Chapter Seven
Peyton awoke to Ivy’s snores late the following morning.
Her head felt fine and her body refreshed, full of vigor in spite of having been jolted awake by her sister’s loud breathing.
After a sound sleep, the world appeared a little brighter, a little clearer.
Gazing at her sister’s contented face, she couldn’t seem to remember when Ivy had come to join her during the night.
For all Peyton knew, Ivy had been out until dawn with the black soldier.
But none of that mattered any longer as Ivy snored softly.
She was returned and she was whole. As Peyton stared at the sleeping face, she thought mayhap an apology for their bitter words was unnecessary; better to simply forget the incident.
She was more than willing to forget their hostilities and hoped Ivy was, too.
With an evil, sleepy grin, she leaned over and blew softly in her sister’s ear. Ivy fidgeted and slapped a hand over her head and Peyton proceeded to nibble at the back of her hand with sharp white teeth until Ivy twitched and rolled onto her back.
Peyton held back the giggles. “Lady Ivy,” she said in a mockingly deep voice. “My sweet wanton, how luscious is your unclothed body.”
Ivy peeped one eye open at her sister, who burst out in loud laughter. Regardless of the fact that she had just been annoyed out of a deep sleep, Ivy smiled. “And you, my delicious brown warrior, taste as good as you look. How delectable is your….”
“Stop!” Peyton cried, choking on her laughter. “Say no more. I do not want to know what you may have sampled.”
Ivy closed her eyes tightly and began to thrash about. “No more, I cannot stand it! Your hands to my….!”
“Ivy!” Peyton pleaded.
“…. breasts as you….!”
“Ivy!”
“…. attempt to milk me like a cow!”
Peyton smacked her sister on the rump and rolled off the bed with disgust. “Ivy, you are an uncouth trollop. I will not hear what he has done to you, do you understand?”
Ivy propped herself up on Peyton’s pillow. “I never said he did anything to me,” she raised an eyebrow at the tattered edges of Peyton’s shift spilling from beneath the silk robe. “But why, may I ask, is your shift torn?”
Peyton’s cheeks flushed as she looked down at the mussed robe and snatches of torn shift. She and Ivy had always been open with each other and she was not about to hide from her sister. Ivy would never think poorly of her no matter what she had done, even if she herself was ashamed.
Slowly, she untied the sash to her robe to reveal the entire torn length of shift.
Ivy gasped and sat up on the bed, her eyes wide. “What happened, Peyton? Did he force himself on you? Did he…?”
Peyton shook her head, sheepishly. “He did not,” she stammered for words. “We…. I still do not know how exactly it came about, but…. oh, Ivy, I am so confused I do not know what to think anymore.”
Ivy swung her legs over the side of the bed.
“He was here last night when I arrived. He was sitting by the hearth and you were sound asleep. He said he had brought a potion for your headache but had decided to let you sleep rather than wake you so that you could take it. He left with Ali the moment I arrived,” she stood up and moved to her sister, gazing at the ripped garment. “He did not…. you two did not…?”
“Nay!” Peyton exclaimed. “Of that I am certain.”
Ivy moved to touch the shift and the entire robe fell open, revealing her sister’s naked body and the very purple love bite on her upper abdomen. Ivy’s mouth fell open.
“What is this?” she cried.
Peyton looked down at her white belly, marred with a vibrant bruise, and ran a finger across the mark. “You would not believe me if I told you.”
Ivy nodded vigorously. “Aye, I would, because I have one to match.”
It was Peyton’s turn to be shocked. “You do?”
Ivy reached up and pulled back the neckline of her shift. On the top of her plump breast was a purple and green mark. She and Peyton exchanged confused glances.
“What’s the matter with us?” Peyton whispered urgently.
Ivy simply shook her head. “I do not know.”
Peyton’s gaze lingered on Ivy’s brilliant bite. “You said you hadn’t yet accepted him as your betrothed.”
Ivy touched her sister’s mark, ignoring Peyton’s piercing inquiry for the moment. When their gazes locked, inquiry and confusion rippled in Peyton’s sapphire depths and Ivy could no longer ignore her.
She sighed helplessly. “I cannot describe how I feel about him, Peyton. Only that he has made me understand more about myself, more about life, than I ever dreamt possible. He is unlike any man I have ever met.”
Peyton could read the sincerity of discovery and was suddenly determined to know the man through Ivy’s eyes. “His color doesn’t bother you any longer?”
Ivy shook her head. “His skin is magnificent to behold, exquisite to touch. And he makes me feel more beautiful than any woman on earth. There is a wonderful man beneath the outer facade, Peyton. And I like him.”
“Enough to allow him to…,” she cocked an eyebrow at the vivid love mark, “do that?”
Ivy ran a finger over the blemish. “Aye.”
Peyton touched her own mark hesitantly, a tremendous confusion sweeping her.
“I do not…. Ivy, I do not even like Alec, certainly not the way you have come to accept Ali. But something happens when we look at each other and it is as if I have no control over myself. And, lord, when he kisses me…. what’s wrong with me, Ivy? ”
“Nothing,” her sister said evenly. “He is a gorgeous man, Peyton. Can you not accept the fact that you find him attractive?”
“Nay! He is…. He is not attractive to me. What I mean is, he is handsome and he has beautiful eyes and a beautiful smile, but…. damnation, I love James! I do not love Alec Summerlin!”
“Who said anything about love, darling?” Ivy said with a faint smile. “Love means different things to different people.”
Peyton looked thoughtful, trying desperately to analyze the situation and her own feelings. Her gaze returned to her sister’s colorful bite. “How far…. how much did Ali touch you?”
Ivy lowered her gaze for the first time. “He touched me nearly everywhere until his parents interrupted. I think had we continued unhindered, we might have…. and do you want to know something? I think I wanted him to bed me. I think I wanted it nearly as badly as he did.”
“You did?” Peyton asked, awed.
Ivy nodded and Peyton shook her head in wonderment. “Is Ali so extraordinary that you would turn yourself over to him without reserve?”
Ivy lifted an eyebrow. “Ask yourself that same question. If you discover the answers, then let me know. I have none to give.”
Peyton looked down at her own mark, feeling more baffled by the moment. “Neither do I. And do you know what else? I hated you yesterday.”
Ivy did not look overly surprised. “I hated you, too. You were very cruel and unreasonable.”
Peyton’s pretty mouth twisted with regret. “I know, darling, and I am sorry. ’Twas just that I was so confused about everything and when I saw how you were coming to terms with Ali, I was angry at you for surrendering so easily. And…. and I think I was jealous in a way.”
“What way?” Ivy asked softly.
“Because you have found someone you can tolerate, and I am saddled with Alec the Giant.”
Ivy shook her head. “Peyton, I simply cannot believe that you do not find Alec attractive. He is the most beautiful man I have ever seen. Even Jubil is smitten with him.”
Peyton sat down on the bed, looking dazed, and shook her head. “Ivy, I love James. I cannot find another man attractive.”
Ivy felt a stab of pity for her sister. “I know, darling,” she said gently. “But he is gone and Alec is to be your husband. You must come to understand that, the sooner the better for you both. Do you not think you could grow to like him?”
Peyton shrugged, confused. “He is kind at times and humorous too. I…. I simply do not know.”
Ivy sat down on the mattress next to her sister, feeling the familiar pain they had shared so often over the past year. Grief, as ugly as it was, was a binding emotion and Ivy understood Peyton’s reluctance.
A soft rap came to the door and Ivy rose to answer. Lady Celine’s bright face entered the room as she smiled at the two young women.
“I heard voices,” she said. “’Tis nearly the nooning meal and I thought to help you dress.”
Before Peyton could open her mouth to reply, Thia entered the room behind her mother and immediately the tension in the chamber thickened. If Lady Celine detected the hostility, she did not react. Instead, she sent a serving woman running for hot water.
Ivy, however, sensed her sister’s distress and cast a long glance at the large Summerlin sibling.
They’d barely been introduced the day before, certainly not more than two words spoken between them, and Ivy had not been told about the confrontation between Peyton and Alec’s sister.
Now, however, she sensed loathing from her sister toward the robust young woman and responded with dislike of her own.
Tactfully oblivious to the animosity between the three young women, Lady Celine went directly to the wardrobe.
“Lord Brian is completing the marital arrangements this morn and tonight after vespers, the marriages will take place,” coming across an acceptable dress, she tossed it to Thia and eyed the two sisters still huddled on the bed. “Hurry, ladies! There is much to do!”
Several serving wenches brought hot water in large basins and Lady Celine ordered the girls to disrobe.
Her manner was brisk and no-nonsense, indicative of a woman who had raised four children, and Peyton and Ivy looked to one another in horror.
Were they to disrobe in front of Lady Celine, the unmistakable marks of passion would be displayed.
But they also knew they had no choice but to obey; Lady Celine was far gone into the large wardrobe, clearly expecting naked women to dress momentarily.