The Arcanist (61 page)

“Did I say I was averse to this plan?” Edouard asked her the simple question and then watched as Kyriel's protests died away in a hurry. But the colour remained in her cheeks.

“Good!” And it was good he thought as he kissed her again.

“Now My Lady.” Once things were quiet again he decided to at least try for a little more respectability instead of just mauling her in public. It would have been nice to continue and perhaps even take things to their inevitable conclusion, but he was not his brother nor his father. And he would never disrespect a woman. Least of all one of Tyrel's handmaidens. “Shall we head for our carriage?”

He held out his arm for her to take and after a few moments hesitation she did. Maybe she was still in a little shock from what he'd done to her and so unable to complain – but he didn't think so. If anything he suspected she was simply happy and didn't know how to deal with it.

Then he escorted her around to the stables at the rear of the fort where as promised the carriage awaited them. He could already see steam gently rising from the stack.

“May I?” He lowered the little ladder for her and held out his hand to help her up, and Kyriel accepted it without protest. In fact he couldn't help but notice that she was still blushing a little. Maybe even smiling though she tried to hide it.

Things were going remarkably well he thought. And then he heard a woman scream.

Except that she wasn't exactly screaming as he slowly realised. Not in pain anyway. She was moaning. And he could hear a man crying out too. His brother, Marcus. Somewhere upstairs in the fort. He wasn't in pain either.

Edouard looked around, noticing the other handmaidens all colouring and looking away as they understood what was happening. He understood it too.

“Oh by all that's holy did Denetta arrive this morning?” Kyriel's only answer was to turn bright red once more and stare determinedly out toward the distant trees. But that was all the answer he needed.

“Time to go.” Edouard folded the ladder back up, hurried around to the other side of the carriage, leapt into the driver's seat as quickly as he could, engaged the drive chain and had them racing away as fast as the carriage could take them. Soon the front gate was just in front of them and blessed silence was just beyond it.

Maybe, he thought as he heard the sound of Leona yelling at the pair somewhere behind them, this would actually be the perfect day to visit Theria after all. Especially when Kyriel's hand unexpectedly crept into his and he could see laughter trying to force its way out of her.

Maybe they didn't need to return in a hurry either.