Then Joanne sobered as she looked to Emily. “Lord Draven has never struck you, has he?”
“Nay.” Why would her sister ask such? “He’s normally so in control of himself. I can’t imagine what possessed him to strike out at Niles.”
Joanne stared out the window as if she pondered Emily’s words.
Silence fell for several minutes while Emily and Judith watched Joanne’s pensive face. Something wasn’t right. Judith had confirmed her suspicions by telling Emily earlier she had noted the same peculiarities in Joanne.
“Tell me of your plans for Lord Draven… Are you making any grounds toward settling his dispute with Father?”
Emily squirmed uneasily. She loved Judith, but speaking about seducing a man she wasn’t married to in front of her religious sibling was not something she relished.
Judith patted her hand. “Judge not lest ye be judged. Have no fear of my censure, little sister. I am here tonight as your blood confident. Tomorrow you may confess your sins to Father Geoffrey.”
Emily smiled at Judith. “Well, there isn’t much to report, in truth. Draven hides from me every chance he gets.”
“Have you sought him out?” Joanne asked.
“I have tried, but he’s very good at hiding.” Emily sighed. “Tell me, how did you get Niles alone?”
“I didn’t.” Biting her lip, Joanne refused to meet their gazes. “Remember the night Father went to Cromby?”
Emily nodded.
“Niles came looking for him. You were abed with a headache, and he plied me with wine while we waited for Father to return.”
Judith gasped. “Joanne?—”
“Sh,” Joanne said, cutting off her words. “I never told either of you the whole truth. I was too afraid you would tell Father and trap me here forever.”
A wave of apprehension went through Emily. “I don’t understand.”
Joanne leaned her head back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling. “I didn’t know what I was doing.” Her voice shook from pent-up tears. “Niles led me to the pantry off the main hall. My head was spinning from the wine and his kisses were wondrous. I’d never been kissed before.”
Emily swallowed at the memory of Draven’s lips on hers. If Niles’ kiss had been anything like that, she could imagine how her sister’s head had been turned.
Joanne lowered her head and rubbed her brow with her hand. “And then he started touching me in places where no man had touched before. Oh Em, Jude, I was scared and confused, and I didn’t know what to do. I told him nay, but he kept on, and I was too terrified to call out lest someone find us there and blame me for it.”
“What are you saying, Joanne?” Judith asked.
“Did he force you?” Emily demanded.
Tears streamed down her face, but she wiped them away. “Not exactly. I was curious too, but...”
“But?” they asked in unison.
Joanne sobbed. “It hurts so much when a man takes you.”
Emily was horrified. “But you said?—”
“I know what I said. I was afraid to tell you the truth.”
Emily left the bed and gathered Joanne into a tight hug. For several minutes she held onto her, letting her sob until she was spent.
Judith wet a cloth and brought it to them, then helped dry Joanne’s tears.
When Joanne had regained some of her composure, she grabbed Emily’s hand. “Please, Em,” she whispered. “Don’t make my mistake. I’m no longer sure if life with Niles would be better than life here with father. In fact, I wish I’d listened and never courted any man.”
Emily squeezed her hand back.
