She stared up at him.
“Nay, he did not injure me,” she said, rubbing the spot where he’d struck her. “You… you are not angry with me?”
He shook his head. “Of course not,” he said, but then he looked over to his father as Alexander and Roi were pulling the knight to his feet. “Get him out of my sight. If I see him again, I will kill him.”
Christopher put up a hand to ease his son, muttering something to Roi and Alexander. They half dragged, half walked the knight away, disappearing into the encampment. When he was gone, Christopher came over to Elle and looked her over.
“Did he hurt you, my lady?” he asked.
Elle was becoming perplexed that they were so concerned about her health. “Nay,” she said. “Melly hits harder than he does. Truly, I am well, but I suspect I’ll have a bruise.”
Christopher did the same thing Curtis had done—grasping her chin and tilting her head to get a look at the welt on the left side of her jaw and neck. He inspected the area before grunting unhappily.
“I will take Amaro back with me to Lioncross,” he said to Curtis. “I do not want him around your wife or her cousin, and, most importantly, I do not want him around you.”
Curtis barely nodded because the sight of the rising welt on Elle’s jaw was beginning to feed his anger again. “That is wise,” he said. “The man is fortunate he could walk away from this. If I had my way about it, he would not have.”
“I know,” Christopher said, holding up a hand to stop Curtis from saying anything further. “He will go with me. Meanwhile, you will need to select men to remain behind with you. Amaro was doing it. Or he was supposed to be doing it.”
“Let Myles do it,” Curtis said. “Where is he, anyway?”
Christopher looked off toward the south. “Mustering my army,” he said. “He and Andrew are seeing to it.”
“You are leaving Myles with me, are you not?”
“Aye, if you want him.”
“I do.”
“Are you leaving today, my lord?” Elle asked.
Christopher looked at her. “I am,” he said. “But I leave you, and Brython, in the capable hands of my son. But I’m sure you are already confident of that.”
He was smiling faintly, and something told Elle that Curtis had told his father that they had smoothed everything over last night. Christopher could guess what that meant. Flushing a deep shade of red, she simply bobbed her head and grasped Melusine before fleeing in the direction of Curtis’ tent. When Curtis looked at his father, surprised by his wife’s swift departure, they both started laughing.
“She is a paradox, lad,” Christopher said. “She took that kindling after Amaro, but speak of something romantic and she runs away.”
Curtis was grinning. “Hopefully, not for long,” he said. “I hope that she will be comfortable with our marriage. I hope I will be, too.”
“From what you told me about last night, it seems that the rough edges have been smoothed a little,” Christopher said, studying Curtis’ face for any hint of what he might be thinking. “What I did not tell you is that before Peter took her to find you, she came to speak with me. Peter and Sherry were here, so they heard it, too. She expressed her great regret at how she behaved with you and how she viewed things. I believe she wants to do better, Curt. I truly do.”
“As do I,” Curtis said. “I only told you that everything was well between us again, but I did not tell you that she apologized to me last night. She is caught between two worlds, Papa. I can see that. But I want to pull her into mine.”
Christopher nodded. “A noble goal, but take care not to completely discount her world,” he said. “She will be happier if she keeps her world but understands yours. Just be patient, lad. That is all I can really tell you.”
Curtis smiled. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. But that warmth soon faded. “And keep Amaro out of my sight. If I see him again, Iwillkill him. And I am sorry for your alliance with his father, but no man strikes my wife and lives to tell the tale.”
Christopher nodded. “I understand,” he said quietly. “I think, mayhap, that it is time to send Amaro back to his father. I have taught him everything I intend to, and I am certain he has learned everything he has wanted to and no more. I am not particularly anxious to have him around your mother and sisters, to be perfectly honest.”
“Then send him back,” Curtis urged quietly. “Send him home and let us say no more about it.”
Off to the south, the wagons were beginning to roll into formation and the army was moving in their direction, except for the thousand men that had been set aside to remain with Curtis. They could both see Roi moving through the ranks, sending men toward Brython. The duty had been Amaro’s, but with the man out of commission, Roi was taking the duty.
It was time for the de Lohr army to go home.
“I will consider sending him home,” Christopher replied belatedly to Curtis’ encouragement. He turned to his son, putting a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Meanwhile, I have my own duties to attend to. We will be leaving by midday.”
“I will find you before you go to bid you farewell.”
