Lara met Talon’s gaze, her own veiled,and turned Shadow toward her house, Wolf loping ahead and Talontrailing behind.Denys came out of the barn as they rode into theyard and took Shadow’s reins as Lara dismounted.Talon dismountedfrom the Black and offered his hand to Denys.
“Thank you,” Talon toldthe lad, who’d agreed to stay on and help Lara with the livestockand the property for the price of his room and board and the chanceto become her aide and apprentice in the healing arts.“I feelbetter knowing you’ll be here.”
“Thank you, Captain.Forgiving me this chance.I won’t let you down.”
Talon clasped the lad’s shoulder,which had grown thicker with the steady work and meals here.“Iknow you won’t.”
Denys led Shadow off to the barn andTalon turned to Lara, who stood with tears in her eyes, chin up andtrembling.He laid an arm around her shoulder and tucked her closeas he walked her into the house.As soon as the door shut behindthem, he enveloped her in his embrace and buried his nose into herhair, breathing in the spicy sweet scent of rose soap and earthywoman.Of her.
“I love you, Lara,” hewhispered roughly.“I have since the first moment you smiled at mefourteen years ago.”She lifted her head and met his gaze, hazeleyes swimming with tears.“I’ve wanted you as a man wants a womanfrom the moment I saw you standing bare-legged in the river, yourdamp clothes clinging to your lovely body, and I’ve only wanted youmore, loved you more, every moment since.”He cupped her chin andlifted it up, running his thumb along her smiling lips, wet withher tears.“I will come back to you, my rose.I swearit.”
CHAPTER 21
Battles
Talon
“Why so dour, Captain?’Tis the eve of Christ’s Mass.You should becelebrating.”
Talon looked up from his fifth cup ofwine.Gertruda, a striking brunette with perceptive brown eyeswearing a low-cut gown of red velvet, sat down on the couch in theking’s salon beside him.A few years older than Talon and the widowof a general he’d served under in Lombardy, she was a favorite ofthe queen’s court.She and Talon had celebrated Christ’s Masstogether at court two years ago, and by the look in her eyes andher suggestive smile, she was inviting him to join heragain.
“Sorry, Gertruda.”Talonsloshed his wine around his half-empty cup and took another swig.“Not in the mood.”
Gertruda rose her slim brows high onher powdered forehead.She laid a pale hand on his sleeve and ranher long, tapered fingernails from his elbow to his wrist and backagain.“I can change your mood,” she purred.“You know Ican.”
Talon brushed her hand off.“I doubtit.”
Gertruda eyed him with something akinto amusement.“Who’s the lucky lady?”
Talon drained the last of his wine.“Who’s what?”
“Who’s the woman thatcauses you to stew in your cups and glower at any other female whodares come within ten feet of your scowling visage?”
“What makes you think it’sa woman?”He sat back and crossed his arms across his chest.“Maybemy favorite horse died.”
She laughed lightly.“Does this horsehave red hair and hazel eyes, whose braid you carry in yourpocket?”
Talon pressed his hand to his breastpocket, where Lara’s parting gift to him nestled over his heart.“How’d you know about…” Lara’s name stuck in his throat.
Gertruda smiled, not unkindly.Talonfollowed her gaze to where the queen sat surrounded by a gaggle ofwomen watching him and cackling among themselves.
“The king told the queenabout a certain cook’s lad who was a girl.A young woman who had soblinded the stout-hearted Captain Guiscard that no other woman needeven try to catch his steely eye.”
“Ah.”Talon cocked a browat the queen and her clutch of hens, many of whom had approachedhim at one time or another since his arrival in Worms.Gertruda hadsimply been the most recent and forthcoming.
“A handsome, virile man inlove with another woman,” she said with a slow, sensuous shrug ofher exposed shoulders, “is a challenge to some women.”
“I’m sure he is,”Phillipe, who’d been drinking with the king and several other menacross the room only moments before, said from behind the couch.“But his one wildcat of a woman would happily claw the eyes out ofany other woman brazen enough to go after her man.”
“I see.”Gertruda rosewith a polite smile.“Thank you, for the warning.”
Phillipe nodded as she walked away,heading straight for the queen, no doubt to impart her new bit ofgossip.
“Keeping your promise toLara?”Talon said as Phillipe took the now empty seat besidehim.
“What promise would thatbe?”
“No need to play dumb withme.She told me of the oath she made you swear to her.”
