Page 41 of Company of Thieves
Etienne smirked. “What an excellent idea. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen a good flogging.”
I stiffened, but Alan’s warning hand on my leg kept me silent despite the need to tell the annoying, slimy, overbearing ass what he could do with his attitude. The urge to ask Etienne how his broken nose was doing was almost as strong, but I kept Alan’s need for peace uppermost in my mind.
“I will not do anything so heinous,” Alan said in a voice that was smooth and unemotional, but I wasn’t fooled. “She did not mock you; she simply responded to your outrageous comments, as you knew she would.” He leveled his father a long look. “In the future, if you wish to goad me, I would prefer you do it directly, rather than going through Hallie.”
The imperator grunted and, to my relief, turned his attention to Etienne.
“Ah, I have a bit of news that will interest you, my son,” the imperator said toward the end of the meal, giving Alan a very toothy smile. “I have arranged for a marriage between you and Constanza, the Duchess of Prussia.”
“The hell?”
Everyone looked at me in surprise, and I realized that not only had I shrieked the word, but I was on my feet.
“Uh ... sorry. Something nasty just stung me,” I said, pretending to rub my arm, and quickly retook my seat.
Alan shot me a look before turning back to his father. “I’ve told you in the past that I have no desire for you to arrange a marriage for me, and that continues to be true.”
“Bah,” the imperator said, waving away his objection. “You are my only son. You are not getting younger, and Constanza is young. She will give you many fine sons.”
I took a piece of flatbread, laid it carefully on my plate, and stabbed it with my fork. It felt so good, I stabbed it twice more, and was seriously considering getting my blunted daggers to do a better job of stabbing until Alan, without looking at me, took away my fork.
“Do you think I’m interested in another man’s leavings?” Alan said, his voice full of arrogance. “She was to wed William, but he shunned her on their wedding day. When I marry, it will be to a virtuous woman, not one who was spurned because she was caught in the arms of a guard.”
I wondered if that was true, and looked at Alan with speculation. Just how did he define virtuous?
“You will marry her. I have decreed this. The marriage contracts have been signed.” The obnoxious old man signaled for more wine. “She will meet us in Bohemia, where you will be wed, and then you will control all of Prussia and Bohemia.”
“I have signed no marriage contract,” Alan said calmly. “Any agreement you have made is not with my consent, and I will be sure to tell the duchess that.”
“You will do as you are ordered,” the imperator snapped. “You forget who I am!”
“I have forgotten nothing,” Alan answered, his voice getting a bit ragged around the edges. “I have served you and the interest of your empire my entire life, but about this, I alone will have the final say.”
“You are letting your cock talk for you,” the old man said, glancing at me. “There is no need to give up your woman if you choose not to. You may have her and any others so long as you wed the duchess. Heed me well, Akbar! I will not allow the lands she holds to slip through my fingers.”
I wanted to tell the old coot off—oh, how I wanted to tell him off—but the promise I’d made myself to keep my lips zipped kept me sitting there without saying anything. This was about Alan, and supporting him while he was in a difficult position. So no matter what utter rot his father spewed, I’d sit there and not say a damned thing.
Even if it killed me.
Alan must have read my mind, because he stood up and murmured something about me retiring for the night.
“Are you sure?” I whispered to him when he pulled out my chair. “If you need moral support, I will stay. I want my fork back, and several more pieces of bread, but I’ll stay.”
“This will take half the night,” he said, suddenly looking tired. My heart went out to him, and I wanted nothing so much as to put my arms around him, and kiss him until he forgot his worries, but instead I nodded and, without a word to the others, left the feast.
