The Contract (15 page)

“Callista here, threw herself upon my
mercy
,” he bit out. “She swore to me she would serve in whatever capacity I wanted for as long as I wished. She swore that she would show me she deserved my trust as her sister had not. She managed to stay my hand, and I told her I wanted her here, at the castle, where I could keep an eye on her.” He looked down at me, his voice softening a bit. “Katrina, you had joined me here some months before, and you were always sad, always looking off into space as if your heart had been broken.“I hadn’t ever known he’d realized I existed. I could barely believe it. He’d known how saddened I was by my father’s death and had wanted to help.“I had Callista come to befriend you. You two were of an age, and she’d recently lost a parent as well.” His voice turned harsh. “I told you she was a distant cousin of yours, so her interest in you would seem natural.”

Devlin was looking at Callista. He said in a calm voice, “None of this explains why you are so angry with her now. Has she not been a good friend to Katrina, as you’d hoped? Did she not protect your future wife?”

Max said, “Callista, tell Devlin here what you told my wife on the night before she and I wed.“Callista shook her head, “I cannot remember.” But her eyes said differently.

“I remember. I had come down to see that Katrina was where she ought to be, not making another attempt at running away.  I wanted to tell her I’d guarded the hallway from her room, so she would understand such an attempt would end in failure. But your door was open, so I listened to your advice to her, Callista. You began by warning her she couldn’t challenge me. You told her I was the kind of man who would enjoy breaking her.” His voice let everyone know just how much he disliked that. “You made her so very afraid of me, so dispirited that she was barely cognizant of our wedding the next day.”

Callista swallowed as Devlin turned to look at her. “Why would you do that?”

“I…” her eyes darted to Max. “He scares me. I knew that Katrina wasn’t the obedient woman he expected, and I thought if she understood how dangerous he was, she might walk more carefully.”

Devlin said to Max. “Her method was poor but her motives were pure.”

“Were they?” Max asked. “Was this not a chance to get a bit of revenge on me?”

Callista looked miserable. “I…maybe, my lord. I don’t know.”

“And tell me of the advice you’ve given her for when she and I are together. Tell me how you told her some false story about how I was going to give you to Simon LaBuque.”

I stared at Callie, wanting her to deny this.

She avoided my gaze. “The advice…was wrong, but as I’ve never been married, I only asked others. I think they knew why I asked and lied to me. But Simon—yes, I made that up.” She looked up at Max. “I’d seen you watching her, my lord, and knew you would soon move to become her Consort. It only made sense given the present political situation.”

Now she met my eyes, hers pleading for understanding. “I didn’t want him to have you, Katrina. He killed my father! I thought with your habit of speaking your mind, you would anger him into killing you too. I had to remember that whatever else you were, you were royalty, and I thought…you deserved better than him,” she jerked her head towards Max.

Max gave a harsh laugh.

I felt like my world had again turned upside-down. “Why didn’t you just tell me the truth?” I asked softly.

Callista burst out, “I couldn’t. I lived only at his whim. If I did anything to anger him, he’d promised I’d get the death I should have received for helping my sister to play him false.”

She glanced up at Max. “I never wanted to do that, my lord. But my sister was…difficult when she didn’t get her way.”

Max snorted.

Devlin rose. “I think—”

Max interrupted him. “And yesterday, did you not tell her I would bed other women?“Devlin looked down. 

Callista nodded wearily. “Did I lie, my lord?”

Max suddenly let his arm drop from me and pushed me away to stride up to Callista. “You foul bitch, you’ve done nothing but try to sow discontent between Katrina and myself.”

“Not always,” I said suddenly.Max turned to me, breathing heavily. I made my voice soft, not wanting to push him any further. “My lord, she has not been to me what you had wished her to be. And I understand you feel betrayed by her. And yes, maybe she was overly harsh in her judgment of you. But she has been my friend. She’s supported me, laughed with me, and made the years here bearable—more than that—she made this place my home. She’s been pleased that we have mostly gotten along especially,” I shot an embarrassed glance at Devlin, “at night when we’re together. She might have done the things you accuse her of, but I know she loves me, and I love her like the sister I never had.”

I gestured over to Devlin. “Don’t tell me you two never argue, never disagree?” To Devlin I said, “Do you not feel that occasionally it might be great to just crack him on the head?” Max looked at me, speechless. “But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you, my lord. And just because I get angry, say and do things I probably shouldn’t, it doesn’t mean that I don’t love you as well.”

Devlin said, “Don’t hurt Callista, Max.”

Max drew in a great breath as he stood over Callista. “You must have an angel who watches over you,” he said to her.

Callista said, “My lord?“He turned away from her as if he couldn’t look at her another minute. “Go, Callista. Just leave now before I change my mind.“Callista didn’t wait to be told twice. She rose and barely had time to look at me before she opened the door to flee. Devlin took a step after her, but Max turned. “Don’t, brother. She doesn’t deserve you. And you, well, you deserve someone much better than her.”

Devlin sat back down. “Is that your decision as Regent? Or is that your advice as my brother?“Max looked over at me.

I said helplessly, “Max.” I let him see that I didn’t know how to fix this any more than he did.

“You still want her? After all of this? Why?”

Devlin said slowly, “What did you tell him, Katrina? Did you hold my words as I’d asked?”

I nodded. “He understood, my lord, that I didn’t want your trust in me to be misplaced.”

Devlin said, “Max, Katrina is better than you deserve.”

Max looked over at me. “Perhaps,” he said. “And yet she is mine.” His gaze was intense as our eyes locked.

“It didn’t matter that you frightened me, that you lied to me and that Callista worried you’d kill me. I’m love with you anyway.” I shrugged somewhat helplessly.

“And you believe the same exists between Callista and Devlin?” Max asked, raising one eyebrow.

I looked over at Devlin. “If I may offer a suggestion, my lord,” I said to Max, trying to keep from blurting out what I thought he should do.

His mouth quirked, and he said, “If I said no, would you listen?”

I gave a guilty shrug. “You needn’t do it. I’m not so deluded that I think I can make you do anything. I just want to tell you my thoughts.”

“So tell me, wife.”

“Let Callista stay here. Let her keep her title and her status here. Let Devlin get a chance to know her now that the lies have come out. Perhaps he will chose a different wife. Perhaps he won’t.”

Max looked over at Devlin. “Brother, if you’re willing, I’ll do this. However,” he added in a stern tone, “you must prove to me that you can handle her. I won’t have her sowing discontent between us.” He nodded to me. “If I must worry that she has wrapped you around her finger, Devlin, I will send her away.”

Devlin thought for a moment, then started to smile. As he took in our surprised looks, he began to laugh aloud. His laugh was infectious, and I smiled, wondering what he found so amusing. “All right, Max, I’ll take your challenge.” He nodded to me, “And your wisdom, my lady.” He stood and went to the door. “If I still want her, Max, it will be because you’ve shown me the folly of a passive wife.” He nodded to me and opened the door, still chuckling.

Max sighed and turned to me. “Is he laughing at me?” he asked a little worriedly.

“I think he might be laughing at both of us.” I said, not sure.

Max came to look down at me. “Another nasty surprise. I should have told you last night.”

I shook my head. “No, you were right not to say anything. I doubt I could have managed this yesterday.”

He wrapped his arms around me. “Katrina, I will not lie to you going forward. If I cannot tell you the truth, then I will not tell you anything at all.”

“Thanks, Max.” I said, touched. “That’s…sweet.”

He snorted, looking down at me. “Katrina, I appreciate your love for me, but—”

I knew what he was going to say. I put my mouth to his, kissing him and stopping his words. “I know,” I said. “It’s okay, I understand.“He shook his head as if he doubted I did. He was wrong. I did understand. I had everything Max would or maybe could give. I had to be content with that. I had to.

Chapter Fourteen

DEVLIN

Devlin found Callista in one of the smaller sitting rooms, holding needlework in her lap and not actually working on it.  “My lord!” she said as Devlin limped in, standing up and letting her needlework fall to the floor.

“Go ahead and sit down, Callista,” Devlin said. He went over and leaned against the fireplace. No fire had been lit, and it was cold in the room.

Callista sat down slowly, her luminous eyes on Devlin. “Please, you must understand,” she said softly in a pleading voice that would soften the hardest of hearts. “I never meant to do anything wrong, I swear.“Devlin’s face showed nothing, and this seemed to encourage her. “You’ve always been kind to me, my lord.”

He chuckled. “Yes, I have that. But Callista, you are not who I thought you were, and you’ve managed to work yourself into such a situation with my brother, I’m not at all sure I can help you this time.”

She rose and came over to him, nearly shaking with emotion. “Please, please. You must help me! He hates me because of my sister. If…if you wanted me, would maybe take me as your wife, then he’d have to leave me be.”

Devlin considered her. “Tell me about your sister, Callista.”

Callista seemed confused, as if this was not at all the reply she’d expected. “My sister? She was always so strong-willed. She knew what she wanted and never was afraid to do what needed to be done. She made me help her, I swear. If I hadn’t, she’d have hurt me, never doubt it.”

“Why didn’t you simply tell Max the truth? Was he not your lord?”

Callista let herself fall at Devlin’s feet, tears brightening her eyes. “The Regent is so frightening! How could I tell him that his wife was…seeing other men? He’d have killed me out of rage, I know he would have.”

“So you thought you’d simply help dupe him? Surely that must have required some courage as well.”

Callista wrung her hands. “I’d never even spoken to him. He frightened me so!”

Devlin let out a breath that almost was a laugh. “Callista, if you’re agreeable, we can wed.”

Callista looked as if he’d granted her life, which perhaps he had.

At least she looked grateful until he continued, “If you can tell me why you would want to do that.”

“Why I would want to marry you?” she asked, again looking surprised. At his nod she said, “My lord, you’ve always been kind to me. You don’t get angry, and you treat me like a lady. You’re the Regent’s brother, a powerful man. Any lady would be lucky to have you.”

“And the fact that I’m crippled has no importance?“Callista shook her head. “Why would I care about that?” she asked.

Devlin said, “Callista, go sit down. I have some things to say to you that you might not like. If you still wish to wed after I’ve said them, I’ll tell Max. If not, then you’re on your own with him.”

Tears again sprung to her eyes. “My lord, please!”

Devlin said in a firm voice, “Callie, please. Go sit down.” He gave her an expectant look and waited.

She rose and went back to the chair she’d recently occupied, dropping into it rather heavily.

Devlin said, “You are not the innocent you seem to be, my lady Callista. You speak of your family, and call your sister strong-willed. You say she did what she had to do. I would say the same of you.“Callista started to speak tearfully, but Devlin raised his hand. “No, please, let me finish. You managed to persuade Max to spare your life after he learned of your sister’s activities. That doesn’t happen often. He trusted you enough to put you with Katrina, as well as tell you the truth about her background. While I knew as well, I’m not sure anyone else did. Katrina has a great deal of political power since she is related to royalty, especially if the king claims her as his child. Marrying her gives Max the entire kingdom should he want it.

“And yet, with all this trust you did not put yourself in place as Max’s champion. You lied about Max’s intentions for your betrothal, lied about many things, in fact, and I believe Max when he says you have tried to sow discontent between them. These are not the activities of a frightened little lamb of a lady, which is what you pretend to be.

“If I marry you, know that I do so with my eyes wide open as to your character. And know that I won’t be as easily fooled as Max was. For all his power and brilliance leading and winning battles, he doesn’t understand people nearly as well as I do. He sees them as they act, while I watch much more closely. Understand, Callista, you will not be allowed to continue to cry your way through your bad choices. If you make mistakes, I’ll make sure you stand up and account for them.”

Callista looked completely stupified. Her tears had stopped in her shock.

Devlin said, “So make your choice, my lady, not that there are many good ones open to you. Be my wife and prepare to adjust your behavior accordingly, or take your chances with Max.”

Callista blinked, and the tears started anew. “How can you say these things to me? You know Max will kill me! How can you think I’d try to manipulate you like that?”

Devlin was unmoved. “Oh, and one more thing. Callista, you’ll be honest with me starting right now, or I’m leaving.” His eyes glittered in a way that she recognized. It was frighteningly like Max.

Callista opened her mouth, then abruptly shut it. “My lord, Max
will
kill me.”