Page 64 of Heart of the Hunter (Band of Bastards #3)
“Aye, Father, I do understand,” she said.
In any other circumstances, she would be mortified by the question and the confession, but in this moment, it was her only hope to deter, or at least delay, the baron’s intentions.
But would it be at the cost of her life or Tommy’s?
It was too late now to turn back. She splayed her hands across her stomach.
“I have lain with a man and may be carrying his child.”
Father Osric looked stricken, unsure of how to proceed.
Edmund grabbed her by the elbow and spun her to face him. “You may be with Hunter’s child?” The words were bit out in an angry staccato. His eyes looked crazed, and his chest heaved.
Anora’s heart raced with the fear that she had made a grave mistake. She nodded. “Aye, Hunter.”
Edmund snapped his mouth closed and his lips pinching into a thin, white line.
They both stared at each other with their jaws clenched tightly and their eyes locked in confrontation.
After several tense moments, the baron released her arm, took a deep breath, and turned toward the priest. “Proceed,” he growled.
Anora panicked and said the first thing to come to her mind.
“Are you willing to risk that the first child born into our marriage is of Hunter’s blood and not yours?
” She expected the baron’s rage this time, and managed to duck and dodge to the side before his hand could connect with her face.
He grabbed her by the arms and shook her hard so that her head snapped back and forth painfully.
“Stop,” Father Osric shouted. “You will not desecrate the church.”
Edmund’s hands dropped his hands to his side as he looked from the priest to Anora. Hatred burned in his eyes as he said in a flat voice, “Donald, get my horse and bring it to me, saddled.” His eyes narrowed into a wicked gleam that sent a chill down Anora’s spine.
“Do you want anyone to ride with you?” Donald asked.
“Tell Hankin and Noll to prepare their horses to accompany me,” he sneered, then added in an ominous tone, “It will not be me wondering if my first born is the spawn of a bastard, but rather the bastard wondering if his first born is of my seed instead of his.”
Anora felt like she’d been punched in the stomach and was instantly nauseous. True terror washed over her as she felt the blood drain from her face.
“And the boy?” Donald asked.
“Take him and the whore in the opposite direction of Castle Whyte and dump them where their bodies will be easily found. No one will care about a harlot and an orphan being killed, but it will serve as a clear message to Hunter and Lord Hawk that if they interfere, I will kill Anora next.” He cupped Anora’s bruised cheek and smiled with pleasure when she winced.
“But not before I’ve shown you what it feels like to have a real man between your thighs. ”
She felt the blood run into her mouth as she bit her cheeks to keep from screaming. Tommy did not deserve to die because of her. Nor did Beatrice. “I will marry you now,” she said, her voice scratchy and hoarse with disgust and defeat, “if you spare the lives of Tommy and Beatrice.”
Edmund’s eyebrows shot up. “The time for bargaining is past, love.”
Anora nearly cringed at the endearment but stopped herself lest she anger him more.
“I will marry you, you will get the benefit of my father’s fortune, and I will do what I can to advance your political ambitions.
” She could tell by the look on his face that he considered what she offered.
“My acquaintance with the Lord and Lady of Hawkspur, and my familiarity of their holdings can be of use to you.”
“You do realize I am not seeking an alliance with Hawkspur? I have every intention of taking it.”
She swallowed uncomfortably as she nodded. “I do.”
He studied her for a long moment. “If you prove you can be trustworthy, Anora, you and I can accomplish much together. With your cunning as Lady of Castle Whyte and my strength as Lord, we can become a barony of importance.”
Anora felt the tears prick at her eyes, but she held them back. “Aye, Edmund”—his name felt like a curse on her tongue—“perhaps I was hasty in my refusal of you.”
“I do not trust that you are not lying to me to save yourself,” he said as he dug under his tunic for something attached to his belt, “but with time, I think you will see the wisdom of your words. And in the meantime, I will keep Tommy as hostage to guarantee your cooperation.”
Another small victory.
He turned to Father Osric and ordered, “She is ready to say the words, Father.”
Anora’s body felt numb, and her ears buzzed as she repeated the words given to her by the priest to bind their union.
She didn’t resist when Edmund lifted her hand and held it in his own, and his words hardly registered as she stared blankly at his face.
He muttered something about a memento to represent his devotion to her, he even referenced the happiness and love shared by her parents, though she didn’t want to hear it.
But then he slipped something on her finger and her entire world turned upside down.
She splayed her hand and looked down at the ring he’d placed on her right hand.
It was an intricately carved gold ring with a brilliant emerald set into the band.
It was the most beautiful ring she’d ever seen but now wasn’t the first time seeing it, for she already knew every tiny detail of the ring, every curve of the ornate design around the band, every shade of green in the gem as it was turned in the light.
She knew everything about it because it had been her mother’s ring.