d never seen in his entire life.
And her voice… soft, gentle, soothing. He could have listened to her all day.
Stunned, he set his cup down.
“This is your daughter?” he said to Robin. “This is Diara?”
Robin nodded proudly. “This is.”
Roi looked between Robin and Diara, clearly baffled. “This is the same young woman you brought to Pembridge last year?”
“The same,” Robin said, though he was starting to think that something was wrong. “Why? What is amiss that you should ask that question?”
Roi shook his head. “Nothing is amiss,” he said, his focus fully on Diara. “I was simply… I will admit that I did not remember her well because she spent all of her time with Beckett, but this glorious young woman is not whom I remember. My lady, you honor me.”
Robin was back to beaming, looking at his daughter, who smiled timidly at the compliment.
“I should like to, my lord, very much,” she said.
“But before we speak further, I should like to extend my condolences on Beckett’s passing.
I was so very sorry to hear of his loss.
I was wondering… mayhap it is too much to ask, but I was wondering if it would be appropriate for me to attend his funeral.
I should like to pay my respects to him and to your family, if I should be permitted. ”
Roi stood there a moment, rubbing his hands together, unsure how to respond to her very polite request. He realized he was stunned rather speechless by the whole thing, but there was something he knew for certain—he wanted to speak with her without her father hanging over them.
He had a feeling their conversation would be stilted and superficial with Robin around because he had, from the beginning, gripped the reins of control tightly in this situation.
He’d worked very hard to manipulate everyone into doing what he wanted them to do, Roi included.
He finally turned to Robin.
“Would you permit your daughter and I to have a few moments alone?” he asked. “I swear upon my oath I shall not take any liberties that I am not yet legally entitled to take. I simply wish to speak with her, if I may. I believe that is my right.”
Robin nodded quickly, before the words were even out of Roi’s mouth. “Of course,” he said. “I will leave you, but I shall remain right outside the door. Summon me when you are finished.”
With that, he darted out of the chamber, shutting the door behind him.
Roi waited until he was gone before returning his attention to Diara.
There were two big chairs before the hearth, which was burning weakly with a flickering flame, and he indicated the cushioned seats upon the elaborate wood frames.
“Will you sit and be comfortable, my lady?” he said. “I am sorry if my request was bold, but given these peculiar circumstances, it is probably best that we have some time to speak alone.”
Diara quickly moved to one of the chairs, perching on the end of it and sitting straight because she didn’t want to wrinkle the silk by sitting back. Roi took the other chair, finally lifting his head to look at her.
He couldn’t seem to stop staring at her.
“It was not bold, my lord,” she said. “I am glad you asked. Otherwise, my father might not allow me to get a word in.”
“I was afraid of that.”
“Then you know him well.”
“Unfortunately.”
He saw her fight off a smile, an utterly charming gesture, and it bolstered his courage. Oddly enough, he felt as if he’d never been alone with a woman in his life, and it was a struggle not to laugh at himself for it. Sitting with this magnificent creature made him feel the least bit giddy.
“I am not sure how to start, so forgive me if I am tactless,” he said. “Do you know why your father went to Lioncross Abbey?”
Diara could see that he was nervous. Perhaps even on edge.
He’d done nothing but stare at her with big blue eyes since she entered the chamber, so she was starting to feel uneasy.
She sensed that perhaps her appearance did not impress him.
In fact, she thought that he may have wanted to tell her that he wanted nothing to do with this marriage and simply couldn’t.
She knew very well why her father had gone to Lioncross.
There was no use playing stupid.
“I am very sorry, my lord,” she said, sounding deeply sincere. “He told me he was going there to offer his condolences on Beckett’s loss, but I know he did more than that.”
“You do?”
“Aye.” She nodded. “He wanted the marriage with Beckett badly, you see. My mother could never have more children, so he was stuck with a daughter when he desperately wanted a son. I am very sorry if he went to Lioncross and forced you into assuming your son’s place.
It was a terrible thing for him to do, so please know that I had nothing to do with it. I did not tell him to go.”
Roi could see how distressed she was by it, but even in her distress, he was so fascinated by her that he could hardly think straight.
But he was coming to suspect that this marriage wasn’t something she wanted, either.
He had to admit that he was disappointed.
Now that she’d seen him, she didn’t want an old man for a husband.
He didn’t blame her.
“Of course you didn’t,” he said quietly.
“You are a beautiful young woman and it is only right that you should like a strong, young husband. Truly, I did not mean to offend you by offering to marry you in my son’s stead.
That was never my intent. But your father was quite insistent that he either be given a de Lohr husband for you or that your dowry be returned.
I thought offering to marry you in place of my son was the more honorable thing to do, but now I see that it was wrong. You have my apologies.”
Diara, whose clasped hands had been fidgeting in her lap, suddenly stopped and looked at him curiously. “You… you offered, my lord?”
Roi nodded. “I did,” he said. “But I can simply give him back your dowry and you can find a husband more to your liking.”
Diara blinked, puzzled by the conversation.
“That is not what I meant, my lord,” she said, hastening to reassure him.
“I am sorry if you thought I did not… that’s not what I meant at all.
I was simply apologizing that you felt you had to placate my father by offering yourself. Surely you do not want to marry me.”
“Surely you do not want to marry me.”
“Not if you do not want to marry me.”
Roi’s eyebrows lifted. Then he started chuckling, rubbing a hand over his cheek and mouth. “I think we are going in circles,” he said. “Do you want to marry me, my lady?”
“If you want me to. But only if you truly want me to.”
More circles. Roi suspected she was going to defer to him in all things and leave the decision up to him, so he put up a hand to ease her. “Let us proceed in another way,” he said. “May I?”
She nodded eagerly. “I wish you would, my lord.”
“Then I suggest that we take this evening to get to know one another,” he said.
“This is all very new and mayhap even shocking to the both of us, so I think we should take a little time before we make a life-changing decision. If, at the end of the evening, you decide that I would not make a good husband to you, you simply need say so and I shall return your dowry and your father can find you a husband more to your liking. Is that satisfactory?”
Diara seriously thought on that. It was a shockingly generous offer, considering what a marriage to her would bring to him.
But he was giving her some choice in the matter, something she was quite touched by.
No one, not even her father, had ever given her a choice at all when it came to her own life.
But Beckett’s father had.
She had to admit that, in her eyes, that was just the least bit endearing.
“It is,” she said. “But I must say the same thing to you. If, by the end of the evening, you decide you would not like to have me as your wife, you simply need tell me. I will not be offended. But I do ask that you be honest with me, my lord, as I will be honest with you.”
“I can ask for no better request.”