“Lord Dover, what can I do for you today?”
Michael rose from his bow. “I am here to seek your permission to marry, Your Majesty.”
“Ah, I had wondered when you would see me about this issue. Who has caught your eye?”
“Mistress Jocelyn Parker, Sire.”
“Hmm. I’m very fond of Mistress Jocelyn, as I’m sure you’re aware. Why should I let you pluck such a beautiful flower from my garden?”
Dear God. Michael thought he might vomit. The king’s tone led him to believe he spoke lightly, but light words from a king bore heavy weight. “I will be the first to admit I am unworthy of her, Sire.”
“But you are an earl, and she is a commoner.”
“If I may be so bold, Sire, I believe we both know Mistress Jocelyn is anything but common.”
There was a second of silence, in which Michael could have sworn his heart stopped beating, and then the king burst into laughter. “That she is. Tell me, Michael Barwick, will you care for her? Fulfill your marriage vows?”
“Yes, Sire, you have my solemn word on that matter.”
“And this is most important: will you keep her at court often?”
Michael didn’t quite understand the question. Was the king asking if Jocelyn would continue to work at court? Was there subtext to his words, or was Michael meant to interpret them literally? “I wouldn’t presume to steal her away, Sire. We will attend court as much as Your Majesty and my duties allow.”
“Good answer. In that case, I give you not only my permission, but my blessing. Have you spoken to Lawrence?”
“No, Sire. I plan on speaking directly with Mistress Jocelyn since she has no father. I believe she would appreciate that.”
“Yes, that she would. Once she has accepted, bring her to me. I would like to congratulate you both.”
“It would be an honor, Sire.” Michael bowed, hoping his joy didn’t make him clumsy.
“You’re dismissed. Luck and God go with you. You’ll need them both to keep that woman.”
* * *
“What is it, Michael? Why did the king summon you?”
Michael had left the king’s presence and immediately sought Jocelyn and led her outside where they’d have some privacy. In the gardens, he finally slowed his steps. He hadn’t even noticed his hurried pace. It wasn’t any wonder Jocelyn thought something might be amiss. “Actually, he didn’t summon me. I requested the audience.”
“Whatever for?”
“I may not be the most well-versed person in court protocol, but I believe it is customary to seek the king’s permission when someone of my rank wishes to marry.”
Jocelyn stilled.
Michael smiled at her surprise. “I don’t want the symbol of our bond to only be the scars we carry on our hands. I want you to have something beautiful to look at to remind you of how much I love you.” Michael pulled the ring box from his money purse and opened it. “When I saw this, it was as if I was looking at you. I know it’s not as fancy as some of your other jewelry, and I’ll buy you all the jewels you want, but this needed to be the token of our love. Will you accept it, Jocelyn? Will you accept me?”
Jocelyn didn’t move. She simply stared at him. The knot in Michael’s stomach tightened. He should have known to move slowly with her, but he couldn’t help it. He needed her, and after their conversation the other night, he thought he had soothed all her fears. It would take more time for Jocelyn to become accustomed to the idea of marriage. She wasn’t a simpering woman who had been raised from the cradle to define her worth in terms of a betrothal. He was asking for more than her hand. He was asking her to turn her back on everything she thought she—
“Yes.”
“What?” Michael’s eyes focused on the lips whose movement he hadn’t quite caught.
“Yes, I’ll accept your ring, your offer, you.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Are you surprised? Do you want me to reject it?” A playful smile lit her face.
“No. No, of course not.” Michael gathered himself enough to pull the ring from its box and place it on her right index finger, above the scar of their blood vow. “I’ve wanted this for so long. I can scarcely believe it’s happening.”
“What about me? I’m going to look like such a fool after all the railing I’ve done against women in my profession who marry. I suppose my pride is a small price to pay for a lifetime of happiness with you.”
Even though the words were said partly in jest, they humbled him. “You really believe that?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t say yes otherwise.”
“We will be happy together, Jocelyn. I can promise you that. You’ll never have to worry that I’ll leave you or lose interest. I am yours for eternity.”
“Eternity is a long time, Michael. Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?”
Michael shook his head and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Not a chance.” He silenced her with a kiss, and peace overcame him. He’d finally won her hand. It was done. Nothing more could interfere with their happiness.
* * *
Chapter 27
Jocelyn’s stomach was aflutter. The effort to suppress her painfully wide smile only twisted her lips into an awkward purse, so she gave up the fight. There was nothing wrong with people seeing her joy. She often smiled. There would be no cause for any gossip—especially if she stopped stealing glances at the new ring gracing her finger.
Michael escorted her to see the king. The walk seemed longer than normal. Jocelyn felt that anyone who saw them must clearly see that they were engaged. She felt exposed and obvious. Logically, she knew it wouldn’t occur to anyone to surmise her news. There was nothing unusual about her walking with a man to see the king. Not only that, there wasn’t a person at court who would believe she was getting married even if she told them herself.
The door shut behind them, and she dipped into a low curtsy before the king where he sat at a table with Buckingham.
“Ah, Lord Dover, Mistress Jocelyn, I see a happy agreement has been made.”
Michael and Jocelyn straightened. “Yes, Your Majesty. I’m pleased to report that Mistress Jocelyn has accepted my offer of marriage.”
“Wonderful! Have a seat, both of you. We must have a drink.”
A servant stepped forward and poured the wine.
James lifted his glass. “My blessing on both of you.”
“Thank you, Sire.” Michael saluted before drinking.
George spoke. “There are going to be more than a few raised eyebrows when this is announced.”
James chuckled. “I should think so. And considering it’s the betrothal of an earl, I think we should announce it with all due ceremony. That’ll give the court plenty to talk about.”
Jocelyn nervously joined in the laughter. She loved the affection the king showed her, but everything was happening so fast. “I’d appreciate it if there was no public announcement, Your Majesty, or at least not yet, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind obliging if you don’t mind telling me why. Are you uncertain of your decision?” James shot a sideways look at Michael before focusing his attention back on her.
“Oh, no, nothing of the sort. I’m sure. You know me. I don’t do anything I’m not sure of. My only reason for delay is that Lawrence deserves to hear it from me, and I haven’t even thought about how to tell him.” It would be easier to tell Lawrence she was dying than that she was getting married. Lawrence would probably prefer it. “I’m afraid I’ve trapped myself in a corner. I’ve never made a secret of the fact that I didn’t plan to marry.”
“Yes, you’ve made that quite clear.” George’s face was full of mirth. At least someone found this amusing. “I don’t envy you your task. Lawrence isn’t the only one who’s going to be shocked.”
“He is going to be quite disappointed for several reasons,” James said.
Michael sat quietly drinking his wine. Jocelyn knew he didn’t care for Lawrence. He no doubt t
hought Lawrence’s only concern would be the lost income. Jocelyn was much more worried about his disappointment.
“I know. If it were anyone other than Michael, I wouldn’t be doing it. Lawrence has given me everything. I can’t help feeling I’m turning my back on him.”
“He’s not going to want to let you go, but you can’t let his greed stand in your way. He loves you like a daughter. Once he gets over his devastation, he’ll be happy for you,” James said.
“Yes, and like a father, he’s going to be reluctant to see you leave.” Buckingham eyed her with a raised brow.
“Thank you, both of you. You’ve made this much easier.” Jocelyn heard the sarcasm drip from her voice.
James laughed. “You’ll survive. I trust we’ll still see you around court?”
Michael leaned forward. “As I said before, Sire, I have no intention of keeping Jocelyn away from court.”
“I wouldn’t know what to do with myself anywhere else.”
“Yes, not much use for skills in political intrigue outside of court.” George’s eyes twinkled with delight.
“I expect you’ll be even more vocal now that you’ll be the wife of an earl.”
“Well, marriage certainly won’t silence my tongue, Sire.”
“No, nor would I want it to. What about you, Lord Dover? What are your plans for the foreseeable future? Is there a date in mind? Will you be taking your bride to Dover, or are you planning on bringing your family here for the ceremony? Your family is quite welcome at court.”
“Thank you, Sire. Since Jocelyn wants to make the announcement here in her own time, I think I should go back to Dover, let my own family know, and make arrangements. I’m sure my mother will have stronger opinions than I on how the wedding should proceed.”
“Yes, I’m sure she will. Well, I wish you both much happiness and good fortune.” The king stood, and everyone else followed suit. James embraced Jocelyn and spoke into her ear. “I’m truly glad at this news, Jocelyn. You deserve every happiness.”
“Thank you, Sire.” Jocelyn curtsied. The king’s words meant a great deal to her. His support and approval were almost as good as Lawrence’s.
Once they were out of the king’s presence, Jocelyn led Michael to a secluded alcove. “You’re leaving me?” Jocelyn didn’t mind that her voice quavered.
“It will only be for a little while. I want to give you time to tell Lawrence in your own way. I know it’s difficult for you.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to leave.”
“Do you really think you’ll be able to keep it from him until you’re ready if I’m here? Besides, I need to go home to Dover to inform my family. They’ll need time to prepare to travel to court for the wedding.”
“We’ll have the ceremony here?” Jocelyn had expected they’d marry in Dover. Michael didn’t appear comfortable around the king and George, so she’d assumed he wouldn’t want them present.
“Yes, unless you object. It makes the most sense. Whether I like it or not, we’re both poised to exert a not inconsiderable amount of influence. You’ll be happier at court than you would be in Dover, and we can use our wedding to curry favor and show that you’re now a proper lady with all the respect that comes from being the wife of an earl. It will also be a chance for me to get to know more of the nobility. I still have marriages to arrange for at least my two nieces and hopefully my sister-in-law at some point.”
Jocelyn was impressed at how thoroughly he had thought this through. “How romantic.”
“You know I’d much prefer to live in Dover, but I promised you and the king that I would keep you happy here at court. I might as well make the most of it. I also don’t want us slinking away to Dover to get married in secret, as if one or both of us are somehow ashamed. I want to show those women who gossip about you that you are a noble lady. If the king attends your wedding, no one can refute your honor.”
Jocelyn’s heart warmed. No one had ever cared for her the way Michael did. “All right. When are you leaving?”
“Right away, if you don’t mind. The sooner I leave, the sooner I can return and the sooner we can get married.”
“Very well. I’ll have broken the news to Lawrence by the time you return. Be safe.”
“I will.”
Jocelyn lifted her face for a kiss. Michael’s lips were soft on hers. As he pulled away, she lifted her hand to his neck. No matter how long she kissed him, it wasn’t enough. When she thought of how long it would be before they kissed again, it made her even more desperate to prolong their farewell.
Michael’s hand wrapped around hers and pulled it from his neck. “I’ve got to go.”
“I know.”
“Nothing can separate us now. I’ll be back in London before you have a chance to miss me.”
“That’s not possible. I miss you already.” They were words she might have uttered to a patron. Saying them sincerely to someone she loved held a certain novelty.
“I love you, Jocelyn. I’ll return as quickly as possible. Goodbye.”
Jocelyn watched him walk away. He carried some part of her with him, and she ached without it. As soon as he was out of sight, she took a deep breath. She had no idea how she would tell Lawrence.
* * *
Chapter 28
Damn him, Lawrence thought. That bastard of an earl had somehow gotten Jocelyn to agree to marry him. She hadn’t said anything when Lawrence met her for luncheon, but he could read it in the way she smiled and in the quality of her aura.
“Are you looking forward to your evening with Buckingham tonight?” Lawrence took a bite of pheasant.
“Actually, he’s cancelled our appointment.”
“Oh?” She wasn’t lying, so Buckingham must know. She was worried about telling him. Good. She should be. He would have been more disappointed in her for her weakness in succumbing to a man if it wasn’t so impressive that she never had before. None of his girls had ever been as strong and independent as Jocelyn. “Tomorrow, you’re scheduled to be with the Earl of Montgomery.”
“Actually, I was wondering if we could cancel. I’m not feeling well.” She didn’t hesitate. If he weren’t her mark, she’d have escaped with the lie.
“What’s wrong? Should I send for a physician?”
“Oh no, it’s nothing that serious. I think it’s just exhaustion. You know I’ve been working almost constantly. It’s nothing a little rest won’t cure.”
She had worked constantly before Michael Barwick entered her life. Lawrence decided not to tip his hand. Better to let her think he was unaware of the change. “All right, I suppose you’ve earned it. I’ve told you that you need to slow down. This is what happens when you don’t heed my advice.” The situation must be more precarious than he’d initially thought. If Jocelyn was turning down work, then she was preparing to leave. She wasn’t simply canceling tomorrow night. She didn’t plan on ever working again. If he didn’t interfere soon, she would be lost to him forever.
“Thank you, Lawrence. Please make my apologies to Lord Montgomery.”
“Of course.” Lawrence rose from the table and placed a kiss on Jocelyn’s forehead. “I’ll leave you now. Get some rest.”
Lawrence showed himself out. This could actually work in his favor. Ever since he had found Jocelyn, he had planned to be the one to transform her. The law of his clan dictated that all new vampires be created by Zenas, Lawrence’s own sire. Zenas held absolute control over his clan and wouldn’t take kindly to his laws being broken, especially such an important one. It didn’t matter. Lawrence had no intention of relinquishing his power over Jocelyn. Once she was a vampire, she would owe her immortality to him, and they would share a mental link. He was unwilling to dilute his influence over her by splitting her loyalties with Zenas. Jocelyn’s natural ability in reading human energies and auras was too strong. As a vampire, she would have no equal. Lawrence felt certain she was the first step in the next evolution of their species.
If Lawrence were to tra
nsform Jocelyn, he could very well end up dead, but it was worth the risk. Zenas wouldn’t take such a drastic step with him unless forced to. It was no secret that Lawrence was one of his favorites. Plus, Zenas desired Jocelyn almost as much as Lawrence did. Her potential in furthering their study of human auras and energies was unparalleled.
For years, Lawrence had toyed with the idea of arranging an emergency situation under which he would be forced to transform Jocelyn before Zenas could. A man taking her away provided a lovely urgency. He would have to offer her the chance to join him as a vampire before she slipped away. Of course, once she knew what he was, he would have to either transform her or kill her. Doing otherwise was a capital offense. Zenas wouldn’t tolerate Lawrence giving her a chance to tell others about their existence.
It wouldn’t be enough to simply transform her. He needed to make sure her ties to Michael were severed. He needed to guarantee his complete control over her. Given how easy it had been to control her during her life so far, he hadn’t given much thought to maintaining it once she joined him as a vampire. Michael had changed that. There could be no split loyalties, so he had no intention of allowing Michael to become a vampire to mate with her. He’d kill Michael himself, but he couldn’t risk her resenting him. Michael needed to die in a fashion that would ensure her loyalty to Lawrence and render her easy to manipulate.
Guilt. It was the perfect human emotion for his plans. Churches had used it for centuries to control their congregations. After he drained Jocelyn of her blood, he would feed it back to her mixed with his venom. The venom would initiate the transformation. It would also ignite a feeding frenzy in her. Instinct always took over a new vampire’s senses and forced them to feed on the first living human in sight. It served an important purpose: if the new vampire didn’t feed, then the transformation would not complete. Once the frenzy wore off, if no feeding had occurred, the subject would weaken and be easily killed. If Lawrence could arrange matters so that Michael was Jocelyn’s transformation kill, then not only would her connection to him be severed, but she would also be so riddled with guilt that she would be easily controlled.
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