“As the little general, or as my wife?”
It could have been said in teasing and likely was, but as he had never teased her ere this, she did not take it as teasing now. And even if he were only teasing, she was in no mood for it.
She glared at him, refusing to repeat her request, but he did not move to come away with her, and appeared unlikely to do so. She stared pointedly at each of his companions until the slow-wits finally took the hint and departed.
“That was unnecessary, my lady,” Ranulf said, laughter in his eyes. “I keep no secrets from them.”
Whythatshould make her blush, she did not know. He would not tell them of what he did with her—would he? Nay, he would not, for ’twas certainly naught to brag about.
“I am glad you have friends you can share things with. I too have friends, but I donotshare everything with all of them. Do I make myself clear, my lord?”
“Not precisely.”
She gritted her teeth at his deliberate perversity, for he knew very well what she meant. His grin in reply told her that.
“Then by all means I will spell it out for you. Do not by word or insinuation make Lord John aware of the real reason he was summoned here by me. There is no godly reason he should know now, and every reason he should not. But more importantly, I do notwanthim to know.”
“And if I ignore your wishes in this?”
Her eyes narrowed to angry slits. “You want to spite me, do you do so. That is, of course, your prerogative. But like is deserving of like, and I have my own ways of getting even.”
She did not care at the moment what reaction he would have to that. But instead of getting angry that she would dare to threaten him, he laughed.
“I have no doubt you could think of something most unpleasant to visit on me, Reina. But you need not worry about your little friend. I will never show you up to be the sweet liar you are as long as your half-truths and deceptions cause no hurt.”
She was too shocked at finally hearing her name from his lips to immediately grasp the true meaning of the rest of his words. Then it came to her. He had just offered her husbandly support, not just now, but whenever it was needful. ’Twas something she had not expected from him. Did he really mean it?
Whether he did or not, to have said it, and after what she had just said, made Reina lower her eyes with an uncomfortable feeling of shame. And the feeling increased with her realizing that somehow he had brought her down to his level of churlishness.
’Twas not like her to be so touchy and quick to temper. She knew that incident in the woods was to blame, though she was not sure why. But that was no excuse to deliberately provoke him from his own good mood, especially while they still had guests whom she didnotwant witnessing an argument between them.
Contritely, still with bowed head, she said, “I thank you for that, my lord.”
“Nay, I cannot accept thanks for what is your due—any more than I would thank you for what is mine.”
Her eyes came back to his with a suspicious glint, and his smile told her she did not mistake his meaning. He was reminding her, without saying it directly, that he had every right to tumble her in the woods or anywhere else if that was his wont. Her contrition dissolved on the spot.
But before she could summon a suitable reply for what she thought of hisrights, he continued in a new vein. “Now tell me, just out of curiosity, would youreallyhave married that little—”
“Do not say it, do not,” she gritted out forcefully. “You dare to judge a man by his appearance?”
“His appearance tells me I could blow him over with a deep breath.”
She bristled to see the laughter again in his eyes. “You think so?” she challenged. “John may not win many tourneys, but that does not mean he has no skill with a sword, or the speed that bigger brutes lack.”
“I am willing to put it to the test.”
Her brow rose at a derisive slant. “To pit your breath against his sword?”
“I did not mean that,” he snorted.
“Of course you did not. But do you draw your sword at my wedding celebration for aught other than to cut a haunch of meat, and I will box your ears as I would any other fool’s.”
“Think you can reach them?”
She could have recalled sooner that he was unchivalrous enough to accept a lady’s challenge. “With a stool if needs be,” she retorted.
That brought a chuckle. “You have no need of stools when I am near.”
