Page 22 of While Angels Slept
He gave her a squeeze before he realized he did it. “Hush, now. There is no use in working yourself up over something that is a few years away. You’ll not lose your son any time soon, I promise.”
Her head came up, gazing at him with those magnificent eyes. “If I do not want to send him away, I do not have to, do I?”
“Nay.”
Only then did she seem to relax. Tevin realized almost too late that she was far too close. He could feel her breath on his face. With her wet eyes and sweet lips, he felt an overwhelming urge to kiss her. The very thought startled him, distressed him, causing a violent outburst of contention within him. The woman was a new widow, grieving over the loss of her beloved husband. She was not a woman to be trifled with. Much to his dismay, however, she put her head back down, right onto his shoulder. He swore he felt her nestle against him. It was a damn sweet feeling.
“Thank you, my lord,” she said. “Your words bring me great comfort.”
“It is right that they should,” he said quietly. “I tell you the truth.”
Her reply was to lift her head, put a soft hand on his jaw, and tenderly kiss his cheek. Then she rose and was gone.
Tevin sat there for several long minutes, his heart thumping against his ribs and the spot on his face where she had kissed him blazing with sensation. As small a gesture as it was, as perfectly innocent, it was the most significant kiss of his life. He felt it down to his soul. And heknew, at that moment, that he was in a good deal of trouble.
But thoughts of trouble quickly fled when Myles entered the hall, his blue eyes fixing on his liege. He made straight for the table.
“I saw Lady Penden in the solar,” he said to Tevin. “She looks much better today. Have you spoken with her at all?”
Oh… yes,Tevin thought. “I have,” he said evenly. “She does seem much better, though now her distress seems to be with the thought of sending her son to foster.”
Myles brow furrowed. “What?” he sat down opposite Tevin. “What brought that up?”
“A conversation with someone apparently broached the subject,” Tevin replied. “I have spent the past several minutes attempting to convince her that it was far too soon to worry about sending her son away.”
Myles snorted, looking around the table to see if there was any ale or wine available. Seeing none, he summoned a servant. As the man went to do his bidding, Myles turned back to Tevin.
“I believe we may have more trouble on our hands, my lord,” he said. “I have just come from a most distressing exchange with Charles.”
Tevin was glad for the change in subject, even if it was about Charles. “What happened?”
Myles shook his head, with regret. “I fear his madness is gaining,” he said. “He was in the knight’s quarters not a half hour ago asking for a weapon.”
Tevin found he had little tolerance when it came to the madness of Charles Penden. “Before you continue, you should know that he struck Lady Cantia this morning. I was witness to it. I ordered him from the keep, not to return until my anger had cooled.”
Myles stared at him a moment in disbelief. “Hestruckher?” he repeated. “My God… Brac would have had his head. His father had always been inordinately jealous of Lady Cantia, mostly because she held Brac’s attention captive. Charles could never come to terms with the fact that he was not the center of his son’s world, just as Brac was the center of his. There are years of contention between Charles and Lady Cantia, all of it Charles’ fault.”
Tevin’s jaw flexed. “Then it would seem that the Lady Cantia needs to be protected from her father-in-law, for clearly, with Brac gone, he feels no need to hide his hostile feelings for her.”
A steward brought some wine and Myles poured himself a healthy measure. “I will be vigilant, my lord, have no doubt.”
“He does not resent the boy, does he?”
Myles took a large swallow of the tart red liquid. “He adores Hunt. He would never harm him.”
Though it was one less thing to worry over, Tevin was still disturbed that Lady Cantia would need protection from Brac’s insane father. “Back to your statement, then. Why was Charles asking for a weapon?”
Myles cast him a long glance. “He’s not in his right mind, my lord. He says much that he does not mean.”
“Why does he want a weapon?”
Myles sighed heavily, toying with his cup. “I am not sure if he feels the need to protect himself or the need to commit murder. He seems to think that you and Lady Cantia are conspiring to take Rochester from him. He further blames you for Brac’s death.”
Tevin scratched his head, absorbing the information. “His lunacy grows,” he insisted. “I suspect the man needs to be locked in the vault for his own protection as well as the lady’s. I do not need the added element of a madman running amuck at Rochester, not when there is much else that requires my attention.”
“Agreed,” Myles said. “Would you have me corral him, my lord?”
Tevin shook his head. “You should not be the one to arrest your liege. My men will do it.”
