The Heartwood Box: A Fairy Tale (39 page)

What would happen when
Damian and Derek
returned
?
If they did
?

She tried to hold the tears back
.
N
one of this was Donal’s fault
.
He’d done everything he could to make her feel better
.

Donal was watching
her
.
T
hank Titania he didn’t appear hurt
.
“It will be okay, sweetheart
.
I p
romise
.
But in the meantime…
.
”
He rolled on top of her and gave her a deep kiss
.
“I think you are ready for more lessons on the danger of taunting a descendant of Declan.” 

“You’re not serious,” Genevieve sputtered
.

“Never,
ever
say that to me, Jenny-girl.” 

Genevieve no longer fought anything, tried not to think, and just gave herself over to the closeness she felt for Donal
.
To her relief, they spent the night in the conservatory again, staying up late watching the stars together in between bouts of lovemaking
.
She couldn’t bear the thought of going back to her room—Damian’s room—with matters between them so unsettled.

The more time she spent with Donal, the more affection she felt for him
.
She’d never in her life known someone with such good spirits—or such impudent humor
.
It didn’t seem like such qualities should accompany patience and generosity, but in Donal they did
.

Even more striking was his perceptiveness
.
She’d noticed it from the beginning, and the more she knew him, the more uncanny his powers seemed to her
.
She began to suspect that his rude humor served as a camouflage for his keen discernment
.
She’d not forgotten that a single glimpse of her bedroom at her parents’ cottage had been enough to prompt him to order her sitting room painted in her favorite color
.

Likewise, the next morning when he asked if she’d like to have a portable tub brought down to the conservatory, he read something in her expression because he kissed her forehead and whispered, “Don’t worry, little girl, I’ll leave you to bathe in peace.” 

She’d hardly realized herself what was bothering her until Donal reassured her
.
The truth was that she’d accepted their intimacy, at least for the time being, but taking a bath with anyone except Damian would feel like a betrayal, and just the idea threw her into a panic
.

Donal definitely shared his brothers’ despotic tendencies, though he was not quite so obvious about it
.
Defiance from her didn’t provoke him the way it did Damian and Derek, and he didn’t seem to share their taste for binding and restraining her
.
Still, when they did make love, he almost always took her hard from behind, which she was positive was a taste of his—along with her giving him pleasure with her mouth while on her knees
.
The entire first day he only let her have a skimpy nightdress to wear, and when she asked for a proper dress, told her she was free to take it off if she didn’t like it
.
He did bring her a proper dress the second day, but just laughed when she asked for undergarments.

But whatever contentment she found with Donal could not last
.
This was nothing more than a strange dream, an interlude like the cave, before her happiness fell to pieces and her life became a nightmare
.
Donal almost never left her alone, but in those rare moments when he wasn’t making love to her, embracing her, or making her laugh, the guilt and the pain would creep back
.

No matter what Donal said, she’d hurt Damian
.
Their family had welcomed her as a blessing, and she’d repaid them by bringing misery
.
Not that it could surprise her
.
She’d brought little but misery to her own parents for years—her parents who would have done anything to help her, but were cursed day after day to see her fall further into wretchedness
.

She wasn’t sure how much Donal guessed of her state, but she suspected he was aware of it, though thankfully he didn’t press her to talk about it further
.
But she should have known he wouldn’t leave matters alone
.
She noticed that he’d brought another chair out to their spot in the garden, but she didn’t learn the reason until half an hour after breakfast
.

Of course, it was Genevieve’s luck that Donal was kissing her and had just reached his hand up her skirt, teasingly reminding her of her lack of drawers, when
a
voice said, “Good morning.”

It was Declan!  Genevieve prayed she might perish on the spot.

Donal was utterly unperturbed
.
“Oh you’re here early.” 

She then prayed that Donal would perish—else she would murder him!  He’d known Declan was coming and said nothing, and now the Black Prince had practically found them making love!  Genevieve was too angry and embarrassed to do more than mumble a greeting
.

“I am pleased to see you lo
oking so much better, daughter,”
Declan said as he took a seat in the free chair
.
“You have done well, Donal.”

The scoundrel laughed and gave a wicked smile
.
“Thank you
.
It has truly been a pleasure.”  He kissed her lightly on the mouth
.
“I’ll leave you two to talk,” the traitor added
.

“Donal!”  She tried to hold on to him, but he scampered out of her reach
.

Declan wore the kind smile he always did with her, but today, instead of being reassuring, it only made her feel more guilty
.
“Sir…
.
Please… I am so sorry
.
I didn’t mean to cause such trouble.” 

“There’s no need to apologize
.
Surely Donal explained matters to you
.
The truth is that I’m the one who owes you an apology
.
If I had spoken to you earlier, some of your suffering might have been avoided.” 

This was worse than anything
.
“Please don’t say that, please!  I can’t bear it.”  She felt his hand on her chin, raising her to meet his eye
.

“Tell me what you think you did, child?” he said gently
.

“I don’t think, I
know
Damian was hurt by this—by
my
actions.”

“Little one, Damian was not the only one who has been hurt—you were hurt by his actions, far more grievously in my opinion.”  Before she could
protest
, he said firmly, “Genevieve, the morning following your wedding, I warned Damian that if you and Derek were alone together for any amount of time, something like this would take place.”

“What
?
That can’t be.”  Genevieve was dumfounded
.

“I speak the plain truth, daughter, and I blame myself, more than you can know, that I did not speak to you immediately
.
I chose to wait for several reasons: naturally, our beliefs are strange to you and opposed to what you have been taught
.
Moreover, though we consider it a blessing if the bride feels an attachment to her husband’s brothers, such feelings must never be forced
.
Any intimacy must be entirely
her
choice
.
I felt certain that Damian would accept what is between you and Derek, and I still feel certain of it, but he needed time, which thanks to the Reavers was denied us
.
Though we work hard to stamp out jealousy, it was understandable that he would feel possessive, especially so early in the marriage.”

“I was afraid there might be jealousy,” Genevieve said
.
“Damian said it was a great dishonor, but I told him, you can’t always control feelings like that, no matter how much you wish you could.”

Declan looked surprised
.
“That was extremely astute
.
Genevieve, I will speak frankly
.
Derek is able to give you something that Damian can’t—do you understand what I am speaking of?” 

She wanted to sink into the ground—Derek had given her pain
.
What kind of person was she
?

“Genevieve!  I am well aware that most people are taught to view such desires as shameful
.
Within our family that is not the case
.
They are accepted and acknowledged
.
They are never viewed as subjects of right and wrong, but of need and desire
.
Insofar as Damian’s anger led you to regard those desires as shameful, he committed a grave wrong by the principles of this family.” 

He spoke so fiercely Genevieve couldn’t doubt him
.
“I don’t want you to be angry at him,” she said softly
.

“Daughter,” he said in his gentlest tone, “I promise that my anger against Damian will end the moment I am convinced you no longer blame yourself.” 

Genevieve almost growled—how could he say such a thing!  She felt… angry at Declan
.
There was a wrongness to his words that made her feel bitter and hateful
.
He was watching her closely
.
Perhaps it was for the best
.
He would realize now that he’d brought a demon into his midst
.
But then he took her hand in his
.
“I see you will not make this easy for me
.
Genevieve, in truth there is one part of your conduct that concerns me very much.” 

Fear quickly eclipsed every other feeling
.
Genevieve swallowed, suddenly worried she might faint
.

“Genevieve!” he said firmly
.
“I am not angry at all, I am concerned
.
Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” she said, trying to breathe.

“I am concerned that you did not tell Derek to stop.”

“It wasn’t Derek’s fault!” she cried defensively
.
“He would have stopped if I told him to!” 

“Shhh, little one
.
I know that
.
Genevieve, I wish to show you something.”  He held out a bunch
of
bristles bound together with a leather-covered handle
.
She could feel sweat beading on her upper lip
.
It looked innocuous, almost like a short broom, but some part of her recognized that it wasn’t innocuous at all
.

“It is a scourge
.
It is used to punish the worst criminals—oath-breakers, traitors, rapists
.
As you see, the bristles bear sharpened spikes
.
If it is applied with even minimum force, it flays the skin.” 

She shuddered—it was gruesome
.

“Genevieve, have you ever known anyone who deserved to be punished like that?”

“No!”

“If your friend Sally or some other village girl were to commit adultery, would you argue that she should be tied to a post and punished with this?”

“Of course not!” 

“What if she were crushed by guilt and begged for the punishment
?
What would you say to it?”

“No!  We don’t stand by and do nothing when people try to take their own lives—it’s no different.”

“Genevieve, two nights ago when we returned, I found this inside your heartwood box.” 

The world suddenly turned upside down
.
Her vision went dark as she struggled to get air into her lungs
.
The sharp, caustic scent of sal volatile in her nose made her jerk her head up, but she felt as if all the strength had left her body
.
A cup had somehow appeared in Declan’s hand—he held it to her lips and gently ordered her to drink
.
It was a ginger tisane
.
The sharp taste miraculously helped clear her head further and settle
d
her stomach
.

When she had quieted, he said calmly, “I told you the day we met that you never need fear me, Genevieve
.
I would never raise my hand to you
.
Though I always try to respect the contents of the heartwood box, I must draw a line here
.
Such a punishment goes far beyond what is sane and healthy
.
Even if you had committed adultery a thousand times, it would be in gross excess.”