Part 4 (1/2)

And nowhere had she seen any doc.u.ments that Paul was anything other than a manservant. ”You bought him?”

Will grimaced for a moment, but kept talking. ”His father was selling him at a wharf. He needed to pay off a gambling debt. Paul was eleven at the time, and his father promised me he'd be a good worker. I didn't care about that. I just wanted someone to practice fencing with.”

”A buddy.”

”Pardon?”

”You wanted a buddy. Um, sorry.” Erva thought fast of the etymology of the word buddy that yet was to be spoken. ”A booty fellow, a b.u.t.ty.”

”Aye, I did! A booty fellow to share my secrets to. I like this word buddy. Is it German? You know, I really should learn more German with all the mercenaries under my command.”

Erva shook her head. ”No, it's a word that I picked up as time went by.”

He nodded and smiled again. ”I've never told anyone about my father either, reproving me the way he did.” Staring at her, his smile waned. He swallowed, then a muscle in his jaw twitched. His nose flared, as if he were frustrated.

But Erva liked how he shared so much with her. ”I'm honored, so honored.” And she was. As every pa.s.sing second swept by, she thought more and more about his death. She was beginning to care about him. She liked him more than she thought she would.

She didn't know why, but she kept thinking of her father, to when she was a little girl and her father had scooped her in his arms and paraded her around his troops. Her father had been so proud to introduce her to his own general. She remembered the salute she'd received from the graying dignified man, and even a high-five for knowing all the parts of the AK-47. Her father had beamed down at her, as if she were the sun, moon, and stars in one little girl.

She'd always wondered if her studies had more to do with her father or her. While watching the man at her side, she suddenly realized how she'd tried to compare the two, but Will was not like her father in so many ways. He was, well, she had to face it. He was hot. Nervous. And so complicated. In the ways he did remind Erva of her father, he was brave. Intelligent.

Then Will did the oddest thing. He flexed his fingers out on his thighs again, which she caught from the corner of her eye, and looking back up at his handsome face, she saw his gaze flick down to her lips. She finally realized he wasn't frustrated. His tense face wasn't irritation.

His chest rose and fell at a quicker pace. His lids hooded just slightly.

He was...he was going to kiss her.

Erva had thought many things about the man in her sights, but for him to be attracted to her. To her? She wasn't even wearing mascara, although the maids had powdered her a bit and even given her blush, which she hadn't needed much of since the afternoon's sun was evident in her glowing countenance.

The carriage decelerated with the driver's loud, ”Whoa!”

Will turned his head and gazed out the window. He sighed. ”We've arrived at our destination.” His voice cracked.

The sun was still setting, illuminating an elaborate and spread wide mansion with several torches lit around the house. The manicured lawn and sculptured bushes were astonis.h.i.+ng. How did they do that without power tools? Servants holding amber-glowing lamps dotted the walkway to a huge black door. Yeesh, they did have some bling houses back then. Back now, she reminded herself.

Further, Erva could hardly believe what had just happened. Or had it? Will had appeared as if he wanted to kiss her. Well, it could have been her imagination, right? All of this was in her head anyhow. That part was obvious, since she'd gone crazy. And something in her brain had decided that the man she'd had a weird crush on for a decade should reciprocate her affections. It was her mind playing tricks on her.

It had to be.

The carriage finally came to a stop, and Erva kept thinking about how crazy she had become. Or stuck in a coma. But if she was insane or this was some hallucination because of brain trauma, why did this feel so real?

A footman opened the door, and Will held onto Erva's hand to escort her from the landau. As soon as both her feet landed on the stone walkway, she winced. G.o.d, her knee really hurt now. And why did that feel so freaking real?

”My lady?” Will stood before her. As if knowing the problem, he was already trying to take her weight into his hands by holding her arms.

”Ow,” she quietly grunted, not wanting to make a scene, but she let him step closer and hold her by her waist.

”'Tis your knee, isn't it?”

She couldn't help herself. He was there, and it hurt more than she wanted it to. So she leaned her forehead against his chest. G.o.d, he smelled good, so clean and spicy male. ”Yes,” she murmured.

”We'll go back home immediately. I'll get-”

”But I want to be at the banquet.” She finally looked up at him.

His black brows cast down. ”They are terrible, these parties. All of them. You won't miss a thing. I promise you.”

”Terrible? Then why do you go to them?” She smiled.

As if fighting himself, he finally cracked a lopsided grin too. ”I have to. As a general I'm supposed to keep up appearances, which, honestly, I'm not too sure what that means. But with your broken knee-”

”It's not broken.” She snorted. ”It's just sore.”

”Still, it's the perfect excuse not to join.”

”I want to go.” She nodded. ”I do. Just...will you walk with me slowly? I'm sure once I start moving again, it'll be better, like at camp with your men.”

His jaw line kicked, and his hands tightened their hold. His face again was tense, but this time, she was pretty sure he was frustrated with her.

”Are you certain?”

She nodded again.

”I shall carry you then.”

As he bent to do as he'd said, some women spilled out of the mansion who were decidedly not servants. Erva smacked Will's shoulder a few times as he hooked an arm around her knees.

”No, no, no...there are people staring.”

Will straightened. ”You struck me.”

Erva laughed. ”I'm sorry.”

”You look it.”

She giggled more but saw around Will that three women in gigantic skirts and even bigger hair were marching toward them. ”Oh G.o.d, they're coming.”

”Is that Lord General Hill? Out there?” said a nasal sounding woman.

Erva looked up at Will who merely squinted down at her. ”I don't think I've ever been hit before.”

”Shh, the women are coming.” Erva couldn't help but giggle again.

”Even when I talk Paul into pugilism, he's never really taken a jab at me.”

”I'll smack you around if that's what you want, but the ladies are coming.” She fastened her hands around his red coat, over his chest, and gently shook him.