Cole came to an abrupt halt, grabbing her by the arm so she was forced to stop right along with him. Beneath the silver moon, he faced her.
“Iamsorry if I have upset you,” he said, his voice low. “Truly sorry, Cori. I am. But this will be a brutal battle and I will not apologize for not wanting you near it. Battle is no place for a woman and especially notmywoman.”
She pulled her arm out of his grip. “So you do not speak to me for two days to convey that concern? That is very petty, Cole.”
He was trying not to look too contrite. “Mayhap,” he said after a moment. “Mayhap I am petty and shallow, just as you have said. But I also happen to love you and if something happened to you, I would want to die. I lost one wife, Cori. I could not lose another, not before our life together even started. I am not displaying that concern well enough and, for that, I will again apologize, but this is all new to me. I am doing my best.”
Corisande was starting to soften, just a little. When he put it that way, perhaps she wasn’t all that angry with him, after all.
“It is new to me, too,” she said. “But becoming angry at me will not solve the problem.”
“I am not angry with you.”
“They why have you not talked to me for the past two days? Why have you simply lurked and stared at me, as if I am doing something wrong?”
He made a face, looking at his feet. “Because I was afraid to say what I was thinking, knowing you did not wish to hear it,” he said. “It was wrong of me, I know, but I did not know what else to do. I still don’t.”
He sounded a little lost. Corisande took pity on him and put her hands on his, squeezing them tightly.
“I will be safe with the wounded,” she assured him softly. “I know how to use a bow and arrow, and I know how to use a dagger. I can protect myself, I promise. I’m more concerned with how Gaia is going to do on a battle march than I am with any threat from the Scots. Truly, Gaia is going to be the biggest problem I have.”
Cole relented completely, looking around to make sure they weren’t being watched before pulling her into his arms and kissing her deeply. But it was a quick kiss because he didn’t want anyone to see them, so he released her almost as fast as he grabbed her.
“I do not envy you the situation with your sister,” he said. “You should have brought Gratiana. She seems more willing to help.”
Corisande nodded. “She is, but my father has sent her home,” he said. “She is only a ward, after all, and with these battles, he did not want her in such a volatile situation. I will miss her, but it is better for her to return to her home and be safe.”
“It is better foryouto return to your home and be safe.”
She shook her head in resignation. “Cole…”
He put up his hands in surrender. “I know,” he said. “But I had to say it. Come along, now, before your father sends yourbrothers out to look for us. I think they are already getting suspicious.”
They started to walk again, heading for the big de Bourne tent that had been pitched in the distance. Corisande could see the red and yellow striping of the tent, even beneath the moonlight.
“What does my father want to talk to me about?” she asked.
Cole shook his head. “I do not know,” he said. “But you should know I did have a few words with him about permission to marry you before The Marshal arrived.”
She looked at him with some excitement. “And?”
“And I barely got it out of my mouth when we were interrupted. He’s not yet given me an answer.”
“I see,” she said, disappointed. “Did he seem receptive?”
“He didn’t instantly deny me. I think that’s a good sign.”
She smiled, but she wasn’t entirely enthusiastic. She was disappointed that her father hadn’t instantly approved. Discreetly, she slipped her hand into the crook of his big elbow as she collected her skirt with the other hand, using him to steady herself as she crossed a particularly muddy part of the ground. At least, that was her excuse.
It just felt good to hold him.
“There’s a tavern in town,” he said quietly as they drew closer to the tent. “I was thinking about securing a room there.”
She looked at him. “Why?” she asked. “You have a tent and a bed, do you not?”
He looked at her. “Do you?”
“Nay.”
