Chapter Fifteen #4
“Then go entertain yourself elsewhere,” Ares said. “You are bright and inventive, de Lohr. Think of something.”
Peter sighed sadly. “Alas, they will not let me out of their sight,” he said. “All they want to speak on are battle stories I have heard a thousand times. They are old men and have no idea how to have a good time.”
“Just what good time did you have in mind?”
Neither Corisande nor Ares had asked the question. It came from Cole as he suddenly appeared from behind a de Bourne tent. He headed towards them, like a panther stalking prey. Only he wasn’t stalking Corisande or Ares, but the rather oblivious Peter.
The man had no idea just how close he was to a de Velt beating.
“Greetings, Cole,” Corisande said. “Ares was escorting me back to the cooking area.”
Cole smiled faintly at her, but his attention swiftly turned to Peter, who had no idea why Cole was looking at him as if he wanted to throttle him.
“Good eve, Cole,” he said, puzzled. “I was just telling Lady Corisande that sitting with my father and uncle has me bored to tears. I was going to hang myself simply for something to do.”
“Nay,” Cole rumbled, taking a step towards him. “Let me hang you.”
“Peter,” Ares said as he let go of Corisande and put himself between Cole and Peter. “I shall take pity on your boredom. My brothers and I were about to start a game of chance, so you can join us. Bring the de Lohr millions with you. I want your money and I want it tonight.”
He began to drag Peter away, who literally had no idea why he was being manhandled or why Cole looked as if he wanted to kill him until Ares explained the situation to him later, for his own safety. As Cole stood there and watched him go, he felt a gentle hand on his arm.
“He was perfectly polite,” she said, sensing why Cole was up in arms. “You truly have nothing to worry about.”
Cole still wouldn’t look at her, watching Ares and Peter disappear into the de Bourne tent. “You are correct – I do not,” he said, turning to face her. “But he does. I must have a talk with Peter to ensure he does not enter another man’s territory.”
Corisande fought off a grin. “Am I your territory?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “If he takes another step in your direction, he is going to find out the hard way.”
She couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore. Wrapping her hands around his big forearm, she began to pull him towards the surgeon’s wagon.
“You have nothing to worry about,” she assured him again before changing the subject.
“My father wanted to tell me that he will give permission for our marriage provided you settle the situation with Audrie de Longley. We happen to have my brothers’ approvals as well.
Therefore, we are practically betrothed. ”
As she had hoped, her diversion worked. Cole looked down his nose at her, a smile playing on his lips. “Then this is already the best day of my life.”
“Truly?”
“Truly.”
She smiled up at him before laying her cheek against his arm affectionately. “Mine, too,” she said. “My father also says that I can sleep in town tonight. But I told him a little lie.”
“What lie?”
“That I was going to bring Gaia with me,” she said. “Let me be clear – I am not going to bring her. But I told him that so he would not think I was sleeping alone.”
Cole almost said what he was thinking, but he refrained.
You will not be sleeping alone. But he didn’t mean it in the lewd sense, that he’d only rented a room for her simply to take advantage of her.
He didn’t mean that at all. But he wasn’t going to leave her alone in a town surrounded by over seven thousand men.
He intended to stay with her and watch her sleep simply to make sure she was safe.
Truth be told, it was the night before battle.
He wanted to spend what might be his last remaining moments with her.
“I see,” he said after a moment. “Then collect your bag, or whatever you wish to bring, and make your excuses to your sister. While the men are eating boiled pig, you shall dine on the finest the tavern has to offer and sleep in the most comfortable bed I could procure. My future wife shall have only the best.”
She smiled at his determination to take great care of her. In truth, she liked it very much. “There’s one more thing,” she said.
“What?”
“I’ve not even met your father yet and I have been on a battle march with him for two days.”
He chuckled, low in his throat. “Not to worry,” he said. “Who do you think I have invited to sup with us?”
The thought of meeting Jax de Velt was thrilling. A little intimidating, but thrilling. Corisande gripped his hand, her eyes alight with the possibility.
“Wait here,” she said. “Let me grab my satchel. If Gaia happens to see me, I do not want her to see us together. She might become suspicious.”
“I’ll wait.”
Flashing him a smile, she scurried off across the dark meadow, heading for the surgeon’s wagon in the distance, and Cole watched her like there was nothing else on earth worth watching. Wholeheartedly, with his entire being.
She consumed him.
As he’d told her, it was already the best day of his life.
A life that he prayed was only going to get better.