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Authors: Lila DiPasqua
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to say, and what stories they give.” Her stomach dropped.
He stalked away.
5
Sabine raced after Jules. Her knees almost buckled when she saw him march past the brute Fabrice, yanking his sword from his scabbard without breaking his stride. Idly standing guard, the brute’s head snapped up in surprise.
Jules stopped before Gerard and Robert, seated near the fire.
“Get up,” he ordered, sword in hand.
Her cousins leaped to their feet, both clutching wineskins.
The murmuring around them died. Like predators closing in on their prey, the men who’d been sitting around the campfire rose and neared their leader, surrounding Gerard and Robert.
Robert looked around at the circle of men entrapping them, bewilderment and fear etched in his expression. Gerard’s gaze shot to her. His eyes widened, the shock on his face arresting her steps. It was then she realized her hair was unbraided and mussed. Her appearance disheveled and telling.
Gerard’s horror contorted his face. “Dear God . . . You didn’t . . .” His words trailed off. He remained frozen, staring at her.
She had to briefly look away, unable to stand the pleading in his eyes as he silently begged for the reassurance that she hadn’t resorted to giving herself to Jules. When she found the courage to return his gaze, she saw devastation in their depths. It tortured her to see it, to see the hint of—tears. Her throat tightened. She’d run out without any thought about her appearance for her cousins’ sake.
Seemingly oblivious to Jules’s threatening presence, Gerard’s expression told her he thought the price she’d paid was too great. How could she ever explain to him the pleasure she’d found in Jules’s arms? She couldn’t even explain it to herself.
Jules moved to Gerard’s side and laid his sword across her cousin’s throat.
Terror slammed into her.
“You’ve been found out.” Jules spoke in the deadliest tone. “I should run you through here and now for your little scheme.” He glanced at Robert. “Both of you.” Jules’s body was rigid, his muscles tight with restrained rage.
Gerard finally dragged his gaze to Jules. Never in her life had she seen that much contempt in her cousin’s eyes. His nostrils were flared, his breathing quickening. He looked ready to kill Jules.
She had to do something. Fast. She broke through the circle of men.
“This is completely unnecessary!” she protested. “Put down the sword.”
“S-um-Elise?” Robert spoke up. His eyes were round with fright. “Wh-What did you tell him?” His terror was torturous.
With a knot in her throat, she had to swallow before she could speak. “I told him everything.” In her rattled state, she’d completely mishandled it all.
“E-Everything?” Robert asked, alarmed.
“Commander?” Raymond approached. “What is amiss?”
“We have criminals in our midst,” Jules growled.
“Criminals?” Raymond gave her cousins a sweeping glance. “These half-starved boys and this woman?”
“They came armed, Raymond.” Jules leaned closer to Gerard. “Why don’t you tell us about the wine ?”
Gerard stared straight ahead, his eyes were cold and angry.
“I’ve already told you about the wine, and about our plan to steal some coin,” Sabine interjected. “What more do you need to know?”
“You what ?” Robert choked out.
“Mademoiselle, you’ll not speak another word,” Jules decreed. “Do you understand!”
“You wish me to remain silent and watch you terrorize these helpless boys?” she shot back.
“Helpless boys? I think thieves best describes what they are. And I intend to find out how much of a liar you are . You either remain silent, or you will be removed from this conversation entirely.” Jules tossed Raymond a look.
Raymond grasped her elbow. She yelped in surprise when he yanked her away from Jules’s side.
“Don’t!” Gerard cried out to Raymond, but Jules pressed the blade firmer against his throat.
“You are
He stalked away.
5
Sabine raced after Jules. Her knees almost buckled when she saw him march past the brute Fabrice, yanking his sword from his scabbard without breaking his stride. Idly standing guard, the brute’s head snapped up in surprise.
Jules stopped before Gerard and Robert, seated near the fire.
“Get up,” he ordered, sword in hand.
Her cousins leaped to their feet, both clutching wineskins.
The murmuring around them died. Like predators closing in on their prey, the men who’d been sitting around the campfire rose and neared their leader, surrounding Gerard and Robert.
Robert looked around at the circle of men entrapping them, bewilderment and fear etched in his expression. Gerard’s gaze shot to her. His eyes widened, the shock on his face arresting her steps. It was then she realized her hair was unbraided and mussed. Her appearance disheveled and telling.
Gerard’s horror contorted his face. “Dear God . . . You didn’t . . .” His words trailed off. He remained frozen, staring at her.
She had to briefly look away, unable to stand the pleading in his eyes as he silently begged for the reassurance that she hadn’t resorted to giving herself to Jules. When she found the courage to return his gaze, she saw devastation in their depths. It tortured her to see it, to see the hint of—tears. Her throat tightened. She’d run out without any thought about her appearance for her cousins’ sake.
Seemingly oblivious to Jules’s threatening presence, Gerard’s expression told her he thought the price she’d paid was too great. How could she ever explain to him the pleasure she’d found in Jules’s arms? She couldn’t even explain it to herself.
Jules moved to Gerard’s side and laid his sword across her cousin’s throat.
Terror slammed into her.
“You’ve been found out.” Jules spoke in the deadliest tone. “I should run you through here and now for your little scheme.” He glanced at Robert. “Both of you.” Jules’s body was rigid, his muscles tight with restrained rage.
Gerard finally dragged his gaze to Jules. Never in her life had she seen that much contempt in her cousin’s eyes. His nostrils were flared, his breathing quickening. He looked ready to kill Jules.
She had to do something. Fast. She broke through the circle of men.
“This is completely unnecessary!” she protested. “Put down the sword.”
“S-um-Elise?” Robert spoke up. His eyes were round with fright. “Wh-What did you tell him?” His terror was torturous.
With a knot in her throat, she had to swallow before she could speak. “I told him everything.” In her rattled state, she’d completely mishandled it all.
“E-Everything?” Robert asked, alarmed.
“Commander?” Raymond approached. “What is amiss?”
“We have criminals in our midst,” Jules growled.
“Criminals?” Raymond gave her cousins a sweeping glance. “These half-starved boys and this woman?”
“They came armed, Raymond.” Jules leaned closer to Gerard. “Why don’t you tell us about the wine ?”
Gerard stared straight ahead, his eyes were cold and angry.
“I’ve already told you about the wine, and about our plan to steal some coin,” Sabine interjected. “What more do you need to know?”
“You what ?” Robert choked out.
“Mademoiselle, you’ll not speak another word,” Jules decreed. “Do you understand!”
“You wish me to remain silent and watch you terrorize these helpless boys?” she shot back.
“Helpless boys? I think thieves best describes what they are. And I intend to find out how much of a liar you are . You either remain silent, or you will be removed from this conversation entirely.” Jules tossed Raymond a look.
Raymond grasped her elbow. She yelped in surprise when he yanked her away from Jules’s side.
“Don’t!” Gerard cried out to Raymond, but Jules pressed the blade firmer against his throat.
“You are
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