“If you do not want me to bring thousands of Welsh to burn you out of Wybren, then you will release her,” he snarled.
“Nay.”
“Then I demand to speak with her!”
Kevin looked at the man, thinking that he was ridiculous and undisciplined. He let his anger dictate his actions, but he had to take him somewhat seriously because of his link to Phylip ap Bedo. He could just see Aeron telling Phylip how horrible and cruel the English were.
He had to tread carefully.
He looked over his shoulder at Gareth.
“Find the lady,” he said quietly. “Tell her what is happening so she is prepared, but bring her here to speak with this idiot.”
Gareth nodded shortly and rushed off as Sean and Alexander came forward. Kevin turned to them, huddling in quiet conference.
“You are sending for the lady?” Sean muttered.
Kevin nodded. “I believe it is necessary,” he said. “You see Aeron. He will not take my word for it. She is going to have to tell him herself.”
“But will she?” Alexander murmured. “Kevin, you are taking a great risk. If she tells the man she’s being held against her will, then you will be in a bind.”
Kevin knew that. “I know,” he said honestly. “But I am hoping she will send him away. It will be better coming from her. If she can discourage him, then mayhap I will not have to worry about ap Bedo.”
“Something tells me that you are going to have to deal with him, anyway,” Alexander said. “I have a feeling Aeron will not care what the lady says. The man wants what he wants.”
“Not this time,” Kevin said. “I am willing to put some faith in the lady, for I think you will agree that I have little choice.”
That was very true, so Sean and Alexander backed away, keeping a vigilant eye on Aeron and Glynn as they stood near the portcullis. Kevin was trying to get through this encounter with no violence, which was commendable, but much depended on a woman he was fond of but, in truth, didn’t really know.
They secretly wondered if she was going to turn on Kevin.
They waited.
Kevin knew when Juliandra had been sighted because Aeron, who had been standing near the portcullis with his arms folded across his chest, suddenly started bobbing his head around, as if he saw something coming from the inner bailey.
Kevin turned around to see Juliandra and Gareth approaching. She was wearing the same pretty dark blue woolen dress she had been wearing in the great hall earlier, but she had a kerchief around her head now, with a long braid draping over one shoulder, which told Kevin she had been in the kitchens. Not only did she supervise operations, but she liked to help on occasion, too. As she drew closer, he could see flour on her sleeves. He held out a hand to her and, hesitantly, she came to him.
Her big, frightened eyes were upturned to him.
“Gareth told me that Aeron is demanding to speak with me,” she said quietly. “What do you want me to say to him?”
Kevin looked at her for a moment, more than one answer rolling through his head. He could have sent Aeron away and not involved Juliandra, but if he did that, he knew that Aeron would be back, probably worse than before. He wanted Aeron to hear from Juliandra’s own lips that she wanted nothing to do with him, but Kevin had a feeling that wasn’t going to matter to Aeron. He would keep coming back until he either broke Juliandra down or until she married someone else.
… married someone else?
Last night in the great hall, Kevin had brought up marriage. He had been drunk and he was well aware of the fact, but that did not lessen the truth that was in his heart. There was an old saying that spoke of wine being the catalyst for truth, and last night that had been the case, only it had been that strong pear cider that had burned holes in his stomach and given him a tremendous headache this morning.
It had also loosened his tongue beyond measure.
Kevin realized, as he looked at her, that he had been serious when discussing marriage with her. Oh, he had passed it off as conversation. He could have used the fact that the pear cider had gone to his head as an excuse, but it really wasn’t an excuse. He’d simply been testing the waters to see what she thought of a marriage to him and he had seen the light of hope in her eyes as he’d spoken of it. He knew he had. Even if her words had told him otherwise, her expression had told him that she was agreeable.
He was about to put that belief to the test.
He felt as if his whole life hinged on what would come next.
“Aeron has come to hear from your own lips that you do not wish to marry him and that you are not his woman,” he said after a moment. “Will you tell him that?”
Her gaze drifted to Aeron, now hanging on the portcullis, pressing his face between the slats to get a better look at her.
“Aye,” she said grimly. “I will carve it into his chest if I must.”
The corner of Kevin’s mouth twitched. “I will happily do it for you,” he said. “But it has occurred to me that you may have to do… more.”
“What do you mean?”
“I believe the man will never leave you alone as long as you are unmarried.”
She faltered, confused. “But I am unmarried.”
“I know,” Kevin said patiently. “But would you be willing to tell him that you are betrothed?”
Over near the portcullis, Aeron suddenly shouted her name, demanding she come to him. Juliandra shuddered with disgust.
“I could,” she said. “But I am not betrothed to anyone and he knows it.”
“You could be betrothed to me.”
Her eyes widened. “A lie to be rid of him?”
“It could be the truth. If you agree to it, of course.”
Aeron was making more demands, distracting her, when she was trying desperately to understand what Kevin was telling her.
“The truth?” she repeated. “I do not…”
Kevin cut her off. “Marry me, Juliandra,” he murmured. “I asked you last night. I am asking you again today. I want you to become my wife not because of Aeron and not because I wish to establish any links to the Welsh, but simply because I feel… I want to marry you. Ever since you forced me to be your maid and truss up your dress, I have felt that my place in life is with you. Will you at least not consider it?”
Her mouth popped open in surprise and even as Aeron screamed at her, all she could hear or see was Kevin. The blood rushed to her head, a delightful rush, causing her to feel lightheaded.
She could hardly believe her ears.
“Are you completely serious?” she managed to whisper. “I told you that my father would not…”
He cut her off quietly. “Do not worry about your father,” he said, taking her by the arm and turning her towards the portcullis. “If you wish to tell Aeron you are betrothed, it would not be a lie. I am asking. It would be my greatest honor, Juliandra.”
Suddenly, she was facing the gatehouse and Kevin gave her an encouraging push towards it. She took a few halting steps, processing what Kevin had proposed.
Marriage.
She was stunned.
“Juliandra!” Aeron was practically rattling the portcullis as she came near. “My dearest, are you well? Have the brutes ravaged you?”
Juliandra made it to within several feet of the portcullis and came to a halt. “Aeron,” she scolded. “Why did you come here? You have no right to be here.”