The Taming by Jude Deveraux

be hell. Perhaps he’d rather lose a bit of land than saddle himself with this woman for the rest of his life.
    Like hell he would, he thought. Damn those Peregrines! Women seemed to like them in spite of their dirt and their lifelong battle for lands and titles that weren’t theirs. If Liana marries one of those Peregrines, within three years she’ll be old and worn out from being used harder than a plow horse, he thought with some satisfaction.
    He mounted his horse and followed her. It would be better to take his men and leave right away. He couldn’t bear to see the betrothal ceremony of the lovely Lady Liana and one of those Peregrines. He shrugged his shoulders. It was no longer any concern of his.
    Â 
    Liana stood before her father and stepmother in the solar and made the announcement that she was going to marry Lord Rogan.
    â€œWise choice, girl,” Gilbert said. “Best falconer in all of England.”
    Helen’s face was slowly turning purple. “Do not do this,” she said, gasping. “You are trying to spite me.”
    â€œI have done what you wanted and chosen a husband,” Liana said coolly. “I would think you’d be pleased with me.”
    Helen tried to calm herself, then she sank down heavily in her chair and threw her hands up in surrender. “You win. You may stay here. You may run the estates and the servants. You may have it all, for all I care. When I go to meet my God, I will not have it on my head that I forced my husband’s daughter to this living death. You win, Liana. Does this give you pleasure? Go now. Go from my sight. At least leave me this one room, where neither you nor your dead mother still rule.”
    Liana was puzzled by her stepmother’s speech and she thought about it as she turned to leave the room. She was nearly to the door when she realized what Helen was saying. She turned back quickly.
    â€œNo,” she said with some urgency in her voice, “I want to marry this man. You see, I met him before. Yesterday. We were alone for a while and…” She looked down at her hands, her face red.
    â€œOh dear God, he has raped her,” Helen said. “Gilbert, you must hang him.”
    â€œNo!” Gilbert and Liana said in unison.
    â€œThe hawks—” Gilbert began.
    â€œHe didn’t—” Liana began.
    Helen put up her hands for silence, then clutched her belly. Her child would no doubt be born with cloven feet after the hell her stepdaughter had put her through during her pregnancy. “Liana, what has the beast done to you?”
    Made me wash his clothes, she thought. Kissed me. “Nothing,” she said. “He has not touched me.” She meant to say penance at mass for that lie. “Yesterday while I was riding, I met him and I…” She what? Liked him? Loved him? Hated him? Probably all of them. Whatever she felt for him, it was strong. “And I want to accept his offer of marriage,” she finished.
    â€œGood choice,” Gilbert said. “The boy is a man if ever I saw one.”
    â€œYou’re a fool, Liana,” Helen whispered, her face pale. “Rarely does a girl have such a doting father that he will let her choose her own husband, and now I understand why. I would never have guessed you to be so stupid.” She sighed. “All right. It’s on your head now. When he beats you—if you’re still alive—you may return here and have your wounds dressed. Go now. I can’t bear the sight of you.”
    Liana didn’t move from where she was. “I do not want to meet him before the ceremony,” she said.
    â€œAt last, some wisdom,” Helen said sarcastically. “Stay away from him as long as you can.”
    Gilbert was eating grapes. “He hasn’t asked to see you. I guess yesterday was enough, eh?” He grinned and winked at his daughter. He didn’t know when a woman had pleased him so much. The