In the Shadow of Midnight - By Marsha Canham Page 0,127

for he could read her thoughts with such ease, he could probably see her confusion, see the havoc he had wrought on her senses, on her perceptions. Words, oaths, resolutions, promises … noble blood, bastard blood … what did any of it mean beside a man who kissed like fire and brought ecstasy with a touch of his hand?

Behind them, someone moved, breaking the spell. Ariel stayed at the window but Eduard turned away at once, his boots striding deliberately through the silence, winning the desired chorus of groans, yawns, and shifting bodies.

Henry rolled himself upright and rubbed his fists into his eyes. “God love me, it cannot be morning already. I vow I barely closed my eyes an hour ago.”

“Aye, well, mine eyes as well as mine nostrils have opened and shut like a fishmonger’s mouth the whole night long,” Sparrow grumbled. He slanted a meaningful glance at Sedrick, who proceeded to break wind with a satisfying grunt of pleasure. “Hark! The Toothless Wonder speaks again. A moment yet and we will all swear something died in yon breeks.”

“Bah! ’Tis better than a belch for cleaning the pipes,” Sedrick declared, blowing again for emphasis.

Sparrow screwed his eyes down to slits and hefted his arblaster. “If it be thine pipes that need cleaning, messire, I have a keener way to drill them through.”

Henry, caught between the pair of antagonists, eyed the quiver of bolts Sparrow was reaching for and moved prudently out of the way. He saw Ariel standing by the window and joined her, hesitating half a moment before he ran his hand through his hair and ventured to speak.

“You know, no one will think any the less of you if you—”

“—find I have come to my senses during the night and changed my mind?” she finished with a wry smile. “Will you also act sensibly and remain behind with me?”

Henry frowned and scratched thoughtfully at his scalp. “I believe I had a sensible day … once. It is not entirely out of the realm of the possible to think I might be inspired to have another some day.”

“Be sure to come and find me when you do. I will want to bear witness.”

“Aye, Cardigan is only a day’s ride from Pembroke; at least I will not have to look far to find you.”

Her smile slipped a little at the corners, but she took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “You are far more sensible than you will ever admit. That is why I had no fear in going to Normandy with you, and why I have no fear riding into Corfe with you now. Between you and”—she almost said FitzRandwulf, but caught her tongue at the last possible instant—“and the others, I know we will be riding out again … probably with more haste than what we ride in with, but intact all the same.”

He tucked a finger under her chin and tilted her face up. “Good God, I believe you really mean it.”

“I do, buffoon. And your doubting me does you little credit. You know I love you and trust you and value your opinion above all others. It may not always appear so,” she added softly. “Nor do I always welcome your advice with grace and gratitude, but I always listen to it and trust it comes from the heart. As you say, we only have each other to watch out for.”

A retort that normally would have been glib and dismissive was stalled in Henry’s throat. She was being sincere and honest with her emotions, something that occurred all too infrequently, and he could not help but wonder at the cause. He was neither blind nor deaf, and he had been the one to scrape a boot on the floor and interrupt the conversation between his sister and Eduard FitzRandwulf … something that was beginning to occur all too frequently. He preferred to see Ariel’s eyes hot green and flaring with contempt when she spoke with the Wolf’s cub, not soft and questioning and afraid to make contact.

He would have to redouble his efforts to keep them apart, although, in light of where they were going and what they would be doing, he could not, in all honesty, wish a better man to be watching his sister’s back.

Jean de Brevant and a small escort of men-at-arms rode out of the main gates of Corfe a little before noon. Having never seen the man in daylight before, Eduard was as surprised as the others by the