The Chocolatier's Wife (54 page)

But she relented, and
this is what she said:

“The
first
time
I
saw
William
Almsley,
I
thought
he
was
a
monster
from
my
worst
nightmares,
one
of
the
evil
spirits
that
haunt
my
homeland.
He
could have
easily passed for
Akima,
the Revenger,
the Destroyer.

“A
few
days
earlier, my
village
had
been
attacked
by
Shronese
raiders. The
raiders
had
us,
at
least
thirty,
bound
together;
our
feet
free
so
that
they could
herd
us
to
the
coast
and
their
ship. It
was
late,
and
they
had
bound us
in groups
to
different
trees,
placing
a
few
indifferent
guards
who
would strike
any
that
made
the
smallest
sound.
I
was
afraid
to
close
my
eyes,
so
I lay
on
the
ground
and
stared
at
the
fire.
At
first
I
thought
sleep
had
forced itself
upon
me,
for
suddenly
I
saw
a
man
next
to
the
fire, wielding
an
axe with
ruthless
efficiency.
He
killed
three
of
the
sleepers
before
the
alarm sounded,
and
soon
he
was
joined
by
others.
When
his
axe
stuck
in
the
body of
one
of
the
raiders,
he
picked
up
a
sword
and
continued
to
fight.
He
did not have any grace when he fought, and he did not fight
fair.

“The
fighting
slowed
and
he
looked
at
us.
I
swear
he
looked
directly at
me,
bloody
and
gold
in
the
firelight.
I
pushed
back
against
my
fellow captives
in
fear.
It
seemed
to
make him
stop,
and
he
looked
at
his
sword, then back,
and
then gestured at one of his men to free us.

“It was then that the leader of the raiders
was brought to him.

“‘Give
me the password,’
he said,
resting the point of the sword against the other man’s
throat.
His voice carried,
calm and
controlled.

“They
exchanged
unpleasantries,
and
finally,
the
leader
said,
‘What
will
you give me?’

“‘I
won’t
kill
you.’
William lifted
the
sword
away,
and
the
leader
gave him
the
safe
word.
I
did not
understand
what
it
was,
and
he
never
told
me. He walked away,
and
one of the other men killed the leader.

“He
walked
past
me.
The
main
ropes
had
been
cut
free,
so
I
could
stand and
walk,
but my wrists were still bound.

“
“
You said...
’
I
began.

“
’
I
could
argue
t
hat
I
said
I,
personally,
would
not
kill
him, but
that’s just
sema
n
tics.
’
He
came
over
reluctantly
and
took
out
a
small
knife
and started
sawing
through
my
ropes.
‘
I
don’t suppose,
after
this
experience, you
would
accept
an
outsider’s
word,
anyway.’ The
rope
fell
free.
‘Wiggle your
fingers,
too,
don’t
just
rub
your
wrists.
When
you
can,
take
this
knife, start freeing the rest.
We’ll
get you back
to your village.
’

“When
he
had
made
good
on
his
promise,
I found
my
family
was
dead. There
was
nothing
left
for
me,
nothing
at
all,
so
I
married
his
first mate, whose
speech
was
filled
with
flowery
promises
of
a
completely
new
and
brilliant
life
that
lay
for
me
across
the
sea.
I
came
because
it
was
a
life
that I
could
have,
and
because
I
wanted
to
see
snow.
I
came
because
no
one
else will
reward
William,
even
though
it
was
he
who
led
without
thinking
to
free people
he
had
no
reason
to
care
about,
and
perhaps
som
e
day
I will
be
able to do something for
him
that will make
up for
it.”

Tasmin
chewed
on
the
edge
of
her
thumb
until
Cecelia
gently
took
her hand away
and
forced
it
down
on
her
lap.

“Ladies
of
worth
do
not
have bloody thumbs,” she said.

“But how did he
come to
buy you?”

Cecelia
blushed.
“We
were
at
port
a
few
weeks
later,
and
I
got
kidnapped. I
was
told
not
to
go
off
the
ship, but
I
thought
my
husband
was
being
a bully.
William went
after
me,
bought
me
back
himself,
not
knowing if
any of
those
men
would
recognize
him
from
some
battle
and
decide
to
get
even. He
made
a lot
of
enemies
among
the
pirates
because
twice,
when
the
Navy was
not
around,
and
a
ship
was
being
attacked
by
p
i
rates,
he
interfered.
He always
said
he
only
ever
had
to
do
what
must
be
done.
And
that,
in
truth,
is why I
feel like I
owe him
my life.”

“So you’re telling me that my husband-to-be is savage and
foolhardy?”

“No,
I
would
never
use
those
words
to
describe
him,
and
neither
should you.
I
am
saying
that
he
is
ruthless
and
direct
and
that
sometimes
he
can be
utterly without caution.
His whole family is.
You
are
protected
from
the worst
of
it
because
you
are
his
intended,
but
there
is
no
such
affection
to stop
the
rest
of
the
family
from
doing
whatever
they
desire
to
you.”
She looked
again
at
the
place
where
the
dummy
had
stood.
The
shroud
that
had
covered the dress was folded over
a
chair.