Part 11 (1/2)
”No man ever has to win you, loved one,” Cade said.
Her eyes narrowing, she flicked the remnants of ale from an almost empty tankard over his face. She gave a little cry of delighted protest as he suddenly reached across and dragged her onto his knee. ”You're only jealous,” he said, playfully struggling to keep her detained in his arms.
When she had finished her happy interaction with Cade, she went boldly over to Cedrik with the hopes of igniting discourse with him, and by her look, a vast deal more. Her face was fair enough for his taste, his blood had beat up the moment she brushed past him, but Cedrik was a little startled that a woman would give herself so freely. It was his belief that any woman worth having would hold herself at a higher price. A man must prove himself worthy if she is to be won.
His polite reserve did little to discourage her. With a nymph-like coyness she took a seat next to him and put her feet up on the table in a relaxed manner, crossing one boot over the other. Cedrik cast down his eyes, a.s.suming a blank look and deliberately avoiding her gaze. He thought a world of trouble looked out from those eyes.
Giving him a sugary smile, she said, ”Well?” She had noticed him glance at her uncovered legs.
”Well, what?” asked Cedrik with innocent sincerity.
”Will you offer to buy me a drink?”
Cedrik glanced over to a nearby table, at which he presumed sat a jealous lover, and said, ”I think he'll be buying you a drink.” He motioned with his head over to a man with an angry vein running down his forehead.
”That's my brother,” she said. ”He's only jealous.”
”Jealous?” repeated Cedrik. ”What has he to be jealous of?”
”He doesn't like me speaking to men.”
”I see he has no quarrel with speaking to women,” Cedrik observed.
She smiled. ”So, will you buy me a drink then?
Cedrik s.h.i.+fted uncomfortably in his seat and reached for his drink. ”Angry brothers and alcohol never mix well with me.”
”You don't like me?”
”For certain I do-who could not?”
”You have a woman waiting for you?”
”No.”
”Maybe you would prefer to go someplace else?” She waited for his response with arched brows and parted lips.
”I'm not stopping in Cheydon for many more days,” he explained. He was perspiring. She gave an amused laugh, believing him to be afraid, and with heavy, languid movements took her legs down from the table. She had a very flattering way with men, and it was not long before she had deserted Cedrik in favor of another.
Derek, while busy trying to project calm disinterest, was half in love with every pretty girl in the tavern. One in particular caught his attention. She had her boot planted on the chest of a ruddy-faced patron, pinning him to his chair, while she balanced in one hand a tray of drinks, not caring that her skirt had fallen back to reveal a good deal of lily-white thigh. Grinning like a fool, the man reached out a grubby hand to touch her. With a savage push of her boot she knocked him backwards off the chair. She continued to attend tables without being bothered by the commotion she caused.
She strongly appealed to Derek. He watched her dealings with the men with raised brows. She was unaffected by their crude ways, clipping them sharply into line. Each person in Derek's party lowered his voice whenever she pa.s.sed and sat uneasy as if he feared he might be tossed out.
”That little fire-tongue will bleed you, Derek,” said Cade, noting the woman had captured his attention. But the caution did not deter him, nor did watching as she sweetly beckoned a man forward with one finger, then caught him a sharp smack across the mouth. Several unkind remarks were muttered about her at their table.
”What's her name?” Derek asked, excitedly.
”Who?” asked Jerrett.
”That woman you've just been on about.” He motioned to the redhead.
”Lorali,” answered another. ”Mind what you say to that one, otherwise there'll be a whole lot of pitiful sobs ...and they won't be coming from her.”
For Derek, when it came to women there was never a long delay between design and execution. He downed the last of his liquid courage and made his mind up to approach the fiery redhead. He moved forward decidedly, weaving his way through the many spirited figures, determined not to return until the object of his affections was obtained.
”She's going to bleed that little beggar,” said Cade, leaning back in his chair, laughing, till his eye caught Cedrik's sharp look. The smile dropped off his face and he adopted a blank expression.
a.s.suming an entirely different manner with her than he had with the boys, Derek approached the fiery waiting-maid. She kept busy tending to tables and brushed him off as if he was nothing more than an annoying insect. She didn't seem to care that he had addressed her by name.
”Don't speak to me,” she said, when he attempted to introduce himself.
”This is my first time here to Cheydon,” he said.
”Hopefully it'll be your last,” she answered.
Derek stood with a perplexed expression, as though he couldn't understand what she had just said to him. Being refused was a new and disagreeable experience for him. ”That depends on you.” He followed after her.
”That thought was late in coming to you,” she said in her rather sarcastic way, leaning over a table to retrieve a pile of dirty plates. She didn't bother to look at him.
”Here, let me take that for you,” he said, very gentlemanly.
”No. Get off.” She lifted her elbow to push him aside.
When finally she remained still, standing at the counter, Derek took the opportunity to speak with her, believing the hecticness of her occupation to be the cause of hostility toward him. ”I'm from the Imperial city,” he said, hoping to impress her. ”My father and brother are both-”
”I'm finished for the evening,” she called out to the innkeeper, tossing her ap.r.o.n behind the counter. As she turned to leave, Derek stood in her way.
”Permit me, at least, to see you home,” he offered in his most winning tones. ”You're likely to meet rude company along the way, dressed as you are.”
The last comment provoked a response he wasn't expecting nor prepared for. Suddenly and savagely she turned and inflicted a storm of verbal abuse upon him, the insults spilling unchecked, till the poor youth knew not where to look. From a safe distance the others sat back watching the pitiful spectacle, laughing themselves into coughing convulsions. Their merriment was aided by the considerable consumption of ale. Having no other notion of how to react, a curve of amus.e.m.e.nt came to Derek's lips.
”Oh, don't smile.” Cade put his hands over his face as if he couldn't bear to watch.
Soon they saw a despairing frown cross Derek's features. Evidently she had said something that was not favorable to his vanity. He stood bewildered, with helpless hands. He had not much experience with these sorts of women and their tempers. To be refused in such a manner was killing. His own inner self, still shaky and adolescent, was easily crushed.
As her finis.h.i.+ng note, she poured a full tankard of beer down his front. Then she pressed her lips hard to his and followed the a.s.sault with an even harder slap to the cheek. She left him dazed and confused, not knowing whether he wanted to laugh or cry.
From the table Cedrik watched with a creased brow, arms folded over chest. He had half a mind to have a word with her; she had gone out of her way to humiliate Derek. ”That was uncalled for,” said Cedrik crossly.
”I doubt he's so heartbroken he'll never turn to another,” said Deacon, also watching. His pa.s.sivity belied his annoyance at the drunken, exaggerated foolery.
Upon the dejected youth's dismal return, Cade laughed, slapping him on the back. ”That went well!”
Derek rubbed the back of his neck as if it ached. ”She called me some very harsh names.”
With the remains of his pride, Derek took a place near to his cousin and decided he would stick to ale for the remainder of the evening. Deacon glanced up from over the book. ”What are you doing?” he asked, as Derek fell into the seat opposite with unnecessary effort and noise.
”Came to see you,” said Derek. ”I've given up on women for the night.” He lounged back and rested his boot on the edge of Deacon's chair. Deacon gave a tight-lipped smile and pushed Derek's boot off.
”Don't speak to me,” he said, his eyes returning to the page.