The accidental groom

Chapter 14 The Uncaged Tiger

The Uncaged Tiger

"I am surprised you brought me here all alone to confront me . No one will hear your cries should I decide to punish you . "

"I did not think it fair to involve the servants . " she whispered

"How very noble of you , my dear . You will forgive me if I have trouble believing that any woman capable of drugging her husband , is going to waste time worrying about what the servants might think ." His eyes narrowed "By God , what did they think when they changed the bedding next morning ?"

"I explained to Mary that I had spilled some tea on the bed ".

"In other words I was the only one in the entire household who believed myself to be a brutal rapist? Well that is something at least ."

"I am sorry sir . I truly am . In my defense, I can only point out again that I was really frightened and angry . I had thought we were getting along so well , you see , getting to know one another and then there you were threatening me ."

"The thought of my lovemaking scares you so much ,you would go to any lengths to avoid it ?Damn it Lizzie , you are a full grown woman and you know well why I married you "

"I have explained before , my lord . I am not frightened of the act itself ." she said fiercely. "It is just that I want time to get to know you .I wanted time for us to learn to deal together as husband and wife . I did not wish to be turned into a brood mare for your convenience and then turned out to pasture in the country, you must admit that is all you had in mind when you married me ."

"I admit nothing .As far as I am concerned , you are the one who violated the basic understandings of our marriage . My requirements were simple and few . One of them , if you may recall was that you never lie to me."

"My lord I did not lie to you . Perhaps I misled you , but surely you can see that I -----"

"You lied to me ," he cut in brutally. "And if I had not been wallowing in my own guilt these past two days . I would have realized immediately . The signs were all present . You haven't been able to look me in the eye .If I hadn't assumed that was because you couldn't bear the sight of me .I would have understood at once that you were deceiving me ."

"No!" She was trembling, her eyes glazed with frustration or fear, but he no longer believed her. Or cared. "I didn't—I never—"

"Tell me, Lizzie—when did you decide to deceive me? Or was this your plan all along?" His voice was harsh. So close, his hard features seemed made of stone.

"Of course not!" she cried. "Why can't you understand? I made a mistake!"

"Yes," he hissed. "You did."

Something sparked then, in the dark depths of his gaze—something hot and wild, bitter and lethal.

"I am sorry my lord "

"You are going to be a great deal sorrier , madam , before we are finished. I am not anything like your foolish cousin ,and it is time you learned that fact. I thought you were intelligent enough to realize that from the start, but apparently the lesson must be made plain."

Vibrant ,headstrong Lizzie, it was time she learned he could master her.

Tears were streaming out of her, and Lizzie could hardly see. She pressed a hand over her eyes as if to push the weak tears back. "Oh, let me be, my lord. I am sorry, truly sorry, to have done what I did ..." She shook her head and swallowed. "And now I am punished."

She tried to push past him, but he grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. "You consider this punishment? You deserve a whipping!"

Lizzie pulled against his tight hands. "Let me go! My lord ", she cried in anguish ." We have not yet consummated our marriage , you may seek an annulment if you wish----". His hands came around her waist so swiftly that she stopped mid sentence . He stood for a moment looking up at her with cold fury in his eyes .

That was the last straw. Any control he had over his anger was lost now

He yanked her farther down the graveled path into the dark woods. Turning a corner, he abruptly stopped flinging her roughly before him.

Keeping her feet with difficulty, Lizzie came to rest against the trunk of a large oak . She had her back to it , and watched her husband warily as he paced before her . Wild with rage he passed before her again and again , repeatedly running his hands through her hair .

Anger and hurt , jealousy and fear warred within him . Stopping with his head down , breathing hard, he tried to make sense of his thoughts . He couldn't believe it .First she dared to drug him and then she wanted an annulment ? She was his. He may not love her , but now she belonged to him .And what was his ,he kept .

Focusing on the slim pale figure before him , he advanced slowly , like a stalking tiger .

Lizzie watched him approach with wide eyes as if poised for flight .

She knew what he was going to do in the split second before he did it—and she thought she screamed. She thought she cast him away from her with the force of that scream. But she didn't make a sound. She didn't move at all.

Roughly he pulled her to him; his mouth came down on hers, possessive, merciless. He took his fill, despite her struggles, and when at last he ceased she stood there in his arms, passive, staring up at him, shocked and repelled by his brutality. "It is useless to wish the past away,' he said. 'And I have no intention of letting you go. You are my wife, Lizzie, and, while you remain so, your home is with me. And, to make quite certain you do not forget that, we shall consummate our marriage , here and now." The low vibration of his voice added to her terror. She pleaded with him again, her eyes heavy and bright with tears.

'I'm afraid of you,' she whispered, and for one fleeting moment a softness entered his eyes, only to vanish so suddenly that Lizzie was left wondering if it were a vision created from the strength of her own desperate desire to soften him. 'Alexander, I am really sorry. Please try and understand'

'There's nothing you can say that will change my opinion of you. You're a cheat, Lizzie, and there's only one way to deal with cheats. I'm going to take what you've gone to such lengths to keep from me.'

Take. ... She shuddered, No, it must not be like this, and she thought again, leaning back, away from him as his arms slackened their hard and cruel embrace.

'You mustn't, My Lord - no, I want to talk—'

'Talk!' He laughed then, a heartless laugh that robbed her of all hope. 'Madam Wife, do you think I've come here to talk?' He tightened his hold, desire no longer dormant. She tried to offer some resistance as he picked her up, but she was in the grip of a strange physical incapacity and her only reaction was a little moan of despair