“You know I sponsor anything you and your father wish.” He gave Michel a nod of approval. “Malik is very guarded, but I believe with the support of Johann and myself, he will be agreeable, yes.”
Michel felt tension dissipate across his shoulders, a storm of relief washing off him. “I truly hope so,” he said. “I have always loved the adventure of these travels, but to be honest, old friend, I am more than eager to return home.”
“The cashmere market is a viable investment and will benefit us all. Greatly.” He glanced toward Eve. “I see you have taken on this very beautiful ward. May I speak frankly?”
Michel felt a prickling sensation of anger. Still, he nodded for Renault to continue.
“I would hate to see something happen to you, Michel. Perhaps you’ve taken on some unnecessary complications?” He raised his eyebrows as his eyes followed Eve while she chased Terence around the camp. “I wouldn’t want any extra considerations to disrupt this deal.” He folded his arms. “We stand to lose too much.”
Michel took a breath and chose his words carefully. “Renault, let me worry about her. Them both.” He ground his jaw to keep from telling Renault to mind his damn business. “You just get the dealer here, and I will do the rest.”
“Fair enough,” Renault conceded. “Should we go in? We can talk specifics.”
Michel nodded, though now he was irritated. “Yes.” He held the flap open. Renault entered. Michel looked back at Eve, seeing her hair catching the last light of the day. She had wrangled Terence, and they were sitting at the fire now, preparing dinner. Michel could no longer imagine this journey without her, couldn’t leave her. He was…mon dieu, what was he? He shook his head clear before entering the yurt. All he knew was that he wouldn’t be able to let her go.
Eve placed the heavy pan in the fire. Then she placed an onion on a plank and put it in Terence’s lap. She handed him her knife. “Do you know how to cut that?” she asked.
“I think so,” he said. “I used to help my mom cut the vegetables.”
Eve smiled. “Let me know if you need help.” She tossed a piece of suet into the pan and used a wooden spoon to move it around. After a moment, she spoke. “Do you miss your family?” she asked. “You are quite young to be traveling so far from home.”
“I miss my mom,” he said. “She died a few years ago. From a fever.” He shrugged, his little chops striking a rhythm against the plank of wood.
“I’m very sorry to hear that.” She glanced over, feeling sorrow for him.
“I don’t miss my dad.”
“No?”
“He yells at me. A lot. He used to be a merchant here, and he’d take me with him. He fell off his horse when he was drinking once and hurt his leg. Then my mom died, so he stayed home in France with my two little brothers and sent me back here to make us money.”
“Ah,” said Eve. “You are working for your family. There is honor in that.”
“I don’t know,” Terence said, pushing his hair out of his face with the back of his hand. “He wants to buy our own piece of land so we don’t have to be tenants. But he wastes most of the money. He gambles.” He was silent for a moment, then continued. “I do it for my mom. And my brothers.” He looked down, feathers ruffled. “I don’t want to return home until I have enough to help them.”
“I understand that,” she said. “I, too, am on this journey for the people I love.”
He looked up at her. “Really?” he cocked his head. “I thought because you were going to marry Michel or something.”
She laughed softly. “No. That was not my plan.”
“You needed money?” Terence asked.
She shook her head. “No, not money. I was like you, though. I didn’t want to leave, but I had to.”
Terence finished the onions. He handed the board to her. Eve took it and swiped the pieces into the pan. They popped and sizzled with the suet.
“I just want to get back to France.” He sagged with the words. “I’ll find work there.”
“Let’s hope for easy going. Once Michel finishes this deal, he will be ready to return. We are lucky that we have attached ourselves to a man who is able to get us there.”
Terence looked at her with big eyes. Then he dropped his head in a soundless sob.
“I don’t want to die, Eve,” he said, putting his head down.
“You won’t,” she said. Eve reached forward and put her arm around him. She pulled him into a hug.
“I might die,” he said. Then he glanced up at her. “You, too.”
