Kiss of the Dragon (13 page)

As Bianca walked down the corridor to her chambers, she
found Modesta waiting outside her door. She ran up to her and grasped her
hands. She danced her cousin around in a circle, causing her to laugh in
merriment.

“What has you acting so outrageous this bright morning?”
asked Modesta.

Instead of answering immediately, Bianca glanced around and
noticed her maid standing a short distance from them. The interested look on
her face told her that Leia was interested in what she had to say, despite the
yawn she offered. But she was not about to vocalize her most secret desires
only to hear later that it had become gossip below stairs. Bianca gave her maid
instructions that would take her elsewhere.

“Leia, please go back to the kitchen and have water sent up
for my bath and then you may come and help me bathe.” After the maid
reluctantly disappeared back the way they had just come, Bianca invited her
cousin into her room before continuing their conversation.

“I have chosen the man I plan to marry. And I think with but
a little persuasion, he will come to realize that I am the only woman who could
ever make him truly happy.”

Gasping at her cousin’s tidings, Modesta stopped dead in her
tracks in the middle of the room and gaped at Bianca. “Who?” she breathed.

Drawing Modesta close, Bianca whispered a name in her ear.
Her cousin’s eyes grew wide with astonishment. “But I thought he was preparing
to leave this morning? That is what Lord Charles told me last evening.”

“Apparently he has found a reason to stay, at least for a
while. He has agreed to play matchmaker for me and find me a suitable husband.”

“But I thought you said you were going to marry him.”

“I am. But as of yet, my Lord Draco denies his fate. I only
have his promised protection and advice in all matters pertaining to courtship.
I shall simply sit back and accept his objections to any suitor who dares to
breach the dragon’s lair in order to court me. It will take either a very brave
man to face Lord Draco, or a very stupid one.”

“You are brave to take on such a quest, cousin. Even the
thought of being in the same room with the great Black Dragon makes me
faint-hearted. But I have never had the courage you do. Even as children, I
would hide in the nursery while you pretended to take on your father’s
men-at-arms with that wooden sword you were always playing with.” Modesta
smiled at the memory of her cousin’s antics. Then she turned serious. “I am
pleased that you have fallen in love, Bianca. It is about time you found a man
who takes your fancy. Though I do question your choice. In truth, I find the
Black Dragon very frightening.”

“Thank you for your support, Modesta. I might very well need
it.”
If I have miscalculated Draco’s hot glances.
This last, she kept to
herself. There was no reason to share that worry with Modesta. Instead she
turned the conversation in a new direction. “What of you, dear cousin? Has Lord
Charles asked you to marry him yet?”

A rosy blush stole over Modesta’s smooth cheeks as her long,
delicate eyelashes swept down to hide her lovely green eyes. Her modest
reaction was more telling than any words. She had obviously been correct in her
guess that Lord Charles had a tendre for her shy cousin. Now it was only a
matter of time before their romance would blossom into true love.

“In truth, I do not know what I should do.”

Her words were spoken so softly that Bianca barely made out
what she said. She pushed Modesta to the bed and urged her to sit as Bianca
remained standing. She took Modesta’s hand to reassure her.

Modesta’s lips formed a sad smile as she continued. “I think
that he must find me not unattractive, as we have spent some time together. And
I do like being with him. He is so gentle and kind. When he smiles, it’s like
the sun breaking through storm clouds. He makes me laugh, he is so witty.” She
sighed deeply and dipped her head. “I would accept his proposal in a heartbeat,
but….”

“What is it, Modesta? What troubles you?”

Her cousin raised her head and Bianca was shocked to see
tears streaming down her face. “Oh, Modesta, dear, what is it?” She started to
take her cousin in her arms to comfort her when she remembered the filth that
covered most of her arms and shoulders and face. She settled for patting her
cousin on the shoulder awkwardly wishing she could hold her close even as she
watched Modesta’s shoulders shudder with her weeping. She waited patiently as
her cousin regained control of her emotions.

“I am so ashamed of weeping like this. And there is really
no reason for it. It is only…he…Lord Charles has not hinted that he wants more
than a friendship. Do you think it is too soon to expect a pledge from him? Or
mayhap, I am interpreting his glances and tender caresses for more than what
they are. It is possible that he does not favor me as well as I had imagined.”
Her whispered queries shook Bianca to the core of her being. These were the
same questions that she pondered about Lord Draco and the situation she found
herself in with him. But she had never had the courage to speak them aloud.

“It seems, dear cousin, you and I are in the same rowboat,
as it were. We have fallen for men who need time sorting out their feelings
before they can speak openly of them. It will be a challenge to see how patient
we can be with them, and how long it takes the two fools to see what is right
before their eyes.

“Cheer up, Modesta, we must have faith in these two great
men. Their intelligence is a boon in this matter. Lord Charles is here to take
a bride, albeit not the one he originally came for. But he will not leave
without one. We will see to it.”

“Perhaps Lord Charles hesitates because he sees that wedding
me is a poor proposition. I do not have the great fortune that you have to
bring him, only a small dower estate left to me by my mother. And it is not
worth much. Although your father has promised a dowry to my husband.”

“The size of your fortune should matter little if Lord
Charles truly loves you. And by the way he watches you, I suspect he already
possesses a great fondness for you. If the man follows his heart, a bride price
should be the last thing he would seek. You, dear Modesta, are worth far more
than mere acreage or gold. Your worth is priceless.”

“I wish it were so, I really do, but I must be more
practical than that. A man of Lord Charles’ background is obliged to marry for
wealth. He owes that much to his sons. I am not saying that I would not accept
a proposal of marriage if he offered it, but I must be honest with myself and
accept that it is unlikely. He came here looking to marry a great heiress and
since you have no interest in him, he will most likely look elsewhere.” The sad
slump of her cousin’s shoulders told Bianca that she had given up hope. It was
up to her to do something about the tragedy.

“Dear cousin, do not give up hope on this matter. We will find
a solution to this quandary. Give it a little time. You will see. Everything
will turn out well, just wait and see if it does not.”

Modesta agreed albeit uncertainly, forcing her lips into the
resemblance of a smile. “Yea, we will see.”

“Come, now, cousin, and help me get cleaned up.” She glanced
at the smudges of black her hands had left behind as she had patted Modesta’s
shoulder. “You might wish to go and put on a clean gown, one of your best. Then
we shall go forth and find Lord Draco and Lord Charles and see if we can bring
them to their senses.”

“And what if we cannot?”

“Then we will simply have to work at convincing them that we
are the women of their dreams.” They turned to the door as it swung open and
several kitchen boys entered carrying bath water. While Bianca bathed, the two
women spent a great deal of time preparing themselves for the battle of hearts
that was about to begin.

“Three cocky young noblemen arrived within the last hour,
Beauty. They are here to pay tribute to the legendary Beauty de Neige.”
Jabulani’s grin was a white slash of teeth in his hard face. “Are you ready to
pummel their high hopes into the dust, or if you are not up to the task,
perhaps I should seek out Lady Modesta and she can greet them in your stead.”
His mocking statement brought a flush of embarrassment to Bianca’s cheeks but
she could not bring herself to criticize him. What happened was entirely her
doing and it would be a while before she would be allowed to forget it. It had
never crossed her mind that her impulsiveness would become fodder for gossip
throughout the castle community. As a result, her rashness had come back to
haunt her and she faced the ridicule of every servant and noble at Castle Neige
for her charade. Her father had been the only one who seemed not to have found
out about it or if he had, he cared so little that he ignored her outrageous
exploit. His apathy hurt her more than she cared to admit. But on the other
hand, did she really wish to witness the disappointment she was sure to see
reflected in his eyes?

Even if he had reprimanded her, the only excuse she could
offer for her ruse was that it had been a desperate attempt to take back
control of her life. She hated being forced to choose one of the candidates her
stepmother had brought to Castle Neige.

Bianca found it hard to believe that her own father would go
along with such a scheme. In the beginning, he had promised her that she would
have the opportunity to pick her own husband. But somehow, his new wife had gotten
him to go along with her scheme to find Bianca a suitable husband. When Bianca
objected, he would not listen. Instead, he told her that she must look
seriously at all candidates who arrived at the castle and keep in mind that one
of them would be her husband by the end of the summer. His ultimatum had
shocked her.

Could he not understand how much it hurt her to be offered
to the highest bidder like a brood mare at a public auction? Had he come to
love her so little that he did not care what became of her? The realization
that she had lost her only living parent to a cold, unfeeling, self-centered
woman like Heloise hurt Bianca almost as much as if her father had passed away.

Could love truly be so blind?

“You are too kind in your observation, Jabulani, but I am
quite capable of seeing to this myself.” She hid her pain behind sarcasm. It
had saved her pride many times during the past year.

“Everything will turn out for the best, Beauty. Wait and
see.” Then he grinned widely. “If you wish it, I will go down and greet the
young gentlemen personally. I am sure that I can think of a trick or two that
might weed out the most faint-hearted.”

“No, no, it would be best if I made an appearance myself. If
only to demonstrate to my stepmother and everyone else that I know where my
duty lies. I can be polite when it is called for.” She frowned at the deep
chuckle that rumbled up from Jabulani’s thick chest. “Well, I can. But first, I
must find Lord Draco. He shall accompany me.”

“Now why would you need him?” A skeptical look clouded
Jabulani’s dark eyes.

“He agreed to help me find a suitable husband.”

It took the large man but half a heartbeat to react to her
words. And then he threw back his head, roaring with laughter. He guffawed so
loudly that Bianca worried that the very walls would tumble down around them
and she covered her ears until he ceased his clamor. She came close to stamping
her feet, but she settled with glaring at him, her eyes smoldering with her
rising temper.

“Now that you have had your laugh at my expense, will you be
so kind as to tell me where Draco is?”

“Draco is it? Not Lord Draco, or Sir Dragon but simply
Draco. My, my, this affair is much more serious than I first considered it to
be.” He rolled his eyes as he teased her. “As a matter of fact, I do know where
the great Black Dragon is. He waits below in the hall with your other suitors.
He seems to be taking this chore of marrying you off to some other man quite
seriously. Perhaps the sooner he sees the task accomplished, the sooner he can
depart.” Jabulani ribbed her lightly but there was a note of warning in his
voice and a hint of compassion in his eyes.

“You worry too much, Jabulani. I know what I am doing. It
may take a little time, but eventually Lord Draco will realize he wants me for
his wife. How could it be otherwise? Destiny has seen fit to send him to me and
I will do everything in my power to hold on to him. We were meant for each
other. Trust me.”

“I truly hope that it is so, Beauty. I truly do.”

Pausing outside the Great Hall, Bianca took a deep,
fortifying breath. It would take all her determination and courage to make the
great Black Dragon understand just how much he needed her. But more than that,
he would have to offer for her. She was determined to see that this love story had
a happy ending.

Bianca squared her shoulders, lifted her chin, pasted a
bright smile on her lips and, with a dramatic flourish of her lovely gown, made
a grand entrance into the Great Hall. But all her preparation, all her worry
was for naught. Imagine making a grand entrance at a great ball and finding
that you are the only one who bothered to show up. It was anti-climactic to say
the least. Bianca’s confidence that she could impress Lord Draco with her
beauty and grace flew out the window to be quickly replaced by exasperation.

He was her Prince Charming, so why was he not here charming
her?

Bianca glanced about the hall and found only one other
person being served.

“Sir Gregory?” she asked, noticing the knight slumped on a
bench near the hearth sipping ale. At the sound of her voice, he jumped to his
feet, nearly spilling the entire contents of his cup down the front of his
tunic. He fumbled to wipe the ale from his clothing as he watched her approach.
When she stopped before him, he bowed low.

“My lady, how may I be of assistance?”

“Where have Lord Draco and the other young noblemen who
arrived earlier gone?”

“Hunting, my lady,” he muttered a bit sullenly.

Hunting? Bianca frowned slightly. Why had no one informed
her of the day’s activities? She would have liked to ride out with them. It had
been a few days since she had enjoyed a good gallop through the countryside.

“Why are you not out hunting with the others? Were you not
invited?”

“No, my lady. I had the misfortune of drawing the short
straw. I have the duty of guarding the Duchess Heloise for the day.”

She could see him cringe inwardly at the thought of having
to stand bodyguard for her stepmother. It was a duty none of the knights cared
for, but they generally kept their feelings on the matter between them.

“I am truly sorry, Sir Gregory. I wish you the best for the
day. Perhaps my stepmother will be in a pleasant mood today.”

No sooner had she spoken than she heard the high-pitched
whine of the lady in question echoing from the upstairs corridor. But it was
her father’s loud voice that caught her attention. He descended the stairs as
he called back to his wife. A moment later, he entered the hall and made his
way directly toward her.

“Daughter, I would speak with you. I have an important
matter to discuss, in private.” He gave Sir Gregory a pointed look and the
knight bowed low and left the hall. He made it no farther than the door when
the duchess appeared and demanded that he accompany her to the village. It was
the day of the week that she usually visited the sick and the poor and Sir
Gregory would have the pleasure of accompanying her.

“Bianca, daughter, come and sit with me while I quench my
thirst with some ale,” her father said. He ordered a servant to bring him a cup
and then settled in a chair before the hearth, indicating that she should take
the chair opposite him.

“I realize that we have spent little time together these
past few months, and I regret that more than I can say. But now I am here to
say that I am very concerned about your future, Bianca. Your stepmother has
kindly taken your welfare in her capable hands and arranged for various suitors
to come here so that you may choose a husband. Only this morning she informed
me that you have made your decision.” He paused as he looked long and hard at
her.

“I know that originally I left the choice of husband
entirely up to you, daughter, but of all the men to pick, you chose the
Spaniard? I have to say that I am somewhat disappointed.” His worried
expression made Bianca believe for a moment that her father still cared for her
welfare.

“I know what my stepmother must have told you, Father. But
she is completely mistaken in her presumption that I would choose such a man as
my husband. He is a rake, and a knave of the worst kind. He is so full of his
own self-importance that he refuses to believe that I will not have him. If he
is still in residence, it is not my doing. Only this morning I asked him to
leave.”

“Ah! A little stubborn, is he?”

“He is pigheaded and insufferable. You need not worry that I
would have him as a husband, Father.”

“I am glad that you have some sense, Bianca. But there is
one other matter that we need to discuss.” He leaned forward in his chair to
get a good view of her face. “I have noticed that another man holds your
attention.”

At first, Bianca just stared back at him waiting for him to
continue and then understanding hit her. Apparently she had not been as
discreet as she thought. Somehow her father had guessed her intentions toward
the Lord Draco. She could not stop the rosy blush that colored her cheeks. She
was relieved that he did not know how she had assisted with the Draco’s bath.
That was one event that she would rather her father not find out about.

“Please, do not think to talk me out of my decision, Father.
I have made my choice. I want no other man for my husband.” Bianca thrust out
her chin stubbornly, waiting for her father to make his first attempt to talk
her out her scheme. But he said nothing. He sat looking at her for a long
moment.

“I have no desire to change your mind, Bianca. In fact, I am
pleased with your choice. I had originally thought that it would be Lord
Charles who would catch your eye, but if not him, then the Black Dragon will do
just as well. He has not the pedigree that your stepmother would have wanted,
but I will deal with her objections.” Taking one last swallow of his drink, the
Duke de Neige rose to his feet and took his daughter’s hand, helping her to her
feet.

“I want only your happiness, my dear child. But take heed of
what I say. If Lord Draco does not come to heel and offer for you by the end of
the week, you must choose a husband from the remaining suitors in residence.”
He raised his hand and touched her mouth with his fingertips, covering the
protest that threatened to escape her lovely, soft lips. “I want you married
and soon, my dear. My health is not all it could be of late. I want to see you
settled before my time draws to an end.” He caught her small frame as she threw
herself into his arms with a small cry of protest. She hadn’t seen him much
lately and so had not noticed his failing health.

“No, Father, do not talk like that. You will live a long,
long life. I expect you to play with your grandchildren in the years to come.
Do not speak of dying. I forbid it.” Bianca held her father close in her
embrace and did not let go until he patted her shoulder and set her from him.
He stood and stared down at his beautiful daughter before turning her around
and pushing her toward the door.

“Go find your beau, my beautiful child. You need work fast
and furious to get Lord Draco to come to heel. He has a reputation for being
hardhearted and stubbornly set in his ways. Go now and tame the mighty dragon.”

Hurrying to see if she might catch up with the hunters,
Bianca arrived at the stable to find out that she was too late.

“He has gone, my lady.”

“Gone?”

“Yea, Lord Draco rode out in the company of several other
young noblemen. They left about an hour or so ago.”

“Oh dear!” She stood wringing her hands as she looked toward
the postern gate. After a moment of indecision, she strode through the stable
door and down the aisle to stop before her palfrey’s stall, the stable lad
following in her footsteps. “I will ride out after them,” she murmured to
herself. “Please, saddle up Glace for me. And I will need an escort.” At her
command, the lad moved with haste to do as she requested.

As she stepped up on the mounting block, one of the older
stable lads appeared astride a small dun and stopped beside her.

“My lady!” Bianca turned her head to find Sir Dominic
running across the courtyard toward her waving his arms frantically. “Wait, my
lady. Perhaps you would like this good knight to be your escort for the day.”
He was so obvious in his pleading for any task other than the one he had
acquired for the day that Bianca had to hide her smile.

“I am sorry, Sir Dominic, but I need no other guard than
Nate to see me to my destination. I really must hurry to catch up to Lord Draco
before the day wanes further.”

“Why would you be wanting to find the Black Dragon, my
lady?” His interest piqued, Bianca could not be so unkind as to leave and not
answer his question that had at least given his day of doldrums a little
cheerfulness.

“Lord Draco has promised to help me select a candidate from
my prospective suitors. He will examine the lot and send the bad seeds
packing.”

“But isn’t that what he does?”

“What do you mean, Sir Dominic?”

“From what I understand, he has taken your newly arrived
suitors hunting. What better way is there for a man to get to know another than
to hunt with him? The character of a poor-spirited man will come to light in a
good hunt.”