Page 29 of Bound to a Highland Beast
“Och aye,” said Constantine. “Outside.”
Isabeau exchanged a quick glance with Tiernan, reluctant to be left alone with those men in the room. Tiernan seemed just as hesitant, but he only shook his head and leaned in to press his lips against hers in a soft, familiar kiss, before he finally turned to head outside, and just like that, Isabeau was left alone.
She could hardly focus on the men in front of her, though. The touch of his lips still lingered, the ghost of it sending a shiverdown her spine. The memory of it encompassed her mind, igniting inside her a fire that she didn’t even know could exist.
It was such a casual, familiar gesture that it shocked her even more than the act of the kiss itself. Though she had never allowed herself to truly hope for a kiss from Tiernan, she had imagined it plenty of times. But it had never been like this. In her mind, it had always been urgent, desperate, the two of them unable to keep away from each other anymore. This kiss, soft and intimate as it was, felt much more scandalous to her than anything else could have been.
But he only did it tae keep Constantine an’ his men away from me. Tae remind them that they cannae touch me.
“So,” said Constantine, pulling Isabeau out of her thoughts. “Ye look very young. How come ye’re already wedded?”
“I’m twenty-five years o’ age,” said Isabeau, sitting up a little straighter and assuming the commanding air she sometimes invoked when she needed to stand her ground without appearing rude. “Some would say I’m even too old.”
“Are ye?” Constantine asked, though he didn’t seem truly surprised by it. “An’ how long have ye been wedded tae Tiernan?”
“Almost a year now,” said Isabeau without missing a beat. She could only hope that Constantine wouldn’t ask him the same questions or that, at least, they would have some time alone to get their story straight. “Though it feels much shorter.”
“Och aye,” said Constantine. “Time runs through yer fingers when ye’re happy. An’ how is it that he brings ye tae these… jobs? Surely, he must realize it isnae safe fer a lass.”
“It isnae safe fer him either,” Isabeau pointed out. “An’ yet ye dinnae ask me why I allow him tae dae it.”
Silence fell over the table. All the men in the room turned to stare at her, wide-eyed, save for Constantine who gave her a small, conspiratorial grin.
“I suppose ye’re right,” he said. “Ye’re a clever lass.”
“So, I’ve been told.”
The two of them stared at each other in silence once more, but Isabeau wasn’t as frightened of Constantine anymore. She had the suspicion that if he had wanted to kill them, he would have done so already, and there would be nothing she or Tiernan could do to stop it. Rather, he was testing them both and she felt as though she had just passed his test.
Just then, the door opened and Tiernan walked in once more, stomping over to Constantine and handing him the sword. Once again, Constantine ran his fingers over the blade and hummed in satisfaction, passing it back to one of his men.
“Excellent,” he said. “Just excellent. Well, ye can sleep here fer the night if ye so wish. We have the space an’ ye must be weary.”
“Nay,” said Tiernan immediately, a little too abruptly for Isabeau’s taste. Even if Constantine didn’t want to harm them, they still had to be careful around him. “I think we will head tae the village. But we’ll be back on the morrow tae try out the swords with ye an’ yer men. Ye were right when ye said that one wasnae sharpened. I wish tae see if they are all sharpened an’ balanced.
“Very well,” said Constantine. “As ye wish.”
Just as Isabeau thought it was finally time to leave, Tiernan added, “An’ I would love tae spar with ye when I willnae be so tired.”
Isabeau’s eyes widened at the suggestion, wondering what it was Tiernan was thinking. Why would he provoke Constantine like that? Even a sparring session could be dangerous, no matter the weapons they used. But she didn’t dare say a thing; perhaps, she thought, Tiernan had a plan.
Constantine stood, bowing his head just so. “I would like that very much,” he said. “In fact, I look forward tae it.”
When Isabeau’s gaze met Tiernan’s, she found in it nothing but determination.
—
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