Lovers' Tussle (13 page)

Touching the various combs and brushes on the dresser, she tried to figure out which Aiden used. Finally, she settled on a soft-bristled one and brushed her hair until it shone. With quick, albeit clumsy, untrained motions, she roped the length before turning it into a bun at her nape. Her nipples puckered in the chilly air, hardly protected by the scandalously low-lying décolletage she’d opted for. The frigid water she had used while washing had been a welcoming coolant. She had risen fully sated, yet it had not taken long for the fierce hunger to grow once again. A soft rumble in her belly reminded that she had two hungers that craved appeasement.

The house was large and utterly dominant in its dimensions, but she had no difficulty finding her way to the dining hall. An empty belly could suss out its nourishment even without the aid of keen predator senses. She halted in surprise as she entered the arched, open doorway. A pair of serving girls stood at the ready beside the sideboard, which boasted a freshly prepared fare beneath aromatic steam. Tienna smiled broadly. Aiden must have sensed the moment she had risen and had made provisions. This new connection of intimacy certainly had its benefits.

A footman, neatly dressed in his blue-and-white livery with brass buttons and shoes polished to such a high sheen her reflection bounced off, rushed forward to hold out her chair. But it was not his pristine attire or crisp efficiency that caught her attention. The expression he wore or, she quickly amended, the lack thereof, certainly did. Tienna furtively tossed a glance beneath her lashes and found the same could be said of the serving girls. They also carried out their duties in bringing forward her meal with robust, direct movements. But they were careful to keep their eyes averted.

Tienna frowned at the silver dome before her. The whiff of the delicacies housed within made her mouth water and her belly growl impatiently. Her hand wavered over the covering uncertainly. At home her servants also wisely turned a blind eye to her family’s unorthodox tastes in dining. But here, amongst strangers, she was uneasy. In fact, it was downright disconcerting.

An amused voice drifting in from the doorway aided her hesitation. “Is the fare not to your liking?”

Tienna smiled as Aiden strolled to the head of the table and seated himself. “I am sure it is lovely.”

Aiden studied her for a moment and was thankfully intuitive enough to guess her discomfort. With a single clap, the hovering servants were dismissed. His smile was gentle. “I want you to be comfortable in our home.”

The word
our
had a delightful ring to it. But before she could fully savor the statement or even tear into the slightly cooked, almost raw meat on her plate, another interruption arrived.

“Ah. So like the lofty high breeds.” Roth gave her a wicked wink and sat opposite her. His voice lowered seductively. “But do you not prefer the flesh of game freshly caught, the thrill of the hunt, the exhilaration of the catch?”

Tienna picked up her silverware, too starved beyond politeness to entertain this argument. The first taste of the red meat sent a shudder of anticipation through her. She managed to ignore both the gluttonous rebellion within her and the tension between the brothers as she ate the reddened meat as daintily as a ravenous bear cub.
Well, one holding a fork and knife, at least.

She had hoped that after the night they had spent they could reach an amicable understanding. But the first words out of Roth’s mouth had sent her bubbling of happiness fleeing along with the urgent edge of her appetite. Did they simply plan on beginning their rivalry where they’d left off before bedding her? She gave Roth a pointed look as he continued to stare at her, obviously expecting a response to his question. She took the middle ground easily enough since it was nothing less than the truth. “I do on occasion enjoy the thrill of a hunt. It is, after all, a required and rather frequent sport held by my pack in order to keep our skills sharpened.” Just as Roth was about to bestow a smirk in his brother’s direction, she quickly included, “Just as I also appreciate the fare provided on proper glassware in a grand dining hall with
civilized
company.” She bit out the last words as she speared her beef and Roth with her knife and her glance, respectively.

But Roth appeared to be in a needling mood. “But surely after a spirited night such as we have shared, the only course in eradicating or even perhaps rekindling the anticipation would be an adventurous chase through the woods.”

Aiden bristled visibly. “Desist, man. You are in the company of a lady. Feel free, however, to remove yourself from present company in order to search out your own sustenance, according to your preference of course.”

Roth growled. He tossed a disdainful snort Aiden’s way. “Why do you not dine here while Tienna and I hunt down fresh game? Mayhap if you prove to be a well-behaved little gentleman, we shall bring you a piece of our leftovers.”

Apparently not easily baited, Aiden retorted easily, “The better course of action would be that the genteel folk dine at the table and the beasts retire to the outdoors like the rest of the wild animals.”

“And if indeed you truly believe that”—Roth gestured at the laid table vaguely—“this is common practice, then why ever do you not share your menu with polite society at large?”

“Because I am not barbaric.”

“Because you are ashamed. You cowardly conceal a heritage that is higher ranking than mere human heritage.”

Tienna threw her distressingly unused utensils down. The sharp clatter of sliver against glass got her the satisfactory silence she needed. “I am tired of this immature bickering. For heaven’s sake, you have compared the sizes and plying of your cocks, now please advance to the next stage and proceed with your pissing contest. I, for one, do not really care to hear about the outcome, but mayhap we could twist Her Majesty into pinning an honorary medal to the lapel of the victor.” Personally she could think of a place far better suited to such a pinning. A well-aimed, sharp prick would do both these overinflated cocks a world of good.

Their stupefied expressions were tremendously enjoyable. These men needed to be reminded about the bond of brethren. Brothers simply did not go about as they did. And the sooner she saw to their education, the better. But as in everything else certain things took precedence. She picked up her fork, once again fully intending to fill her belly. But this was not a night meant for her feasting. A loud scuffle echoed through the hallway, and Tienna could only gape at this new disturbance. The large intruder bellowed his greeting as he dragged who she supposed were the butler and a footman into the room after him.

Aiden sprang up. “Let my staff go.”

Tienna gulped down her fear as she rose more slowly. “Father.”

A deep growl laced Christian’s words. “It is your staff who should let go.”

Tienna would have found amusement in the situation, a tiny bald man and a slender youth trying to hold back her enormous father, but she was simply too stunned. The giant simply shook them off like flies before he latched onto her arm. Tienna winced against the pain that laced up and past her shoulder. “Father, please, you are overreacting.”

Roth lurched up, upturning his chair in the process. A blast of dark fury lashed at her, and she knew he had detected her pain. Aiden likewise stalked his prey that now held her captive, but he came around the opposite side of the wide oak.
Fools!
They were all a bunch of ignorant lack wits seeking to soothe their own ruffled feathers and scatter each other’s. Did it occur to them that they possessed mouths capable of speech beyond growls?
Of course not. They are men.

The Duke of Sterling did not take threat lightly. His voice was thunderous. “You two pups had better have a whole army at your back because I shall tear you to pieces within seconds.” Tienna sensed him roll his neck and shoulders behind her in preparation for the battle ahead. “My daughter has been compromised, and I will have the man responsible.”

“It was I,” Aiden and Roth’s deep baritones rang out in unison.

Tienna rolled her eyes as they now redirected their aggression at each other, eyeing the opponent across the large table. “There is a more polite way to settle this.”

“Indeed there should be.” Her father’s breath displaced her hair. But as hot as that hiss of air was, it sent a chill down her spine. “Seeing as you have failed to see this situation settled by merit of their beasts, I find it incumbent that I step in.”

There was nothing else to be done. It was time to reveal the big secret. With a brilliant smile, she turned on her father. “I do not believe there is need for such drastic action, Father. You see, they are brothers.”

Startled gasps greeted her revelation. Roth was the first to recover. “That’s not true.”

Tienna tittered softly. “Of course it is. I heard Aiden grieve for his brother after you’d fallen. As you are brothers I am sure we can come to some compromise.” She fully intended for that compromise to allow her to have her way. She turned once again to her father who seemed to be inspecting the brothers closely, obviously seeking similarities. Indeed, they were very different individuals. “Now then. Let us have a cup of tea and begin this discussion in this new vein.”

She was rather proud of the progress she was making, but Aiden quickly dispelled her newfound hope as he muttered, “Actually, it is quite easy to remedy.” Aiden edged forward a step, ignoring his brother’s warning growl. “It is I who holds the honor of breaching her maidenhood first, so in truth she was compromised by my hand.”

“Or your cock
,” she chastised him within his mind.
“Would you have your brother felled by your greedy hand a second time?”

He flushed, and Tienna sighed internally. These brothers had so much to learn. They wanted each other defeated, but neither would accept sibling blood on their hands.

Christian, unaware of their mental communication, acquiesced. “I see the idea of brotherly sharing does not appeal. I propose, in essence, a similarly acceptable solution.”

Tienna grimaced. Having the decision taken from her the second time did not differ greatly from the first. It infuriated her. “I will not have you dictate over me, Father.”

“Hush, daughter. Now as I was saying before being interrupted, seeing as one will not simply kill the other in beastly combat and have this scandal quickly laid to bed, I declare that we shall do this the civilized way, as men.”

The chill that had run down her back now somehow invaded her belly. Tienna shivered in dark premonition as her father continued.

“According to the dictates of society, Tienna being daughter to a duke, shall have the man who possesses the higher status.” A large hand shot out above her shoulder, bearing an imperial, pointing finger like Zeus. He aimed a damning trident, issuing his thunderbolt. “You are a marquis. Have the banns posted.”

Tienna stared at Aiden. She could see his indecision in his twisted features. At least she was right with regards to one thing. No matter their fierce rivalry, they would not intentionally hurt each other.

What she did not expect, however, was his next statement. “I am not the true marquis.”

Roth looked like he was about to lunge over the table, straight for his brother’s jugular. “Of course he is. Look at him all fine, fragile bones, and proper decorum, why he is pure butter beneath that extravagant apparel.”

Tienna’s eyes swiveled back to Aiden as he burst out stubbornly, “He is the born marquis. I am a simple imposter.”

Impersonating a gentleman was a dreadful crime. Why would Aiden place himself in that situation? Was he trying to save his brother, or was he being truly honest?
“Roth?”
she called out to him desperately.

Roth instead chose to address her father. “Aiden need not sacrifice himself on my behalf. Ask any who knows me. I am a commoner.”

In a lowered voice, Aiden countered from across the table. “I have never before met a man more proud of that title.”

That was when Tienna simply knew. The truth was like a splash of freezing water across her face as she inhaled sharply. There was logic in this chaos. There was system to Roth’s rebellion. He lashed out at the
ton
because his dark character was not a part of them. But the very blood flowing through his veins stamped him as just that. He was born into his trap, and like any prisoner he lashed out at his bindings. Society was his bound. He was a gentleman. And now he would face death for his disparagement.

Tienna watched as Aiden slumped. He had been very courageous. She had been wise in not giving up hope. Their bond must be strong indeed for such an act of bravery. But should her father believe him, the truth, Aiden himself would be placed in peril. Indecision waged a raging war within her. Honesty was not such an easy course to follow when the truth had the power to hurt, to kill. But perfidy held equal power in this case. They were damned either way.

Her father, not knowing the men as well as she did, apparently chose to believe what he saw at face value. Aiden looked for all the world the dapper, polished nobleman. Roth appeared the dangerous, disheveled peasant. She trembled as the strong voice called out his decision. “It is settled, then. To the gentleman, the spoils, and the common man…”