Page 53 of Historical Hotties
Dacia was listening closely. “And that is where you shall retire when your role of Lord Protector is finished?”
He smiled faintly. “That is my intention,” he said. “My entire family rules the Scots border. Penton will anchor a nearly unbreakable line of de Wolfe castles from one end of the border to the other. Even now, I have four hundred men who man it for me plus a cousin, Adonis de Norville, and another very old friendof the family, Gethin Ellsrod. His father, Deinwald, served my grandfather many years ago, and now Gethin serves me.”
“Then your property is well staffed.”
“It must be, given its strategic location,” he said. “If I do not man it, the Scots certainly will.”
“I see,” she nodded in understanding. “They are aggressive, then?”
“You could say that.”
She smiled at what was probably a silly question on her behalf. “Being so far from the border, we do not have any engagement with the Scots in Doncaster.”
“Just greedy neighbors.”
She laughed softly, taking a gulp of her wine, probably more than she should have, but social situations were very rare for her. She was nervous and trying very hard not to be.
“There is truth in that,” she said. “But hopefully, you can help make a swift end to the harassment. Given your experience with the Scots, subduing an Englishman must be a far simpler thing.”
He chuckled as he poured her more wine. “They can be more difficult because they are more cunning than the Scots,” he said. “But let us not speak on such depressing things. Let us return to your vast education. My excuse in knowing Latin was that my mother was once intended for the veil, so she insisted. What is your excuse?”
“My tutor was a priest.”
He laughed softly. “Ah, yes,” he said. “You told me that. Therefore, your excuse is better than mine. Do you consider yourself fluent in Latin?”
“More than most.”
“Are you up to a challenge?”
She eyed him, seeing from the gleam in his eyes that he was being quite impish. “That depends,” she said. “What is the challenge?”
He sat back in his chair. “We shall play a game with du Bois and de Shera,” he said, looking over at the knights. “Did you hear me? A challenge is about to be proposed.”
Rhori and Bose looked up from their food. Bose groaned. “God, now what?” he said. “Can I not even eat a meal in peace before you are leveling threats and challenges at me?”
Cassius snapped his fingers at him, abruptly. “Still your tongue,” he said. “We are going to play a game. Since you and du Bois were educated just as I was in Latin, among other things, we shall see just how much we remember of our Latin lessons. I will say something in Latin and whoever cannot properly translate it must drink as much wine as those who issued the challenge will dictate. Whoever is the most drunk at the end of the game shall bear the title of Stupidest Man in the World.”
Bose pointed to Dacia. “What if she is the drunkest?”
Cassius looked at Dacia, who was grinning at him. “Something tells me she will not be,” he said. “Now, I shall begin. Tell me what this means–Sapere Aude.”
Dacia started to laugh while Bose just looked confused. Rhori rolled his eyes. Cassius looked at Dacia. “Do you know what it means?”
She nodded. “Aye.”
“Whisper it in my ear.”
Leaning over, Dacia put her lips against his ear, a gesture that sent bolts of excitement racing through his big body.
“Dare to know,” she murmured.
Cassius had to take a deep breath. He’d never had such a reaction to a woman in his entire life. Fighting off the urge to pull her into his arms, he looked over at Bose and Rhori.
“What about you two?” he asked. “Do you know?”
Bose cocked his head thoughtfully. “Something about knowing?” he said. “Seeking knowledge?”
Cassius looked at Rhori. “You?”
