“I was doing well enoughas Hamm.”
The captain laughed, short and harsh.“You had Lothair intent on strangling you as Hamm and another ofRanulf’s men bragging on how he was going to give it to Hamm up theass first time he got the lad alone.”
Lara dropped her chin, embarrassedbeyond speech.
“Phillipe,” the captainordered.“Set up my tent, two guards each shift, three shifts anight.”
“Aye, Captain.”
“And you.”He pierced Larawith his gaze of honed steel, taking in his tunic on her, whichonly covered her legs to her knees and was soaked up to her belly.“Go dry yourself and your clothes by the fire.I can’t have youwalking through camp like that, or I’ll be fighting my own menoff.”
CHAPTER 14
Roncesvalles Pass
Talon
Talon stepped through the flap to histent.“Prepare yourself.”He told Lara.“The kingawaits.”
She stood smoothing her tunic, thenhitched up her breeches, tightened her waist belt, and pulled hercap down over the mop of brown curls that brought a scowl to Talonevery time he looked at her.
“Come on.”He led her outof his tent, a space so small he’d lain only an arm’s length fromher the past two sleepless nights, staring at the curves of herbackside and silently cursing himself and her.
Phillipe and Dardinel took theirpositions to each side of Lara, with Tree behind her.As Talon ledthe way through the three rings of tents between their camp and theking’s, scores of men stopped to stare at the cook’s boy that was agirl, fooling an entire company of soldiers for a hundred leagues.After staring down one mouth-breathing, hirsute group of Bretons,Talon looked over his shoulder at Lara, her eyes wide and herexpression wary as she glanced wildly from one man’s lasciviousleer to another.
He slowed and took her hand.“Keepyour eyes forward.”
She grasped his hand, and some of thewildness left her eyes, though none of the wariness.Any othertime, he would’ve been mush at her holding on to him, but he wasstill furious with her.They arrived at the king’s large,comfortably appointed tent hand in hand, and he had to pull hisfingers from hers to present her to the king.
“My liege.”He dipped hishead to Charles, who sat facing them across his table as twomenservants discreetly melted into the tent’s shadows.
Charles looked Lara over from cap toboots, his expression giving nothing of what he thought away.Talonclamped down on a grin.If Lara thought Sophie’s scoldings were anordeal, he couldn’t wait until the king was finished withher.
“So.”Charles eyed hersternly.“You are the infamous Lara, who crippled my cousin, becamecaptive and madelidito Captain Guiscard here, who, when told by your master, mycaptain, that you were not to come on this march, disguisedyourself as a lad, a cook’s helper, and came despite what you wereordered.”He paused, warming to his lecture.“You have also almostgotten yourself beaten, or worse, twice now, causing my captain noend of trouble from having to assign two of his men to guard youday and night when they should be guarding me, to causing him topitch his tent, when he greatly prefers his bedroll out under thestars on these hot August nights.”He turned to Talon.“Is thatabout it?”
Talon shook his head.“Not even byhalf.”
Charles’s eyes lit with amusement, butTalon didn’t think it was funny.Any of it.Nor would Charles ifit’d been him who’d been made her jailer, driven to distraction byher day and night.
“So,” Charles said toLara.“What have you to say for yourself?Do you truly expect me tocall your wergeld paid, your service to the crown rendered in fullfor disobeying the captain’s, your master’s, direct orders andcausing him no end, and that is a direct quote, oftrouble?”
Lara stood silent as Charles steepledhis fingers and tapped his fingertips, a thing he’d once admittedto Talon he did to avoid smiling when he didn’t wish to be seendoing so.
“No, Sire,” she answeredCharles at last.“I do not expect to be rewarded for mydisobedience.”
“Smart answer.”Charlesunsteepled his fingers.“But then Talon did say you were anintelligent woman.”Lara slid a sideways glance at Talon, whocoughed and shifted on his feet as Charles sat back, still eyeingLara.“Now the question is, what do I do with you?”
“I could cook for you, myking,” she answered quickly.“Then I would be no more trouble forCaptain Guiscard.”
“Yes, well.”Charlesstared at Talon’s cheek, so Talon reached up and rubbed it, feelingnothing but his old scar there.“You could cook for me; however, Iam assured by my captain’s second that I would have immediatetrouble in the form of forty soldiers protesting the loss of theircook.Therefore, I think it best you stay with Captain Guiscard’stroop and cook for them as you have been.”He glanced between them,finally resting on Lara.“And because I trust my captain’s decisionon this matter, he will decide, when this march is over, how muchof your wergeld has been paid by your service to hiscompany.”
Lara dropped her chin to her chest.“Yes, my king.”
Charles indicated that they shouldsit.“Talon told me you play Shah,” he said as Talon pulled a chairout for Lara.“I’ve not played since he deserted me outside ofZaragoza to go galloping back across Spain and take up the post atOloron.A post he seemed unusually eager to take up.”Charleswinked at Lara.“Now I see why.”
Lara’s cheeks turned a pretty shade ofrose beneath her dyed tan as Talon took his seat.
“I was eager to get out ofa boring siege and leave the cursed heat of the Spanish plains,” hegrumbled.
