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Lenny stood. “I’ll go back with you, Archer.” He looked to Val and Cole. “You two talk. Me, I need more sleep. Cole, I’ll see you later.”
After Drake’s earlier show of pique, Val wasn’t sure how she felt about him being responsible for getting Cole back to the Christophe but decided to worry about it when the time came. “Thank you, Archer.”
As he and Lenny exited, Val wondered where Drake might be, but turned her attention to Cole. “How’s your leg?”
He looked down and rubbed the knee slowly. “Aches. Between the long ocean crossing, the train ride, and the humidity here, I probably should’ve gone with Archer, too. It needs rest.”
He’d received the injury while fighting with the United States Colored Troops at the Battle of New Market Heights. Lenny had been a corpsman in the hospital where he was taken to recover. She was glad Cole hadn’t been among the hundreds of men killed that day. However, he’d need the cane for the rest of his life.
He asked, “If you do decide not to accompany us to California, what will you do about your father?”
He brought up a question that was looming in the back of her mind like a threatening storm. “I don’t know, but I won’t be married off like Caroline. Seeing her so unhappy makes my heart ache.”
“He’s going to insist on you marrying though, and if you tell him no, as I know you will, he’ll be on the first train heading south.”
It was an apt prediction. Harrison Lacy was convinced his daughter’s rebellious ways could only be cured by a husband’s firm hand. He’d grudgingly consented to her marrying Cole because he worked for Cole’s father and didn’t want to jeopardize his employment. If Cole was no longer in the picture, he’d declare it within his rights to choose a replacement, and demand she meekly agree. The thought was infuriating, and admittedly, something she didn’t want to think about.
They spent the next hour rehashing his trip to Paris, talking about his parents, and reminiscing on their shared past. Once they were done, he eyed her for a long moment before saying, “So you never did answer my question about LeVeq. Do you have feelings for him?”
She’d hoped he’d let the question lie, but he knew her better than anyone.
“You know you can be truthful with me, Val. We hatched this marriage scheme to cover for me and Lenny, but I won’t have you sacrificing your chance to have what we have out of a sense of loyalty to us.”
She thought for a long moment before asking, “What is love, Cole?”
He gave her a small smile. “Missing them when you’re apart. The joy in waking up each morning and knowing that person is there, and how blessed you are to be given another day together. Wanting the best for them and them wanting the same for you. It’s many things, Val, both large and small.”
She let that fill her mind and heart.
“I want you to be happy, Val. You’ve always wanted to conquer the world. Love with the right person makes us stronger, not weaker. I hope what I’ve said helps?”
“It does. Thank you.”
Although Cole had been doing his best to conceal the pain from his injured leg, she could see it in his furrowed brow and his tightly set jaw. “Let me find Drake so he can get you back to the Quarter. You need to rest.”
He didn’t argue. “I’d appreciate that.”
She rose from her chair. “Be right back.”
She found Drake seated in the gazebo with a cup of coffee. When he glanced up at her approach, she was flooded by memories of their passionate night.
“If you’ve come to scold me, you’ve every right,” he said to her.
“You promised you’d be nice.”
“I did, and I apologize. First, Archer woke us up, then you ran out to see to your guests. It wasn’t how I’d envisioned our morning.”
The gentleness in his tone touched her and she found his disappointment endearing, even if he had acted like an angry pirate. “Will you drive Cole back to the Christophe? His leg is paining him.”
“Of course. Have you eaten?”
“No.”
“I left you some food on the stove. We can go after you’re done.”
She wanted to protest taking the time to eat. The sooner Cole returned to his room, the sooner he could take the weight off his leg, but arguing would only delay the journey as well. “Okay. I won’t be long.”
He stood. “In the meantime, I’ll go apologize.”
