glad she waited, though she was to wed in less than a week with the Marquess of Lansing. But hell with that. He’s the one wedding Rose and it is to take place as soon as he gets to Bridlington. After that, he will come back to settle everything. As long as his enemy is located, nothing should forestall his return.
* * *
“Seriously, I can’t believe I had to be blindfolded to exit out of your Haven of Light,” said Laguna as he pulls off the cloth that covered his eyes and threw it on the ground.
“It was for your safety,” laughed Avangelene as she fell on the grass.
Laguna strip off his shirt and shook the water out of his pants.
“Safety, my arse. Look at me. I’m all soaked. My stitches could have gotten infected. Was it really necessary for us to cross through a river?”
His stitches, she had totally forgotten. Oh well.
“It was part of the exit,” Avangelene answered.
“Then why aren’t you wet?”
Avangelene shrugged and lay down on the grass, savoring the warmth of the sun. “I took the stepping stones, of course. It was easier to guide you through.”
“I could have used the stepping stones.”
“No, you might fall off and drown while being blindfolded,” Avangelene teased, though she knows he could probably swim to his safety.
“Why did I have to be blindfolded?” Laguna asked her again.
“Because you’re a duke,” she answered gleefully.
“Or is it because you don’t want me to know where to enter into your Haven of Light?”
Well, Avangelene was surprise. She has got to admit that this duke has much more of a brain than most duke of her association.
“Maybe,” Avangelene answered with a smile. But really there are two separate tunnels to enter and exit out of the place so it was not really a concern to her. The exit is different from the entrance.
“And why is that?” asked the duke.
“The answer is obvious,” she answered, spreading her arms out on the grass. “You should know already.”
“You don’t want me to return.”
Really intelligent of him to say.
“You have no reasons to,” she said, sighing as she sat back up. “I think you better get going, I mean, you do have a place to go to, right?
“Perhaps,” the duke nodded. “Since your brother is not coming.”
“What do you mean by he’s not coming?” Could Leon possibly be in danger? She has to know.
“He probably went back to save Lady Rose. The marquess captured her,” he told her.
“Lady Rose, his…”
“His bride-to-be.”
Avangelene almost couldn’t believe it.
“Leon’s getting married?”
“Apparently so, after everything’s over.”
Everything. With the marquess she presumed.
Avangelene was filled with sudden excitements and joy. Her brother’s going to get married. The first wedding in the family. It sounded incredulous.
“You are not jesting, are you?” she asked, just to make sure.
“Were you jesting when you said I had to be blindfolded? No, I am not jesting.”
“Good. Where do you think Leon is at the moment?” She will go help her brother if it meant he was going to wed after this marquess deal.
“Islington, I would think,” he said. “It’s possible that Lansing still has Lady Rose captive somewhere down there.”
“We should go there, then,” Avangelene suggested. “If he’s not coming back for you, then he might be in danger.”
“I don’t think Leon would want you to go there.”
He was right on that. Jack and them hadn’t wanted her to go either. She wonders how they’re doing on their quest to finding Leon. She had wanted to go with them, but good thing she didn’t, otherwise she will be wasting her time. Although she does want to know if they have crossed path with Leon.
“Well, Leon’s not here to disapprove, Duke. We could go.”
The duke merely stared at her speechless. She was going to make him take her no matter what.
“Are you that afraid of Leon?” she asked, just to pinch his pride a little. “You are a Duke.”
“Me being a duke has nothing to do with it,” he countered. “It’s mainly...”
“It’s all right, Duke,” Avangelene interjected. She must be getting on his nerve at the moment. “Leon won’t bite your head off or anything.”
“I know he…Never mind. We could go,” the Duke said, giving in. “But first, you’ve got to stop calling me Duke. I dislike it.”
“You don’t like it?” Avangelene chuckled and stood up on her feet. “Whatever you wish.” And just to annoy him one last time, she added, “Duke.”
“I’m serious,” he said, his eyes darkening at her.
She just laughed and smiled at him.
Minx, Laguna thought as