Chapter 9 #5
“How can you say that, Nora?” Ryan said, feigning hurt. “Our parents have planned for our marriage since we were children. I love you. I have always loved you. I want no other bride.”
Ewan winced as if he’d been struck.
His eyes were bleak as he met her gaze. “You lied to me, Nora.”
Panic welled up inside her. She had to make him see the truth. She couldn’t let him think that she had lied to him when she hadn’t.
Damn Ryan and his lies.
“Nay, I did not.” She turned on Ryan with a glower. “Tell him the truth or I’ll beat you myself.”
“It is the truth,” Ryan said sincerely. “I need you for my bride.”
Ewan took a deep breath as he tried to stave off the bitter agony he felt.Something inside him had shriveled with Ryan’s words.
So, Ryan did love her.
Damn you, fate, for replaying this.
It was just like before.
Only this time, Ewan would make sure the woman went where she belonged. Nora would go home with Ryan and he would go back to...
Unable to finish the thought, Ewan turned around and left the pub. The soundless crowd parted, letting him pass.
Bavel, Lysander and Viktor exchanged awkward looks before they followed after him.
Nora started to go after Ewan as well, but her anger with Ryan was too great. First, she had a score to settle.
The crowd surrounding them slowly began to resume their own business and speculate on hers.
“Why did you do that?” she demanded.
“Because I have to marry you.”
“Why? You don’t love me. You can’t even stand me.”
Ryan looked away sheepishly as if the truth were almost too hard for him to face. “Because I need your dowry.”
She might have expected it, but to hear him openly admit it shocked her to her core. But then given his odd behavior, she shouldn’t be surprised by anything he said or did at this point. “Why?”
Ryan sighed wearily and moved away from the crowd that was still mostly focused on them.
He lowered his voice so that only she could hear his words. “Remember last spring when I went to the continent?”
“Aye.”
“I went in hopes of finding myself another bride. My mother was pressing me to ask your father for your hand. She told me that it was past time I settle down and take you for my wife. I was horrified by the very idea of spending my life tied to you. I thought if I could go to the tourney circuit and build a solid reputation and fortune for myself that I would have my pick of brides.”
Nora shook her head at him. “Oh, Ryan. I can best you at swordsmanship.”
His eyes blazed at her. “I’m not that incompetent, Nora. I’m just not excellent. Believe me, I need no reminders from you of just how painfully average I am.”
She almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
But after what he’d done to Ewan, she wasn’t anywhere near ready to forgive him for his actions.
“What happened?” she asked.
He rubbed his face with his hand. “Every time I lost, I signed vouchers for the value of my horse and armor. I kept thinking that if I could just win one tournament that I would have enough to pay everyone back.”
He let out a long-suffering breath. His eyes appeared haunted and were tinged by humiliation.
“But I lost time and again. When the season came to an end, everyone started demanding I make good on my vouchers. I didn’t know what to do so I borrowed money from Stryder of Blackmoor so that I could come home, marry you and pay what I owe. ”
Nora couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Stryder of Blackmoor? Are you mad? They say he is the devil incarnate.”
“Aye, but I had no choice. Oddly enough, he alone hasn’t pursued me for the money I owe him. But everyone else has hounded me into the ground. I have to marry you, Nora. There’s no other way.”
Nora pressed her hand to her temple to fight the ache that was starting there as she thought of everything Ryan had put her through.
The fright she’d had reaching Ewan. The worry and fretting. Now he was completely unrepentant for his actions.
She could strangle him!
“I can’t believe this,” she said. “Debt is the only reason you asked for my hand?”
“Well, I do care for you in a pesky little sister sort of way. And you’re not bad looking when you’re silent. Unfortunately, that is almost never, but-”
“Ryan! I knew you were vile, but this... how could you?”
He sighed again. “I know what I did was wrong. The only way I was able to continue was by telling everyone that I was betrothed to King Henry’s niece.” He gave her a pleading, sheepish stare. “I do need you, Nora.”
“You don’t need me,” she said testily. “You need a banker.”
“King Henry’s niece, eh? Och now, this just got better.”
Nora turned at a voice that sounded oddly familiar to her. It took a minute to recognize Isobail’s brother Graham from the day before.
But this time, he wasn’t alone.
There were three other men with him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked them.
Graham gave her an evil sneer that was cold enough to set her teeth to chattering. “We’re setting things right.”
“I beg your pardon?” she asked.
Before she could move, Graham pulled out a dagger. “Come quietly, lass, and we won’t hurt you. Fight us and you’ll be much worse for the dare.”