Page 19 of A Raven Reborn

It felt like an eternity before his deep voice finally rumbled in the hall. Her heart skipped a beat at the sound, her stomach fluttering in anticipation. As soon as it was quiet, she hurried from the room and went straight to the kitchen. Finch was already there. He ladled the stew into a bowl and placed it on a tray which held bread, butter, a napkin, and utensils.

He pushed the tray toward her. “Good luck,” he said quietly.

“Thank you,” she said as she lifted the tray. It would seem they’d developed a bit of camaraderie.

Why did her heart begin to pound as she neared Patrick’s study? Was it really just her excitement at starting a new game of Battle? Even she knew it was more than that. She yearned to see his smile, to hear his laughter, and see the sparkle in his eyes when she said something that surprised him.

The door was open, but he was looking intently at something on his desk, so she stopped before crossing the threshold. “Good evening.”

He startled and looked up, but his lips turned up in a welcoming smile. “Come in!” He hastily put the papers into a drawer and moved things aside to make room on his desk for the tray. He bent over the bowl and inhaled deeply. “What have I done to deserve this?” He moved the tray directly in front of his seat.

She shrugged. “It’s the least I can do.”

“May I enjoy this before we start our game?” His napkin was already in his hands.

“Perhaps,” she gazed boldly into his eyes. Because he hadn’t stood, she had the rare advantage of looking down at him. It made her feel oddly confident.

“Why do I sense more bargaining coming?” He raised a brow.

Rosalyn smiled. “It’s simple enough really. I just wish to ask you questions while you eat.”

“Done!” he shook out the napkin and placed it in his lap. “Now, sit.”

Patrick eagerly picked up the spoon and loaded it with the stew. He closed his eyes, presumably so he could fully savor the food as he chewed. “Rosie,” he said after swallowing the first bite. “Bringing you here might be the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Rosalyn’s heart swelled. “You are just trying to distract me with flattery, my lord.” She knew the moment the words left her mouth that it was a mistake, and unsurprisingly, his smile faltered.

She wanted to bang her head on the desk in her frustration. Instead, she tried her best to pretend she hadn’t made that brainless error. She reached into the pocket of her dressing gown, pulled out a folded sheet of paper and waved it open. That got a laugh out of him, thank goodness.

“You came prepared, I see.” He chuckled and took another bite of stew.

“Question one,” she said, holding up the page in front of her. “What happened to your shoulder?” It was a much safer place to start than questioning his past and why he insisted on no one calling him a lord if that’s what he was. Especially after the blunder she had just made.

He swallowed, but rather than answering her question, he simply filled his mouth with another bite.

“Well?” She lowered the paper to her lap. “You said I could ask you questions while you eat.”

He nodded and swallowed once more. “You’re right, I did. But, I never agreed to answer them.” He plunged the spoon into the bowl and took another bite.

“But… but…” Rosalyn shook her head. “That’s not fair! If you’re going to cheat, then I’m leaving.” She stood and started for the door.

Patrick choked and sputtered behind her. “Wait. Please don’t go.”

Perhaps she could call his bluff and win sometimes after all. She forced her smile away and turned to face him.

“That wasn’t well done of me. I’m sorry.” He was half out of his chair, his hand reaching out in her direction.

“No it wasn’t.” She tried to make it sound as much like a reprimand as possible.

“Sit down. I promise to answer your questions.”

Rosalyn wanted to do a victory dance, but instead she held her ground. “Go on then,” she said, not moving an inch.

Patrick sat back down in his chair and a smile grew on his lips. He held up his hands in surrender and gave a slight nod. It was his way of acknowledging her win. “I was stabbed,” he said finally.

Rosalyn waited, but he only nodded toward the chair. He wasn’t going to say any more until she resumed her seat, so she did. “Continue.”

He filled the spoon again and started to lift it toward his mouth. “Don’t you dare!” She sat forward in her chair and shook her finger at him. He threw back his head and laughed.

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