Love Before Honor by Nicole Zoltack

Author:Nicole Zoltack [Zoltack, Nicole]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Clean Reads
Published: 2014-10-13T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Watching Vanessa chase after Lydia and Xavier had the food Gerald had just eaten agitating in his stomach. Would Lydia share his secrets? He hoped not. While he did not specifically mind if Vanessa knew, he wished to be the one to discuss his past…or the past that might have been.

How strange to learn how his life could have played out. Here, everything seemed rather tranquil. There seemed to be no fear of raiders or other threats. This peace he did not suspect was merely the result of the impending holiday. Had some of the chaos from his time resulted in the harmony of today?

Still refusing to think of her, he managed to recognize that a nagging sense of responsibility had plagued him. His knightly duty had demanded he serve his king, to honor his wishes that Gerald serve as a shield in the Crusades, but that desire had been suppressed and replaced with another one.

William had been so engrossed talking to Duke Honcaster—more accurately, the two were talking over each other—that when he glanced across the table and saw Vanessa's empty seat, he blinked in surprise, jaw lowered. "Where…"

Gerald covered his mouth to hide his smirk.

"Sometimes you have to give a lady some time," the duchess said quietly. She fiddled with her fork, not quite looking at William.

Did Vanessa have an ally in her mother? It was obvious for all to see that her father wished for the match, just as Vanessa had made it quite plain she wanted nothing to do with the man. While Gerald had at first tried to keep neutral in the affair, he could not blame Vanessa for her feelings. He did not care for the man, and if he were her, he would do all he could to avoid him, even do anything to make certain a marriage to him was an impossibility.

But how far would she be willing to go? Gerald could never believe she would do such a thing as William had so repulsively suggested. Vanessa was every bit the picture of a lady.

Well…if you ignored that she tended to speak first and think later. And if you ignored how intelligent she was when she did think. Not that the other ladies he had conversed with seemed unintelligent, but she was in a class of her own. The blushes she gave only served to prove her innocence. He doubted her lips had ever touched a man's.

His own had touched Alice's several times, but he had done nothing to hinder her honor although he had gotten the feeling she might not have minded. Strange how clearly he saw things now, things he had so easily overlooked before.

William making an excuse and leaving the table broke Gerald away from his thoughts. Also murmuring his departure, Gerald followed him. Worsely, standing by the wall, wrinkled his nose when William passed him. So even the servants did not care for him.

William approached the hallway that led to the bedrooms. At the end was the library, the door of which opened and Lydia walked out.

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