Page 230 of Historical Hotties
“Lady, I apologize if you do not find me to your liking,” he said. “I am sorry if you do not find me attractive or appealing, but railing against the king’s wishes is not going to change things, so I suggest you find one thing about me that you find tolerable and focus on it. Mayhap it will make this marriage easier for you to swallow.”
She scowled, her mouth popping open. “Don’t you dare turn this on me,” she said. “You are the one who cannot stand the sight of me.”
His brow furrowed. “Who told you that?”
“It’s obvious in everything about you!”
He shook his head slowly. “I do not know what you think is obvious, but my lack of interest in you isn’t one of them,” he said. “You are quite beautiful. I’ve never seen finer.”
That stopped Caledonia in her tracks. Her scowling expression moved to one of surprise. “You think so?” she said with shock.
“I think so.”
All of the rage and irritation in her manner abruptly stopped. It was like throwing water on a fire. She stood there, dumbfounded, as she pondered his words.
“But… but you think I do not find anything attractive or appealing aboutyou?” she finally said.
“That is clear.”
“It isnotclear,” she said. “I thought you did not find me attractive.”
“And I thought you did not findmeattractive.”
She rolled her eyes. “God’s Bones,” she said, snorting. “In case you do not yet realize this, which I suspect you do, your name also describes you. Youlooklike a god. Men like you are not real, Blue Eyes.”
She’d called himBlue Eyesmore than once. A smile tugged at his lips. “I’m real enough, I promise.”
Caledonia looked him over for a moment.Reallylooked him over. Then she shook her head as if bewildered by the entire situation. “I just spent the past several hours in Gomorrah watching a young man dance for me,” she said. “He was muscular and oiled and quite enticing. But he cannot hold a candle to you. If you were to work at Gomorrah and dance for the wealthy women who come there, you would make a fortune.”
Thor did the unexpected then. He burst out laughing, and the sound echoed off the stone walls of the hall in a chorus of resounding booms. His laughing was so infectious that Caledonia ended up grinning at him. That stalwart, serious knight had the most unrestrained laugh she’d ever seen.
“What is so humorous?” she demanded, but it was lightly done. “I am serious. You would be richer than Midas. Rich women pay a good deal to get a look at men like you.”
Thor had to wipe the tears from his eyes. “Christ,” he muttered. “That is the best thing I’ve heard in a very long time. Me—a dancing boy?”
“Can you dance?”
He started laughing again. “As a dancer, I have five feet and all of them going in the wrong direction,” he said. “Do not count on me to dance, lady. I would fail you miserably.”
“What’s this?” Henry had scurried over to them when he heard the laughter, but there was concern on his face. “What has happened? Thor, why are you laughing?”
Thor was still wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes. “The lady has informed me that I can make more money if I were to become an entertainer at Gomorrah, your grace,” he said. “She said that wealthy women pay a good deal to be entertained by a man like me. Rest assured, I am not considering it.”
Henry was a bit shocked at the lighthearted nature of the conversation. Thor’s laughter had been most unexpected. He looked at the lady, who also seemed to be smiling.
Barely.
“A man like Thor,” he repeated. “You mean… a big man? A knight?”
Caledonia shook her head. “I mean that he is a comely lad,” she said. “Rich women would pay well to be entertained by a man of such beauty.”
Henry’s old face lit up. “Then you do find something redeemable about him?”
Realizing she’d been caught praising the man whom she had been vehemently opposed to, her cheeks flushed and she lowered her gaze. “I have no way of knowing,” she said, trying to sound as if she wasn’t in awe of him. “I wonder if his character is as handsome as his appearance. If he is your Lord Protector, then I hope he would be a fair and just man.”
“Thor?” Henry said, incredulous. “Lady de Tosni, there are few men in England who are as fair and just as he is. But you shall find that out for yourself, very soon. I have summoned a priest and you shall be married before the day is through. Then you will have plenty of time to come to know him.”
Caledonia’s eyes widened as she looked at the king. He seemed happy about it, as he should, because he was having his way in all things. Then she looked at Thor, who had stopped laughing and now had an impassive expression on his face. She couldn’t tell if he was pleased with it one way or the other.Speechless, she simply sat down and turned away from them both. The decision had been made and the battle was over.
