My Rogue Lord

Chapter 20

Katherine slowly opened her eyes before quickly shutting them. Her head pained her something fierce this morn. Such fierceness, all her mother's attempts at redeeming her seemed like a blessing in disguise. Why would her head be pounding. As far as she remembered, nothing would have warranted such immense pain.

"Oh." Katherine moaned softly, her heavy fingers moving for her temples. As her eyes squeezed shut.

"Feels like a bitch. This tonic shall help. Here."

Katherine's eyes flew open, her pain forgotten. There was a man in her chambers!
She willed her head to turn towards the voice. Her body sagged in relief as she saw her Lout. Albeit, her relief was shortly lived.

"You ought not be in my chambers, my lord. Tis befitting."

"Damn everything to the seven hells." Jonathan muttered darkly as he gently sat Katherine upright. Even now she could not let go of her propriety. Dark circles covered her eyes while her skin was a deathly pale shade. And her eyes, her bewitching eyes, usually filled with a depth of emotion were filled with immense pain. Still, she spoke of propriety. Propriety be damned.

"Firstly, my beautiful bride to be, you are in my chambers, not your own. Secondly, you seemed not so keen on propriety when you attempted to seduce me last night." Jonathan smirked inwardly as he felt her body tense.

"You lie!" Katherine screeched, wide eyed. She winced as the action hurt her already throbbing head.

"I lie, most certainly, but not to you.
Jonathan chuckled as he pressed a cup to her lips. "The tonic tastes vile, but it shall help with your head."

"Did I hit my head?" Katherine inquired as she took the cup and drank the tonic. If it was vile, one would never know. For Katherine's face remained impassive. Completely stoic, as the vile tincture made its way down her throat.

"Nay, my lady." Jonathan tried in vain to hide his laughter. Drunk Katherine was certainly amusing.

"You had one too many to drink."

"It is unbefitting for a lady to be lost in her cups." Katherine snapped, her ears reddened in embarrassment. She didn't know what the Lout was saying, but she most certainly had not been lost in her cups.
"Unbefitting or not, I find this particular lady equally beguiling." The heat of his gaze did strange things to Katherine. She felt very warm suddenly, it must be the effect of the tonic she assured herself. Yet, she knew it for the lie it was.

"You do not remember anything from the night?"

Katherine scrunched her pert nose for a moment before recognition colored her pale face.

"That treacherous man! He put something in my drink. A most immoral trait for a person's character." Katherine frowned looking into her cup. There was only one sip left. How could anyone do such a vile act?

"Rule of life. Never trust anyone to bring you a drink at an affair. Ever." Jonathan instructed as he took away her now empty cup before returning to his chair beside the bed.

"What if it were a friend?" Katherine patiently waited a response.

"A friend today is an enemy tomorrow, Kitten. Never drink from anyone."

"And yet you take a glass offered by Lord Dracmore?" Her voice held a hint of childish anger.

"Edward and I have a bond thicker than blood." Jonathan answered dismissively.

"What else do you remember?"