Page 236 of Historical Hotties
He wanted to bargain, did he? If she had him on her side, the king might forget this scheme, indeed. Surely the king couldn’t force two people to marry who vehemently opposed the union. Perhaps they could put up such a fight that the king would grow weary and move on. But if he didn’t, Caledonia needed Thor on her side.
Running from him hadn’t worked.
Perhaps gambling with him would.
“Very well,” she said after a moment. “I am listening. What do you propose?”
He pointed to the cups in front of her. “That we drink together.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Is thatall?”
He shook his head. “It is not all,” he said. “We will ask the servants to bring the strongest drink they have and pour it intocups. We will each have one. You will ask me a question, any question at all, and if I answer it, you must take a drink. If I refuse, then I must take a drink. We will do this until only one of us left standing and whoever is left wins the wager. If you win, I will fight with you against this marriage.”
Caledonia was much more interested in this than anything he’d said since they’d first met. “And if you win?”
“Then we marry immediately.”
She puffed out her cheeks, blowing out a long breath as she considered his proposal. In truth, it wasn’t unfair. It was actuallyquitefair. It would be a decisive victory for one of them, and only because she could drink most men under the table was she considering it. He didn’t know she had a great tolerance for wine and ale.
He was playing right into her hands.
She was so confident that she could hardly keep the smile off her face.
“Very well,” she said. “I accept.”
“Good.”
“And you give me your word that you will hold up your end of the bargain?”
“You have my oath, lady. There is no stronger vow than that.”
It was evident from her expression that she believed him. Not that she had a choice, but she was willing to go on a little faith if it would get her out of this predicament. With that in mind, she turned around and shouted like a barmaid to summon a servant. Thor had never heard anything like it, this ethereal creature shouting like a common fishwife. As he fought off a grin, the older woman whom he’d chased from the table appeared and Caledonia ordered something calledgorzalka. He’d never heard of it. As the older woman nodded and turned to leave, Thor stood up.
“I will see to this drink to ensure she does not put anything in it to poison me,” he said. “What is it that you have asked for?”
Caledonia watched him as he moved toward the older woman, who happened to be Lady Lupa. “It comes from far to the east,” she said. “It is the strongest drink I’ve ever known, but smooth. You do not know how strong it is until you’ve had too much and you cannot get up from the floor.”
He simply nodded, his gaze lingering on her for a moment, perhaps suspiciously, before he motioned the older woman on her way.
He followed.
Once Caledonia was left alone, she thought about running again. It was her first instinct. But she’d given her word that she’d wager with him, and if she did, she’d get him off her back forever. That was the deal. She was willing to see it through to be done with this betrothal nonsense once and for all.
Finished.
Oddly, there was a small part of her that was disappointed. Thor de Reyne was quite handsome to look at, young and enormously strong. Far more handsome than Robert had been. Thor would be a husband any woman would be proud of. But here she was, eager to get rid of him because she didn’t want to marry again. Ever. And she knew, as she lived and breathed, that it was a stupid stance.
Did she really want to be alone for the rest of her life?
That was the reality of it. She was fighting to be alone when the truth was that she was a valuable commodity as a widowed heiress. Thor said that if he won, they would marry immediately. She was certain that was out of greed to claim the title and not some misplaced desire to marry her, personally. She had nothing to do with it.
Only ambition.
He only wanted what she had.
With that lingering thought, she waited. Thor returned shortly with Lady Lupa, who was carrying a tray with a large pitcher and two cups on it. Thor indicated for the woman to set the tray down on the table between him and the lady.
“I had her pour it out of a bottle I opened myself,” he told Caledonia as he sat down. “The wine is pure enough. I even made her take a drink, which seemed to make her eyes water. If she isn’t dropping dead, then it must be fit for our purposes.”
