“Mostly the latter,” Simon admitted with a smirk. “However, had you stuck your head out of the door in the last two days you would have found that I sprained my ankle the evening of our arrival.”
Suspicious, Draven crossed his arms over his chest. “Doing what?”
“Walking.”
“Walking?” he asked in disbelief.
“Aye, walking,” Simon repeated. “Unfortunately, I have been unable to escort the lady. The least you could do is take her for me.”
“I don’t have time for such frivolities.”
“Oh, that’s right, I forgot. You must get back home and mope. How silly of me.”
Draven stiffened at his audacity. “Careful, brother,” he growled, “you overstep your bounds.”
“Heaven forbid I should do that. But,” Simon paused and leaned forward on his elbows. “I would make a small request that you do take the lady. From what I’ve heard from Christina, Emily has never been allowed off her father’s lands. She has never once seen a fair, and if you have any kindness in your heart toward her, you would let her go this one time. She’ll probably never have another chance again in her life.”
Simon was manipulating him. He knew it most certainly. However, from what he’d heard himself, he knew Emily had led a most sheltered existence. Having lived his childhood under his own father’s ridiculous dictates, he could well understand her wishing to do something entertaining. Even though he didn’t care for such events, he knew enough about women to know Emily would have fun.
No doubt she would even smile a bit.
His mood lightened instantly as he contemplated her winsome smile.
Pleasing her wouldn’t be so bad, would it?
Draven looked blankly at his brother. “Hurt your ankle, did you?”
“Back to that are we?” Simon lifted his right leg up to the side of the table so that Draven could see it. “As you can plainly see my ankle is quite swollen.”
Not from what Draven could tell, but then Simon placed it back under his chair so quickly he scarcely got more than a glimpse of it. “We leave in the morning,” Draven announced as he turned about to leave. “Swollen ankle or not.”
Nine
With Alys trailing behind her, Emily came down the stairs with a heavy heart. She wished she could say a quick good-bye to Christina, but her friend was still in her solar with Orrick.
Though it would serve Lord Draven right to wait for her again, Emily didn’t have the heart to even torment him. Not when she felt this disappointed. She had come so close to seeing a fair.
Crestfallen, she descended the stairs to find said ogre waiting by the door. Without a word, she handed Draven the saddlebags.
In turn he handed the saddlebags over to her maid. “Take those back upstairs.”
Emily frowned as she raised her gaze from the floor to his face. “Now I’m not even allowed to take those with me?”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “You may bring it if you like, but you’ll look rather odd carrying saddlebags at the fair.”
Joy raced through her as her mood instantly brightened. “You’ll let me go after all?”
He gave her a chiding stare. “You should have told me Simon had yet to take you. I never break my word, milady. The whole reason I allowed you to come here was to see the fair. I wouldn’t consider returning you to Ravenswood until you’ve had the opportunity.”
Impulsively, she threw her arms about him and squeezed him tightly. He tensed and quickly stepped out of her hold.
Still, his actions didn’t daunt her. She felt too wonderful at the moment to take any slight.
“Careful, milord, else I might begin to suspect you’re not the evil ogre you portray.”
He didn’t answer her verbally, but there was a subtle softening to his features.
“How long will it take us to get there?” she asked.
