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Sully made the excuse of wanting to gather his possessions.

He’d rushed into the inn and told Esme to tell Andrew he’d been taken to the castle.

Esme agreed, and Sully followed Ridge back to the castle and all the way to the great hall.

As he headed for the door of the hall, he passed by Torridon wagons and servants that were being disbanded.

He recognized his people, his equipment and, once inside the hall, his reunion with Justine was rather touching.

She rushed into his arms and they embraced as if they were the most passionate of lovers, as if they’d been doing it all their lives.

In truth, Sully was very happy to see her, more than he ever thought he would be. Somehow, annoying Justine had ceased to become annoying and, instead, had become someone he was genuinely eager to see. Sully wasn’t sure how that had happened, only that it had, and he couldn’t have been happier.

As Sully and Justine hugged with the joy of their reunion, Josephine watched from several feet away.

She had been truly touched at the scene.

Yet happy as she was for her sister, her heart ached with longing for Andrew.

She wanted the same kind of reunion with him.

The more she watched her sister, the more her heart hurt, and she finally had to turn away to compose herself.

When Justine released Sully enough to allow the man to breathe, Josephine was calm enough to turn around and face him. Setting down the cup of wine she had in her hand, for she’d just spent the wait for Sully sampling nearly every fine food on the table, she made her way over to him.

“How were the dungeons?” she quipped. “Make any friends while you were there?”

Sully grinned, glad to see that Josephine was at least in good spirits. “No friends worth mentioning in mixed company,” he said. “But to be truthful, I was in and out so quickly that I hardly had time to sit down. But I am glad to be out and glad to see my wife.”

He looked at Justine and she flushed prettily. Josephine had to grin at her sister’s reaction; it was truly sweet. But she interrupted the warm moment as she glanced at Ridge, several feet away as he’d come in with Sully, before speaking.

“Have you seen Andrew?” she asked quietly.

“Nay,” Sully answered, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Ridge wasn’t close enough to hear. “But I left a message for him at the inn where we have been staying. I told him that de Reyne was bringing me back to the castle.”

Josephine wasn’t pleased to hear that Andrew was still missing. In fact, she was very worried. “I see,” she said, trying not to seem too unhappy about it. “I… I do hope he gets the message.”

Sully could see the worry in her eyes, but he truthfully had no idea where Andrew was. He sought to ease her.

“He will,” he assured her quietly. “He has not abandoned you, Joey. He would not do that. Wherever he is, he has good reason to be there.”

Deep down, Josephine knew that. She forced a smile. “I am sure that is true,” she said. “But it seems as if he has been absent all day and, naturally, I am concerned. I was afraid that…”

She was interrupted by an entourage of well-dressed servants appearing from the door on the south side of the hall.

Their finely-shod feet made clacking noises against the stone floor of the hall, an unusual feature when floors were usually made of hard-packed earth.

Josephine saw William Ward, the king’s chancellor, as he entered the room with several servants, and she immediately stiffened.

She didn’t like the man; she hadn’t the first time she’d seen him.

Unfortunately, William spied her almost immediately and headed in her direction. She kept her gaze on him as Nicholas came up behind her.

“This cannot be good,” he muttered.

Somehow, Josephine knew that. “About the earl?”

“More than likely.”

But she stood her ground as William came up to her, eyeing her in a way that made her skin crawl. He didn’t seem to notice anyone else standing around her; not Nicholas, not Ridge, nor Sully, Donald, or even Justine. He was looking strictly at Josephine.

“My lady,” he said politely. “I had gone to your chambers but was told you were not there. I was hoping you were here, with the party from Torridon.”

Josephine cocked her head. “And so I am,” she said. “What can I do for you, my lord?”

William seemed rather pleased to deliver his message. “The king wishes for me to inform you that your betrothed, Alphonse d’Vant, has arrived,” he said. “Surely you saw the man and his army enter the grounds?”

Josephine nodded. “I did.”

William was puffed up, prideful, as he delivered his message.

“The king has ordered a great feast in Blackbank’s honor and you are to be the guest of honor,” he said.

“I am to tell you to dress in the white gown Blackbank has given you and wear that to the feast this evening. The earl wishes to see his betrothed in all her glory. He wishes to inspect you and the king is proud to show you to his favored ally.”

The more he spoke, the more resistant Josephine became. So she was to be inspected, was she? It was infuriating as well as degrading. Frustration filled her and it was a struggle not to react. Where was Andrew when all of this was happening? Was he truly to leave her to the wolves?

“I will be ready,” she said. It was all she could manage.

William had been expecting more of a gleeful answer from a young woman about to marry a very wealthy and powerful earl, but her reaction was restrained. Unhappy, even. Puzzled, the smile faded from William’s face.

“An escort will be sent at the proper time,” he said, turning away in some confusion. But he caught sight of Ridge, standing over near the table that was half-filled with the remnants of food, and he paused. “The king has been asking for you, Ridge. You are expected.”

Ridge immediately departed, heading across the hall and disappearing through a door.

With a lingering glance at Josephine, William left the way he’d come, followed by a host of servants who seemed to orbit around him.

Once he left the hall, Josephine turned back in the direction of the table, the impact of William’s news taking a toll on her expression. Justine put a hand on her.

“Not to worry,” she whispered. “We are here now. Nothing will happen to you.”

Josephine turned to her sister, seeing such assurance in the woman’s eyes. But Josephine knew it was foolish to expect that Sully, Josephine, Donald, Ridge, or even Andrew at this point could protect her from the earl. So many people had come to help her, but they were essentially helpless.

As she’d known from the outset, railing against the situation would only cause grief.

The only way she would be able to create any change would be to at least show some complicity with what was happening, to lull the king and the earl into a false sense of security.

She put a hand on her sister’s fingers, squeezing them.

“I know,” she said. “Andrew has a plan. He must have one. Until then, all I can do is pretend to go along with this. There is truly nothing else I can do.”

Sully heard her. “She’s right,” he said, mostly to Justine.

Then, he looked at Josephine. “I was truly afraid I would find you chained up because you went wild and threatened to kill everyone. You are a strong woman, Joey, but you are not stupid. I am pleased to see that you’ve shown some sense in all of this.

Until we can figure out what to do, you’re simply going to have to go along with the betrothal. ”

Josephine was glad that Sully was agreeing with her. “I do not want you to think I’ve grown spineless,” she said. “But it is my hope that they believe I am in agreement with all of this. That way, mayhap they are less likely to watch me. If I do escape, they will not expect it.”

Sully could see that Justine didn’t quite agree. She was still thinking of resistance, of fighting, but Josephine had realized that subterfuge would be more effective. As they stood there in relative silence, the majordomo appeared to inform Justine that her rooms had been prepared.

As Donald and Nicholas escorted Josephine back to her chambers, Justine and Sully followed the majordomo to the same building where Josephine was lodged.

A parade of servants followed them, carrying Justine’s numerous trunks, and Sully had to wonder what she’d brought that would pack up four large trunks. He soon found out.

Once they were settled in their chambers and the servants left them alone, Justine opened up two of the trunks to pull forth all of the things that Sully had little patience with– decks of cards, a box of bones that she used like an oracle, and special tables to put them on.

Sully stood there and shook his head as Justine unpacked all of the tools he had hoped she’d given up, but he supposed it was too much to ask so soon after their marriage.

Even though Justine had changed a great deal in the past few days, she was still, in fact, the Justine he’d always known.

She truly believed in her cards and oracles and divining rods.

He wasn’t sure he could ever break her of that.

“What are you doing?” he asked quietly.

Justine turned to look at him, seeing disapproval in his eyes. God, she did so want to please him, but she felt very strongly about what she must do. That was why she had brought all of her cards and other things with her.

“I must see what the future holds,” she said. “I must see if my cards will tell me what is in store for my sister.”

Sully sighed faintly. He was becoming rather fond of Justine because he could see that she was trying very hard to be a good wife.

She had moved beyond that annoying woman he’d known all these years and was transforming into someone warm and wise.

He appreciated watching the transformation but when he saw her cards come out, he felt as if she was taking a giant step backwards.

“Your sister’s future is not in the cards,” he said as he went over to her, standing over her as she held the wooden deck in her hand. “Your sister’s future is divined by God and the king, and Andrew, if he can help it. You would serve her better in prayer, not witchly pursuits.”

He touched her shoulder, gently, and walked away, heading to go clean himself up. Justine watched him go, her heart tugging.

“You do not approve of what I do,” she said. “I… I am sorry, Sully. I know you do not like it. But I feel strongly that the cards will tell me what prayer cannot.”

He paused by the door to a smaller room off the master chamber, looking at her earnest face. After a moment, he chuckled, wondering why he would want to change the woman. Her belief in the occult was part of her charm, he supposed. Like the rest of her, he’d married it and needed to accept it.

“Then play with your cards if you feel you must,” he said. “As for me, I am going to take a bath. You are invited to join me if you wish.”

Justine flushed a violent shade of red, grinning as she turned away from him. Sully laughed softly at her reaction.

“Or you can remain here and play with your witch’s curses,” he said. “It is your decision.”

As Sully went to go take a bath in a smaller room attached to a large bedchamber, his last vision of his wife was as she laid out a series of cards on two separate tables, clearly intent on reading the signs.

Perhaps the lure of bathing with him wasn’t strong enough, and he found he was actually insulted by it.

If the woman would rather play with cards than with him, then it was a fine marriage he’d agreed to.

He was going to have to do something about her attitude.

Servants came and went with buckets of hot water, filling up a big, dented copper tub.

When the servants vacated the chamber and Sully was about to get into the water, he looked up to see Justine standing in the doorway, wrapped from head to toe in one of those sheer dark sheets she liked to wear.

He’d seen her wearing them before, with nothing underneath.

But now, her appearance in such a garment was a little different for him.

The body beneath now belonged to him. In fact, it was rather arousing.

He could see her small, big-nippled breasts beneath the fabric and the dark triangle of curls between her legs. Her naked body beneath the fabric drew his lusty stare.

“So you have changed your mind?” he asked, already feeling himself growing hard. “You are most welcome to join me.”

With an embarrassed grin, Justine came into the chamber, her eyes never leaving his.

She walked right up to him, standing still as he reached out to pull the sheer fabric off of her, revealing her naked body beneath.

When Sully wrapped his arms around her and bent over, sinking his teeth into her tender shoulder, Justine forgot all about the cards.

Whatever troubles her sister had, for the moment, were going to have to wait.