Forbidden: Claude (Second in Command #2)(40)

“Claude, please.” Evelina reached out and grabbed his arm and he spun around on his heel, feeling angrier than hell.

“Why, Lady Evelina?” he asked. “So you can make a fool of me once again? Why didn’t you tell me who you were and that you were already promised to another man before we made love?”

“I tried to, but you didn’t give me a chance.”

“You had more than enough chances, but yet you continued to lie. I gave my heart to you, but you thrust a dagger right through it.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Claude.” Tears formed in her eyes.

“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you, but I let down my guard. That is what I get for making the mistake of falling in love.”

“I love you, Claude.”

“God’s eyes, Evelina, stop already.” He threw his hands up into the air. “I bent down on one knee in front of everyone and asked you to marry me although I thought you were only a merchant’s daughter pretending to be a maidservant.”

“I wanted to tell you, but Rose was dying. Please, you need to believe me that I never meant to make a fool of you.”

He ignored her pleas and shook his head. His top lip curled up as he said his next words. “I took your innocence. Now, I might go to war over it. I am an honorable man and would never take another man’s bride.”

“You don’t understand. I don’t want to marry Lord Onfroi. He is evil and hurts women. I love you and want to marry you.”

“We can’t be married, Evelina. You are betrothed to another man. So, once again, you are forbidden to me.”

“I’ll ask my father to break the betrothal. I’ll tell him it is you I love and no one else.”

“I am disappointed in you,” he told her. “I truly loved you, and now you’ve broken my heart.”

“I didn’t break your heart. Everything I said about loving you is true.”

“How can I believe you? You have done nothing but lie to me since the day I met you. Even if we did marry, how could I trust that you wouldn’t tire of me and go looking for another husband instead?”

“I would never do that, Claude.” The tears ran down her cheeks. He longed to reach out and comfort her and wipe her tears away, but he couldn’t. She belonged to another man. He had no right to love her. Once again, he had fallen into a trap and found himself in a situation with a forbidden love.

“Go to your betrothed, Evelina. You belong to him, not me.” Claude turned and quit the keep, heading for the stable to take a ride alone to clear his very confused mind.



“Evelina,” said Celestine, coming up to her side. “I saw Claude leave. Is anything wrong?”

“It is,” she told Claude’s mother. “I have done something very foolish. I am afraid I have hurt Claude deeply. I am a lady, but I didn’t tell him. I left France because I didn’t want to be betrothed to a man my father chose.”

“You need to talk to Claude.”

“I did. He doesn’t want to listen. He thinks I purposely betrayed him just to hurt him, but I didn’t. I love him. He asked me to marry him earlier, but now he wants nothing to do with me.”

“Claude asked you to marry him?” Celestine seemed surprised and pleased.

“I never even had a chance to give him my answer. Now it is too late. Oh, Lady Celestine, what am I going to do?”

“The first thing you need to do is to confront your father and your betrothed.”

“I’m frightened,” said Evelina.

“We’ll go with ye to talk to them.” Lady Isobel and Lord Conlin walked hand in hand down the corridor toward her.

“Come, Lady Evelina,” said Celestine. “Face your fears the way you taught Rose and Claude to face theirs. Everything will work out in the end.”

“Did you have a vision?” asked Evelina hopefully.

“I did not. However, I know what a strong woman you are and that you would never give up on love and a man you believed in, would you?”

“Nay, I won’t give up on Claude,” said Evelina. Holding her head high, she entered the great hall behind Lady Isobel and Lord Conlin.

“Evelina, thank God I found you.” Her father, the Count of Tarbes, rushed forward with Lord Onfroi right behind him.

“Father,” she said, swallowing forcefully, wishing Claude were at her side to help her through this. “How did you find me?”

“The mercenary returned and told us that you paid him to escort you to England,” said Onfroi. “Why in God’s name would you do that?”

“Aye,” said her father. “And why are you wearing a gown covered in mud?”

“Augustin told us you were posing as a servant,” added Onfroi. “Are you daft? I should take you across my knee for even playing such a game.”

Evelina shuddered, knowing Lord Onfroi would have no qualms with hitting her.

“Pack your things, Daughter, we are heading back to France at once,” said the count.

“Count du Pont,” said Conlin, stepping forward. “It is a shame you have to leave so soon. I would like to show you the docks and, perhaps, talk about a trade since you’ve come all the way from France.”

“What kind of trade?” Onfroi broke in. “You are a Baron of the Cinque Ports, aren’t you?”