Cards & Caravans by Cindy Spencer Pape Page B

with me is proof enough of the necessity. I spent most of last night and all day today thinking about your situation. I truly think our marrying is the best possible solution.”
    “Best for me, perhaps, but certainly not for you. To start, we don’t love each other,” she said, her voice rising more than she probably liked. “We hardly know one another. I’m Rom. I’m also older than you, and a widow, and barren.”
    “I couldn’t give a fig if you’re a couple years older than me, or about your heritage.” Connor refused to be swayed. “As for love?” He shrugged. “It will grow, I expect. I already like you and care for you. That’s a better foundation than many couples start out with.” He’d been madly in love once and lived to regret it. From their scattered conversations, he’d pieced together a little of her background. Her parents had died when she was young, so she’d been raised by her grandparents, the lion tamer and fortune-teller for the circus. Belinda clearly possessed some of her grandmother’s talent, but had never truly developed it. She’d married a man many years her senior and loved him dearly. Connor hated that he was jealous of a dead man.
    But Belinda was very much alive, and she deserved a second chance at life. Buried in a tiny hamlet, denying who and what she was—that was no way to live. Even if their futures weren’t destined to be together, Connor had the wherewithal to offer her more opportunity. His family had the power to make the trumped-up charges of witchcraft go away. The Order of the Round Table wasn’t an organization to be denied.
    Everyone was silent, the future hanging on her answer. He leaned up and kissed her cheek. “Well? We’re all waiting.”
    “I’m barren,” she blurted, dragging in a deep breath as she reiterated her main argument. “You’re the only son and heir to all of this.” Her free hand fluttered about, indicating the keep around them.
    “You don’t know that for sure,” he said. “We’ll just take our chances like any other couple. I wasn’t going to say this in front of everyone, but you know very well that we may have already disproved that notion.”
    Another round of gasps filled the room.
    Belinda let out a wordless shriek that rang of pure frustration and yanked her hand from his. “What will it take before you get it through your thick head? I’m barren. No children. You need a son. Forget about last night and find yourself a nice, normal girl to marry.” She sank her face into her hands as they all stared at her. “Good heavens.” She groaned and stared down at the floor. “I can’t believe I said that out loud. Do you think crawling under the table is a viable option? It seems I’m as much a lunatic as you are.”
    “I don’t want a nice normal girl.” Despite the seriousness of the situation, Connor found himself having fun. “Can you imagine some simpering debutante putting up with this lot? I want you. And if we don’t have children, so be it. There are cousins to inherit. Or one of their sons.” He made a sweeping gesture toward his sisters. “The Order is kind of flexible about succession. Having the power is just as important as the whole primogeniture thing.”
    “You may as well give in.” Melody began to giggle. “Belinda, if you don’t suppose you’ve anything to wear, I think we can alter something of mine. We’re about the same height.”
    “Are you sure you’re barren?” Geneva asked at almost the same moment. “Is it a medical diagnosis or just because you didn’t have children with your late husband? I’d be happy to talk to you about that in private, even examine you, if you don’t mind. Obstetrics was one of my specialties when I was in practice.”
    Belinda gaped at Connor’s sisters. “Are all of you deaf? I have not agreed to marry Sir Connor. And while I appreciate the offers, I do not need borrowed clothing or a medical examination from a total stranger. None of that is