Page 68 of The Dragoneers of Longbourn and Pemberley
“He wouldn’t dare to throw out Longbourn because you conquered him and his flimsy principles, dear Val.”
Valeraine shrugged, unwilling to tell Kesley she never intended to use her leverage on Pemberley. Kesley would think her foolish not to press her advantage.
Now they — and their dragon — had a few hours to rest before the derby would start.
Lelantos was twitchy, his ears flicking with every sound from another tethered dragon, of which there were already five in the field. His nostrils flared, his feet shuffled back and forth, and his tail whipped this way and that, striking the ground. Thwack. Thwack. She could feel the anxiety and hostility coming off him in waves.
“I think we need to tether him,” Kesley said.
Valeraine had to agree. They couldn’t stay here and watch him for the next few hours — at the very least Valeraine would have to change into her costume, and she would also like to get some food and sit down — and if they left Lelantos free, he would cause trouble.
It’s not that she didn’t trust her dragon, Valeraine reassured herself. It was just he was so different when he was nest-tetchy, so far from home. At Longbourn, he was solid and dependable.
The truth was she was scared of what Lelantos might do, which was a definite lack of trust.
Lelantos was already straining against the tethers as they attached them, not listening to the soothing words Valeraine whispered to him. She stroked his muzzle, trying to distract him from Kesley finishing the knots.
Lelantos gave an annoyed snap at her fingers, and she jumped back with a squeak. She inspected her hand, but he had barely touched her — the smallest of scrapes across a knuckle was her souvenir from the exchange — not even deep enough to draw blood. But it was the first time he had ever made an aggressive move to her.
Should she muzzle Lelantos? She had seen others do it to their dragons, but had never understood the need. Now, her knuckles stinging, she understood why some riders chose to.
She would not.
At least, not unless Lelantos grew highly unmanageable, and right now he was only a little scrappy. She was afraid of one day being pushed to those lengths. Her relationship with Lelantos had always been one of joy and encouragement, not jailing and punishment. But then again, she had never expected to tether him, and now it was a necessary matter of course.
Kesley was carrying the bag with her disguise and flying leathers, and now set it on the ground for her to grab at her convenience. Valeraine wondered if she should ask Pemberley for a private place to change clothes...
No. She would not ask him for anything, she would not speak to him. She would not encourage this ridiculous farce of a courtship, nor did she have any wish to speak to him after the insults they had traded. She would avoid him entirely, sheresolved. Perhaps she would smirk at him as she was passing the finish line, winning the derby.
Valeraine walked around Lelantos to pick up the bag, and saw a dragon coming down out of the air into the spot next to theirs. It was familiar: a white one with wicked spikes along its spine.
As soon as the dragon’s feet touched down, Mr. Rosings jumped from the saddle, striding for Valeraine. “I see Longbourn is still hobbling along, pretending to be fit for derbies.”
Rosings must have finally understood her rejection, after she didn’t answer his letters, and after Papa responded to them with reluctant demur. Gone were Rosings’ compliments and suave smiles.
Valeraine bristled. “We didn’t do too poorly at the derby at Rosings. Longbourn beat you, if I recall?”
“Any win your elderly dragon secures is pure luck and cheating. We’ll see how you do today.” He took his eyes off of her to nod in Kesley’s direction. “This your rider, then?”
Kesley strode forward smoothly, inserting himself into the exchange. He held out his hand to shake. “I am indeed. Kesley, of Sidton house.”
Rosings ignored his hand. “I had thought Longbourn had more dignity than to descend to a mercenary rider.”
“He’s no mercenary,” she protested. “He’s been with Longbourn for years.”
“I haven’t even heard of Sidton,” Rosings said. “It’s almost admirable to see houses of such similar status helping each other.” He nodded to Kesley. “I’ll see you in the sky.” He sauntered off toward the Pemberley manor.
“I’m so glad that I didn’t marry him,” Valeraine said.
Kesley startled. “What do you mean?”
“Haven’t I told you?” She supposed that she had been distracted by finding Scaleheart’s identity and coming home.It hadn’t seemed so important after all that. “Mr. Rosings proposed to me, when I was away in Kinellan City.”
“How was the courtship? If his insulting manner is anything to go by, he’s wretched.”
“There wasn’t really any courting. He just proposed, and refused to take my rejection. I think he’s understood it, now.”
“No courting at all?” Kesley said. “Good for you to reject him — you deserve much more romance.”
