Hiding Katherine by GG Shalton (most difficult books to read txt) 📕

Jakub studied him for a moment. “Yes, if you could speak to the king and have him request it, then she would not be able to refuse. I am confident that once we are married, she will learn to have affection for me as well.”

The earl put down his glass and rubbed his hands together. “There is a problem with your request. Yes, I believe this puts us in a quandary.”

Drawing his brow down, he was confused by the earl’s choice of words. “My lord?”

“I was with the king last week. We spoke of my concerns regarding the rebels and losing such a great warrior in your brother. I never had the honor to fight with him, but his reputation was known throughout Scotland.” The earl leaned back in his chair rubbing his beard. “Although our king is not a fan of the Earl of Delbert, he thought we should have sent Miss Tolland back to her family. I explained to him that I was convinced she acted on her own accord. However, once the information of your brother’s death reaches England, they will demand that we send her back. This could be dangerous for her because the Earl of Delbert will no longer agree to marry her anymore and she will be at the mercy of her father. I gave her my word that I would not make her go back and that she was free to marry Sir Ian. Now, I may not have a choice.”

Jakub nodded his understanding. “Yes, and that is why I offered her marriage. She was distraught at the time and my timing could have been off. She is like a lot of females and dreams of love, not understanding the business of marriage. I plan to visit her soon.”

The earl stood up and walked over to the table. He poured himself some wine savoring the taste before responding. “It may be difficult for her to live here. You may remind her of what she has lost. It’s difficult to say what her female mind is thinking. It’s been a few weeks and she may be faring better.”

“We boarded up Ian’s tower, so no one could enter. She would live with me in the castle. I know I could be a good husband to her.”

The earl walked to the chair placing his hands-on top of it without sitting down. “I knew not of the possibility of your marriage to her. I spoke to the king about marrying the girl to another noble. I thought it was best if we kept her protected.”

Jakub tilted his head. “Another noble? Has the contract been signed?” His voice rose slightly with disbelief.

“Not yet. But the king has given his permission after much persuasion. He is my cousin after all and owes me many favors. Not to mention that I am his largest landowner and command his biggest army. He has agreed to my request. It’s a bit of an unorthodox match, but for some reason, I felt an obligation to help her. We only met that once, but I didn’t want to see her return to England.”

Jakub eyes widened in disbelief. “That is very kind of you, my lord. My family is very grateful for your influence with the king regarding our brother’s betrothed. If no contract has been signed, then I would still like a chance to marry her. Who is this noble? Has he been told of the possible marriage?”

“The noble is me.”

A flash of surprise mixed with annoyance came across Jakub’s face. “You? I don’t understand.”

The earl raised his brow challenging Jakub. “I am thirty-three and I need an heir. Katherine needs protection and I felt a connection with her on my last visit. My last wife died during childbirth over five years ago. She was an alliance made by the king. I already did my duty.”

Jakub composed himself. “I see. It seems we have a lot more in common than I thought.”

The earl assessed Jakub for a long pause—almost daring him to oppose the match. With the authority of an earl, he announced his intentions. “We will be leaving within the hour for Castle Moore. I hope you understand my position. I have appreciated your past hospitality and will use my influence with the king for any future needs you may have. Katherine will be well taken care of, I assure you.”

Jakub was visibly shaken by his announcement. His hands clenched at his sides and his breathing labored slightly. He made no derogatory comments, but simply stood up and bowed to the earl. “My lord, I wish you a safe journey.”

The earl narrowed his eyes studying his reaction. Nodding his head, he walked to the door and let himself out. Later, he dined with Marion and her other sons. Jakub claimed fatigue and did not appear for the dinner. After dinner, the earl departed with his riding party to Castle Moore to see Katherine.

Chapter 21

Katherine vomited in the chamber pot. It was hard to keep any food down. She knew that she had to tell Deanna soon about her condition. Claudia’s sporadic help with her needs allowed her to hide the fact that her monthly flow had not come. She calculated in her head and thought she was around three to four months pregnant. Changes were slowly taking place in her body. Her mid-section was thickening a bit, although not too noticeable yet. Her breasts were tender, and she felt so irritable. Her sense of smell was heightened, and she had to avoid certain areas of the castle where the smells caused a gagging reflex.

“Katherine!” Her sister came into her chamber without knocking.

Katherine placed her hands on her hips annoyed. “This may be your home, but please knock before entering.” Running the cloth over her face, she hoped to mask the evidence of her sickness. She used her foot to slide the chamber pot under the bed.

Deanna rolled her eyes. “We have guests. A distinguished looking riding party is