Chapter One #4
Garran, standing on the other side of the ladies, heard her.
“Mayhap it is good that you did not, my lady,” he said.
“There were thieves running off with the possessions that had been thrown out into the streets. Had they run off with yours, we would have had to tear apart the northern end of the city looking for them.”
Courtly looked at the big, broad knight with the black eyes. “I would not have asked that of you, I assure you,” she said. “But I find it quite sad that people must steal because they do not have food to eat or clothing to wear. That is why they steal, you know. They have nothing else.”
Garran glanced at Maximus over the lady’s blond head, seeing his own thoughts reflected in Maximus’ eyes.
She is na?ve, this one. A crystal princess raised in a crystal palace with the only true grasp of the world being what she had been told.
Women such as Lady Courtly rarely had a true idea of the evils of the world, protected as they were. Garran cleared his throat politely.
“Mayhap, my lady,” he replied. “But it is also equally as likely that they are simply greedy or wicked. It could be any number of reasons.”
Courtly was still watching the smoldering ruins. “Poverty does terrible things to people.”
Maximus was looking at her. There was something sad in her tone.
“Poverty and greed drive men to do bold and wicked things,” he said, changing the subject because he didn’t want to debate the morals of mankind with her.
He’d seen far more than this guileless lady could ever lay claim to.
“I seem to recall that the de Laras have a townhome in Oxford. Why is it that you did not stay there instead of this hostel?”
If Courtly noticed the obvious change in focus, and she would have had to have been daft not to, she didn’t comment on it. She smiled politely.
“You know a great deal about us, Sir Maximus,” she said. “I wonder what else you know?”
He gave her a half-grin. “I have always been one to remember tiny, little details,” he said. “Once I hear or read something, I never forget it. It is a gift or a curse, depending on how one looks at it.”
“How do you look at it?”
“It depends upon the information.”
Courtly’s smile turned genuine. “I think it is a wonderful gift,” she said. “As for the de Lara home, we have one in Kennington, which is a few miles south of Oxford. However, my father’s sister is in residence right now and he dislikes her intensely, so we must stay in town.”
Maximus snorted. “I had an uncle like that,” he muttered.
“My father could not stand to be around him for a variety of reasons. He is the uncle that we used to… well, it does not matter what we used to do. In any case, it is a pity your stay in town resulted in the loss of your possessions, but at least you retained your lives. That is what matters most, is it not?”
Courtly was watching him intently. “What did you used to do to your uncle?”
Maximus shook his head. “Childhood antics, my lady. Not worth mentioning.”
“Will you tell me if I ask very nicely?”
“Nay.”
“Why not?”
“Because we were terrible children and I do not want you to think ill of me.”
Courtly laughed softly. “I would never do that,” she said, a mischievous glimmer in her eye. “I will beg you if I have to.”
“Do not beg.”
“I will. I am about to do it. I swear, I will.”
Maximus was trying not to grin, trying not to look at her, but she was being very charming. It was extremely difficult to resist.
“Beg all you like,” he said, turning away from her so he wouldn’t have to look at that lovely, charming face. “I will never tell you. I would rather die than tell you.”
Courtly could sense a game afoot. “That seems rather harsh,” she said, feigning seriousness. “Did you steal from him, then?”
“Nay.”
“Beat him?”
“Nay.”
She sighed deeply. “Then I cannot guess what it is,” she said, pretending to be resigned and miserable.
“It would seem that I must go to my grave not knowing what you and your brothers did to this uncle. It is a terrible curse you have put upon me. Do you not know that a woman’s curiosity must be satisfied or else? ”
He looked at her then, grinning. “Or else what?”
She could see she had his interest and she looked away, being playful. “I cannot tell you,” she said, turning the tables on him. “You would not like the answer.”
“Tell me.”
She shook her head. “I would rather die than tell you,” she said, using his own words. “And do not beg because it will not do any good.”
She was clever, this one. Maximus appreciated her quick wit very much, seeing how she had turned the tables against him. Oddly, it made him respect her, for this was no simple-minded woman. She was sharp. With that in mind, he sighed in contemplation.
“Very well, then,” he said, folding his arms across his broad chest and pretending to be cross. “I will tell you what my brothers and I did to our uncle if you will tell me what happens when a woman’s curiosity is not sated.”
Courtly looked at him, pointing a finger at him. “Quickly,” she hissed. “Tell me swiftly. It will be less painful that way. Hurry!”
Maximus did as he was told without hesitation. “My uncle would fart uncontrollably when he slept and my brothers and I would light his farts a-fire,” he said. “One time, we burned up his breeches.”
Courtly burst out in a loud guffaw, slapping her hand over mouth to stifle the laughter. “You didn’t!”
“We did.”
She snorted into her hand, laughing deeply, but Maximus feigned a scowl at her. “Stop laughing,” he muttered swiftly. “Quickly, tell me what would have happened had I not sated your curiosity.”
Courtly removed her hand from her mouth, displaying her lovely smile in full bloom. “Nothing,” she said, throwing up her hands. “I simply said that so you would feel sorry for me and tell me what I wanted to know.”
Maximus pretended to be very cross when, in truth, he was swept up in her gentle flirt as surely as a leaf swept up in a breeze. He had no control over anything at the moment. He was purely at her mercy.
“You are a terrible woman to tease me like that,” he said. “Can you not see how gullible I am?”
Courtly’s smile never left her face, her gaze riveted to him as if he were the only man in the entire world. “I cannot imagine the great Maximus de Shera to be gullible,” she said. “I would imagine you are the smartest brother of all. You said so yourself.”
He shook his head. “I did not say I was the smartest brother,” he corrected her. “I simply said that I remember everything I am told. If my brothers heard me say that I was the smartest of all of them, they would beat me and roll me in pitch.”
Courtly giggled at his admission. She was coming to find the man very humorous and very delightful.
As she opened her mouth to reply, a distant shouting stopped her.
Both she and Maximus turned in the direction of the avenue leading from St. Clement’s Church in time to see well-armed men on expensive horses heading in their direction.
Maximus recognized the de Lara bird of prey immediately.
Through the smoke and ash, armored men surrounded them and the man in the lead, riding a big, dappled charger, leapt from his steed. His gaze was on the women and on Maximus in particular. His confusion, and his concern, was apparent.
“De Shera?” he addressed Maximus, his brow furrowed, before looking to Courtly. “Court, what has happened? What goes on?”
Courtly pointed to the pile of smoldering ruins that had once been their hostel. “There was a fire, Papa,” she told him seriously. “Sir Maximus and Sir Garran saved our lives. We had to jump from the window and they were here to save us.”