Page 43 of Knight of Chaos
“Ingrid…”
She yanked away from him. “Do not touch me.”
“What have I done wrong?”
She threw up her hands. “Why not ask Lady Eden or any of the other women who have been all but throwing themselves at you this night?”
“’Tis not fair that you judge me for the actions of others. I have done nothing to earn your anger nor did I have any intentions to accept what those women offered,” he fumed, running his hand through his hair.
“They are more than willing to have you in their bed. Feel free to take any one of them for all I care!” she yelled out.
“Your behavior is childlike, and your accusations have no merit. I have given you no cause to think that I am attracted to any other woman but you,” he said whilst he attempted to take hold of her yet again. Instead, she distanced herself by climbing up another two steps.
“You must be bedding one of them for you are surely not taking me each night!” she cried before running up the rest of the stairs.
Theobald began following her as she fled to their room. He attempted to open the door, but she had slid the bolt into place. Banging his fists on the wooden portal only earned him a sore hand and after several attempts, he finally gave up. Lady Eden may have had a ploy to bring the two of them together, but it had had the opposite effect. The wedge between Theobald and Ingrid had now widened and he had no idea how he was going to pull them back together.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Lost… Ingrid wascompletely lost and alone. The friendships that she had started to form with the Empress’s other ladies in waiting had deteriorated as the women continued to rush to Theobald’s side whenever he entered the room. Ingrid did not understand their sudden fascination with the man who was now her husband but the sly looks they tossed in her direction spoke volumes.Either claim him yourself or they would gladly take your place.
Her sour mood kept her from thinking rationally. She knew she was being unfair to Theobald and yet she could not stop the jealousy that coursed through her veins as though they were on fire. She could halt the situation at any time by having a simple conversation with the man. But barring him from their bedchamber that first night had only caused the rift between them to become as large as the ocean was wide, and she no longer knew how to cross it. She could not stop the way her emotions ran amok inside her head any more than she could simply walk across the room to her husband’s side.
Ingrid gave a heavy sigh and took a sip of her wine. Should not Theobald be attempting to make the first move? After all, he was the one prancing around with women dangling from his arms. His sudden laughter from across the room pushed Ingrid’s anger nearly to the point of erupting.
“You must know he only wishes to be with you, my lady,” a man’s voice intruded into her muddled thoughts.
Ingrid set her chalice down and turned to stare into Reynard’s face. He was striking with his dark brown hair that boarded on black, but ’twas those steel-grey eyes that would one day be some woman’s downfall.
“He has a funny way of showing it,” Ingrid huffed.
“Those women do not have any hold of his heart, Ingrid. I may call you by your first name, may I not? We are family after all…” Reynard asked with a slight smile.
Ingrid nodded her head. Whether or not their marriage could be salvaged remained to be seen but annulling their union would be hard to do. The Empress expected them to leave soon for Calbridge but traveling there with Theobald suddenly felt as though ’twould never happen. Unless she could get over these confusing emotions, they would never stand a chance of making a go of it. Perchance the situation was as hopeless as Ingrid was feeling. Mayhap her heart would never be able to get over his betrayal.
“God’s Bones!You are in love with him,” Reynard whispered whilst reaching for his own cup to gulp down the contents.
“’Tisthatobvious?” she asked praying that the tears she was attempting to hold back would not somehow cascade down her cheeks to embarrass her.
“Aye! Why, then, are you allowing those malicious women to fawn all over my brother?”
“Free will?”
Reynard harrumphed. “To hell with free will. If you but care to look close enough, my brother is miserable. He wants nothing to do with any of them.”
“His laughter suggests otherwise,” Ingrid said, shrugging. “He has only to make his way to me. A show of good faith.”
“The last time he tried, you barred him from your bedchamber. Did you expect him to break down the door in the keep?” he asked with a frown.
She stole another look at her husband before turning her tormented eyes to her brother-in-law. “He told you?” she whispered in shock. Clearly, Reynard was upset with her, but Ingrid felt that anger should be turned to his brother.
“Aye, after several tankards of ale to drown his sorrows. But I will not say more. ’Tis not my place, and I have revealed more than I should have. I only wished to speak my mind. ’Tis clear the two of you belong together. The only question that remains is which one of you will let your guard down long enough to let the other back into your life.”
“I do not know if I can trust him,” she said quietly knowing her emotions were too raw to make any decision where Theobald was concerned.
Reynard cursed beneath his breath. “I have never met two people who were more suited for one another while also being too stubborn for their own good.”
He pushed his chair back and left her to her own solitude. Alone again with her thoughts, she was able to reach only one conclusion. She needed to leave Gloucester and soon. Yet how could she escape without Theobald’s knowledge? And more importantly where would she go? Technically, Calbridge now belonged to her husband. She would only be his chattel and nothing more. Once she provided him with an heir, would she perchance be sent away to some unknown destination whilst he reaped the benefits of being the lord of the keep? Ingrid had heard tales whilst at court that this was sometimes the way of the nobility. She shuddered at the thought.
