Taming His Demon Lover-Chapter 20: Simply too good to be true

Robin still felt tired but was too agitated to contemplate thoughts of sleep and still felt disoriented about what occurred after he passed out in the bathtub.

His hair was a mess with a few strands that were soaked from his bath and clung to his forehead.

Best of all those big eyes were striking, even Malachi was not impervious to the boy’s charm; he stared at Robin’s mouth guiltily before turning away.

Small and plump, that mouth was what would intrigue a man most; not very wide, not too thin, lips that were just right, full and blush pink.

Malachi kept himself busy ordering around several cabin boys to begin the wedding preparations.

A few watched Robin avidly while they worked, continuously leaving the cabin and climbing the narrow stairs to the main deck.

Some left with the heavy tub of water, while others carried in some trunks and had been bustling in and out of the cabin room all morning.

"You must be hungry," said Malachi as he went to look inside the trunks.

"I’m hungry, ravenous in fact."

"Help yourself to anything that makes your mouth water."

Two of the trunks left open were filled to the brim with food.

The trunks stored assorted dried meats, Robin glimpsed salted beef and fish.

Another trunk carried ground provisions like rice, potatoes and oatmeal.

Along with various packets of herbs, black tea, coffee beans, lard, flour, salt and sugar.

Robin pulled out a can of hard tack biscuits, a bag of mixed nuts and a box of mixed raisins and prunes and started munching right away, quenching his thirst with water from a flask.

When Robin was done, Malachi chased all the cabin boys out and closed the door.

It was time to help Robin put on his wedding apparel.

Robin’s wedding tuxedo was a grand concoction of a white ivory jacket with satin lapels and buttons.

Enhanced with lace and gold thread and dotted with tiny seed pearls sprinkled throughout and matching white ivory trousers.

The look was complete with matching white boots made from the softest fur of chinchillas.

While Robin was eating Malachi started working on his hair, he was in dire need of a haircut but there was not enough time.

So instead Malachi brushed his hair downwards and slicked it down with olive oil, using diamond clips to secure the more errant curls behind his ears.

Shortly after there was a knock on the door and Malachi allowed the boys to return the empty tub to the cabin.

As soon as Malachi was done all the cabin boys stared at Robin in a reverent silence as if left awestruck by Malachi’s handiwork.

Then Malachi dismissed the cabin boys from the room so that he could speak to Robin in private.

"Why do you look so sad?"

Malachi seemed overly concerned for Robin’s welfare.

As Malachi regarded him with a keen interest that sprung from a genuine curiosity in his master’s affairs.

"I know that Queen Tiandra forced your Lord Mulciber to marry me. I imagine that he would have preferred to marry some fine-looking woman from a well-bred, respectable family, not some illegitimate country bumpkin like myself."

"You must forgive the master, this is not his first time getting married and due to the sensitive nature of this matter the ceremony has to be rushed. Do not think so low of yourself. You are charming and dazzling in your own way and my master doesn’t need to marry for money or beauty and if you decide to part after one year I’m sure my Lord will provide you with a settlement that is extremely generous."

"Charming describes a lot of people, especially the women that make up the vast majority of the wedding mart," rebutted Robin in a pained voice. "Oh yes, I’m sure his mistress is "charming" too. Or he wouldn’t be looking forward to rekindling his amorous affair the moment we reach his beloved Hell Island."

It was no secret that his master had the mysterious death of a first wife on his hands as well as a trail of women interested in joining him in bed.

Malachi believed wholeheartedly that this marriage would keep the marriage minded mamas and the desperate women at bay.

In fact, it was better to be with someone quiet like Robin who wouldn’t go around stirring up drama with other males.

So that Lord Mulciber would no longer have to risk his neck in duels at dawn is simply too good to be true.

"I think you are worrying about the wrong thing. I honestly believe Lord Mulciber has already taken a fancy to you. Don’t worry about his lordship’s first wife, she’s gone, buried and has suffered no great loss."

Malachi added with his usual straightforward manner, "take my advice, just don’t provoke my master to wrath and you’ll get along just fine. During the time you’re married he will be a great provider and a good husband to you. Unlike other nobles, my master cares about his people, he’ll take care of you the same as he looks after Hell’s Island."

"It’s the same fancy one would take to a new horse or the latest gadgetry."

"You can’t hold that against him, my master is not the romantic type, so don’t expect flowers or love poems," said Malachi.

He didn’t like to hear negative things about his master and felt obliged to defend him in his absence.

Robin had already resigned himself to the marriage even though he still felt wedding jitters.

Secretly, he made up his mind to keep his distance from Lord Andras, to not get too attached.

Squire James and his wife had led separate lives though they lived in the same house.

Once they were on Hell’s Islands he could ask to live in separated lodgings and they were not likely to see much of each other since Lord Mulciber would probably be busy.

He needed to turn this marriage around to his advantage; he reminded himself stoutly.

There were so many things Robin wanted to see and do, he had his own hobbies and interests to pursue.

Under Lord Andras’ protection he would have a certain freedom to try new things and decide where he wanted to go after the one year was over.

Briefly Robin wondered if the groom felt any wedding jitters.

Meanwhile in another cabin at the opposite end of the corridor.

"Your bride has a delicate constitution," remarked Zagan while serving Andras his breakfast. "I wonder if it’s from the time he spent under the care of that insane family."

"Now that he’s come into his powers he only grows stronger," responded Andras after taking another sip of the beef broth.

"So tell the truth, have you grown feelings for that kid?"