Tallie's Knight Part 29

nodded."Liar!" he roared, slamming his fist against the wall.She flinched, and regarded him with huge, wary eyes."You found your mother's grave eight days ago! I saw her grave myself and spoke to the priest about you. Eight days, madam! Eight days! And

what did you do in those eight days, eh?"

She opened her mouth, then shut it again, biting nervously on her lower lip in a manner that drove him wild. He slammed his fist against the wall again and swore.

"Shall I tell you what you did in those eight days--shall I? Youbetrayed me, madam. Betrayed the name you took on the day we were wed.Broke the vows you made before G.o.d and man."

She flinched again."B ... betrayed your name? So... so you know?Carlotta told you? "He snorted."No, to be sure she did not. You women stick together in your deceptions."

"So how-?"

"Do you think I am a fool, madam? I worked it out for myself."

She frowned, puzzled.

"But how could you?"

He snorted again.

"Betrayal is something I have been acquainted with all my life. I

believe I am an expert on it."

"Betrayal... I was worried you might see it in those terms." Shesighed, and sat on the bed."Worried I might see it in those terms?" he repeated incredulously."Pray, how else would I see it?" He paced furiously around the room."I thought... hoped you might be different... only--' " And I hoped.

believed you were different, madam," he said bitterly."But now I see you are just like all the rest.""All the rest of whom?" She stared at him, apparently bewildered.And he had convinced himself she was no actress! Hah!"Well, I hope you learnt your lesson. So, did he weary of your charms after only a week?""Weary of my charms? What charms? Who are you talking about?"Her wide-eyed look of confusion and innocence enraged him. He strode to the bed, grabbed her by the shoulders, yanked her upright and shook

her in fury."That blasted green- eyed Irishman, of course! Do you take me for acomplete fool?" He glared down at her, his rage compounded by theknowledge that he still desired her.

There was a long pause as they stared at each other, then suddenly her

face flooded with dawning comprehension. Her mouth dropped open.

"You think I betrayed you... with that bandit?" she gasped.

"I know it," he responded coldly.

They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment. Abruptly she flung her arms up, breaking his grip on her shoulders. She thrust at his chest--hard--pushing him away, and stepped back, panting, hurt, shock and anger in her eyes.

"You think I betrayed you!" She side-stepped him and marched to the other side of the room. Her hands shaking, she picked up an ornament on the shelf and stared blankly at it for a moment, her mouth working.

Setting the ornament down with a snap, she turned.

"How dare you? Oh, how dare you say such a thing!" Her chest was heaving as she fought to control herself.

"As if I would ever, ever betray you with another man!"

She took several deep, shuddery breaths.

"Oh! I cannot believe you could think such a thing of me!" She began

to pace around the room.

Magnus watched suspiciously. Was this another very good act? It didn't feel like it.

She continued her pacing, then suddenly whirled on him."And with that... that bandit'. Ooh!" she raged."So you deny it?" he said coldly."Deny it? Deny it?" She s.n.a.t.c.hed the ornament off the shelf and hurled it at him. He ducked, and it shattered against the wall behind

him.

"No, I don't deny it--I don't have to deny anything--there is nothing to deny!" she stormed.

"I cannot believe you would even think such a thing."

His eyes narrowed.

"So you did not go to meet that bandit?"

He ducked as another ornament was hurled at his head.

Magnus suddenly felt very uncertain of his ground. He'd never seen her

like this before. He could not believe it was an act. The cold knotthat had lodged in his, chest slowly started to loosen."So where did you get to in those eight days?" he said slowly."None of your business," she snapped.

"It is my business. I am your husband. Where you go concerns me." "Oh, does it indeed? And you wish me to account for every moment, do you? Well, I am sorry to disoblige you, but I will not explain my every movement to a horrid, suspicious beast who believes I am... I am..." She sniffed, and blew her nose defiantly into his handkerchief.

"Well, from now on, if you cannot find me you will just have to a.s.sume I am off cavorting with a lover, preferably some unshaven criminal."

Her voice quivered with hurt and outrage.

Magnus stared at her. He could not bring himself to believe that she was not completely and utterly genuine. She had not betrayed him. No one could be that skilled an actress. Relief swamped him. He took several steps towards her. She s.n.a.t.c.hed another ornament off the shelf and held it up in an unmistakable threat.

"I believe Carlotta's late husband gave that to her on their last wedding anniversary," he murmured mendaciously.

She glanced at it in sudden shock and guiltily bit her lip. Hesitantly she put the ornament down. He took another step towards her and she moved instantly away.

"Don't come near me, Magnus," she warned. She was like a wary woodland creature, mistrustful, poised to run.

Magnus took a deep breath. There was no alternative. He would have to do what he had sworn he would never do. Break the rule of a lifetime.

"I thought... I was--' He dashed his hand through his hair and took another deep breath.

"I was worried about you, and then when I went to that church and found you had been there days before..." He found it hard to meet her eyes and had to force himself to look at her.

"I.

didn't know where you were. I only knew you weren't with me--where you belong. "

He walked over to the window and stood there, fiddling with a fringed curtain. He turned and met her eyes, his face sombre and vulnerable.

"I was... I was jealous. I was wrong. I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Tallie's lip quivered. Her eyes fixed him with painful intensity, searching for the truth in his face.

The moment stretched, interminably. Magnus could hear nothing but the thudding of the heart in his chest and the thin, high cry of some far-off bird soaring on the wind. He had accused her of the vilest conduct. Would she, could she forgive him? Or forget? He thought he might be able to forgive her, in similar circ.u.mstances, but doubted whether he could ever forget. Trust, once shattered, was not easily mended. Who understood that better than he?

"You were jealous?" she whispered at last.

He nodded.

"Oh, Magnus," she cried, and" flung herself into his arms.

Chapter Fifteen.

Q^yyssyQ After a time Magnus woke. The late afternoon sun streamed through the open shutters, spreading golden oblongs of warmth over the walls and the bed. He lay there, savouring the moment. His wife lay warm and relaxed against his chest, her body curled against him like a small, sensuous cat. He reached down and gently lifted one of her hands and examined it. Four smooth ovals, just one slightly ragged end--her little finger. He laid the ragged nail gently against his mouth.

She stirred.

"Magnus?" she said sleepily, and smiled.

"Love you."

Still with her eyes closed she turned her cheek and began planting small sleepy kisses over his chest. Magnus closed his eyes, as if in pain. It all came so easily to her. It was these times when he felt the most vulnerable and uncertain. Bed sports he understood--he was experienced, in control; he knew what to do, how to give pleasure and how to gain it.

But this. this intimacy. when affection simply poured from her, and small clumsy kisses filled him with a piercing sweetness. He felt on the edge of. what? The abyss?

It terrified him, yet filled him with a ravenous hunger.

She'd said it again. I love you, Magnus.

They were only words, he told himself. Women used them all the time.

It seemed to come easily to them, too easily. He recalled the times she'd said it; the first time, when she'd still hardly known him, after their marriage had been consummated.

And though he'd waited for her to say it again every night since, dreading it, but waiting for the words with a hunger that had frightened him, she hadn't.

Not until she'd been about to be taken from him, by that bandit. When he'd been furious, and terrified for her safety. She had whispered it then, as she'd kissed him goodbye. / love you, Magnus.

And now, a third time.

Again, after a quarrel. He still didn't know where she'd been for those eight days. The question burned into him . but he didn't want to ask. He'd become a coward, too, just like his father. But as long as she was here, with him, he could tell himself it didn't matter.

Her hands caressed him and he felt his body stir in response. Yes, he could find oblivion there, sweet oblivion. He rolled over, taking her with him, and raised himself over her pliant body. She smiled and stroked his cheek, then lifted her head and kissed him. He tasted the tender pa.s.sion in her and groaned. She wriggled under him, smiling into his eyes, and thrust her body eagerly against him. Magnus needed no further prompting. He surged into her, and found his sweet oblivion.

"Signer d'Arenville, Signora Thalia, wake up!" Carlotta banged furiously on the door.

Magnus swore.

"Wait, I will be with you in a few moments."

"No, it is urgent, signor, very urgent! Please, signer, open the door!"

Cursing, Magnus threw on a robe, stalked to the door and flung it open.

"What the devil is all this noise about, Carlotta?"

Carlotta glanced past him to where Tallie sat in bed, the downy quilt tucked around her naked body.

"Signor, signora, I am so sorry to disturb you but there is news, terrible news."

Tallie sat up straighter.

"You mean about?"

"No, no, signora. Sorry, but no news about him yet."Magnus frowned. Him?Carlotta continued."No, this is important news just arrived from Torino. I heard it from my--' Magnus held up a hand.