Chapter Five: To Wed Or Not To Wed?
Christine groaned internally as Raoul threw his arm around her shoulder and began steering her down the main street.
"This really isn't a good time, Vicomte," she protested weakly.
"I have chores to finish."
But Raoul just scoffed before forcing her into the village tavern.
Christine wrinkled her nose in disgust at the heavy smell of smoke combined with the leers and catcalls of quite a few drunken men.
"Really, Christine," Raoul sighed as he sank into a comfortable seat near the empty fireplace, forcing her onto his lap regardless of her desperate attempts to move away.
"You can't remain unmarried forever."
"I mean," he continued, waving a hand toward an older woman who was wandering past, clutching a small tin cup, "just look at poor Vivienne, barely even thirty years of age, and already reduced to begging on the streets!"
He clucked disapprovingly and Christine felt her temper rising.
"Of course," he went on, "you're still young enough to avoid such a tragic fate, especially for one with your beauty..."
His hand trailed lightly over her neck before moving down underneath her collar.
Christine shot to her feet and slapped him so hard it sent him crashing to the floor, chair and all.
"How dare you?" she seethed, her blue eyes flashing with rage before storming out of the tavern.
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