“Tell me later,” he told Sinclair. “I have a new wife waiting for me, and, no offense to any of you, I would rather spend the daywith her. And the night. Anyone who bothers me before dawn tomorrow will feel my wrath. And I will not hold back.”
That had some of the men looking up at the sky. The sun was straight above, indicating noon, and Payne suddenly turned back the way they’d come.
“It’s the nooning hour, lads,” he said. “We have some drinking and eating tae do.”
“Where are you going?” Tay asked as Payne stumbled past him.
“Back tae The Black Cock!”
“But we just came from there.”
Payne pointed toward the village. “And we must go back,” he said. “St. Denis has given us one day away from our duties tae celebrate Creston’s marriage, and I dunna want tae waste it. Hurry, now. We mustn’t be late.”
They watched him go until Kristian shrugged his shoulders and began to follow. Fox and Amir fell in behind them. Realizing everyone was heading back to The Black Cock, Sinclair blew exaggerated kisses at Creston and went after them, finally followed by Tay. That left Cruz and Ming Tang standing with Creston.
“Well,” Ming Tang said, his eyes twinkling, “I have no advice to give when it comes to marriage and women except to say I wish you well. Truly, Creston. You deserve all of the happiness in the world, my friend.”
Creston smiled at the man. “I am grateful,” he said. “I know your religion doesn’t allow for marriage, but I also know you stopped following it rigidly years ago. Maybe we’ll be standing in a similar situation in the years to come and I’ll be able to give you some advice. I hope so.”
Ming Tang shrugged. “It is of no concern to me,” he said. “But I shall take my leave of you and return to The Black Cock to ensure our friends do not get into any trouble.”
Creston snorted, shaking his head at the drunk group of revelers, as Ming Tang began to walk quickly toward the group returning to the village. When he disappeared into the gatehouse, following the crowd, Creston turned to Cruz.
For a moment, the two friends simply looked at each other and smiled. This was an important moment for Creston, not lost on either of them. A change in a life that neither one of them had seen coming.
“Do you believe this?” Creston exclaimed softly. “That I actually have a wife now? I would have never imagined this, ever. I did not think I would ever marry, but here I am.”
“Here you are,” Cruz agreed, his dark eyes glittering with warmth. “Like Ming Tang, I have no experience with marriage other than to say: be the man I know you are. Be kind, be considerate, but most of all, enjoy her. The other wives seem to like her, so I hope that is a good omen. I hope she is good for you.”
“So do I,” Creston admitted. Then he sighed faintly and put his hand on Cruz’s shoulder. “You have been my very best friend for years. I’ve never had a friend like you, Cruz. Not ever. I was always alone in everything I did, but with you… I am never alone. I will neverbealone. Nor will you. Though I take a wife, it does not change the bond between us. I hope you know that.”
Cruz grinned. “I know,” he said. “You and I are strong.”
“We are.”
“Get inside, now. She’s waiting.”
Creston nodded. Then he hugged Cruz tightly, an embrace of great friendship, before releasing the man and heading to his front door.
His wife was waiting.
As he opened the door, he heard a lot of whispering and scuffling. His cottage had a back door in the area where food was usually stored and prepared, and just as he stepped inside, thatdoor slammed. He could hear laughing as the women ran away. He grinned, knowing it was the other trainer wives. But then he noticed his cottage.
It didn’t look like his cottage at all.
It looked cleaned and tended and cozy. The big common room didn’t look the way he’d left it. There was a fire blazing in the hearth, a dozen tapers in iron candlesticks on the mantel, two chairs with cushions, and several hides all over the floor. He took a few steps inside, looking around at the furniture, which included a small table, another chair, and a spinning wheel. For privacy, someone had strung curtains over the front window overlooking the square beyond.
Stunned that his barren cottage now looked like a comfortable home, he ventured farther into the common room and was looking around when movement off to his left caught his attention. He looked up to see Ophelia standing between the kitchen room and the common room, smiling at him.
He smiled in return.
She was clad in a robe of silk brocade and rabbit fur, her lovely hair spilling down her back. She came toward him, her face flushed from the heat of the room, or so he thought. Perhaps it was simply because she was excited or embarrassed, or maybe even happy to see him. All Creston could see was her lovely face, and he felt his heart do a strange little leap. In fact, he put his hand to his chest because it startled him. He hadn’t felt anything like that since he’d been embroiled in his romance with Mary.
But he felt it again with Ophelia.
Astonishing!
“Lady de Royans,” he greeted her softly. “You look beautiful.”
