Page 73 of The Bodyguard Who Came in from the Cold
“She does not,” James quickly said.
“Oh yes. Do you not remember them as children? I know you were not around as much as I, but?—”
“I was there enough. But I don’t want to remember.”
“He was good to her,” Reynold said quietly. “He saved her life. And then we sent him away. Maybe we made a mistake.”
“We had to protect her,” James insisted. “I am her guardian; I will not second guess my every decision where Beaumont is concerned. His family, his lack of wealth or lands—hell, have you ever seen him fight? He can be vicious.”
“But it is her choice now,” Reynold said, “thanks to your friend the king.”
James only grunted his response. He watched as Margery went to Beaumont’s table and leaned down to speak to him. Their heads were close together, and James didn’t like the way they smiled at each other. Beaumont stood up and they walked to the center of the floor.
Reynold caught James’s arm. “Leave them be. We have raised her well, and she shall make the right decision.”
“But he has nothing to offer her.” James watched with distaste as Beaumont put his hands on Margery’s waist to lift her during a dance. They didn’t take their eyes off each other. “I can’t look anymore.”
“Just sit there. It will get easier.”
~oOo~
“Are they still watching us?” Margery asked, as she and Gareth linked hands for the dance.
“Of course they are. What did you expect?”
She sighed. “That they would realize that I’m an adult, and can make my own decisions.”
“They’re simply protective,” he said, and she thought he sounded reluctant.
“You are my protector now.”
“But you won’t tell them that.”
“If they thought I was in danger, they would make me return to one of their homes. I cannot live under that kind of scrutiny.”
The dance separated them, and Margery watched Gareth move from woman to woman. She had never thought she’d be this angry, this disappointed with her brothers. She had so looked forward to their visit; now they were judging her friendship with Gareth, and finding it lacking.
Each of her brothers had lived his own life, and made some really foolish mistakes. So had she. But she’d be damned if she would always suffer for it.
When Gareth returned to her, Margery whispered, “You are still coming to my chamber tonight.”
His eyes widened. “But your brothers?—”
“I do not care. I feel safe with you there, and I will not let them change my decisions.”
“I think you’ll regret this,” he said quietly.
“I don’t regret anything I do with you. And if you try to refuse me again, guard, I will kiss you right now before all of them.”
He smiled. “Then I would have to fight them.”
“Just say you’ll come.”
His gaze dropped to her mouth and his smile died. “I will not disappoint you.”
~oOo~
When Gareth slipped into her bedchamber at midnight, Margery was waiting for him. Before he could say anything, she pressed him against the wall and pulled his head down for a kiss. She’d wanted this all evening. When she should have been scrutinizing potential husbands, she’d only dreamed about having his arms around her. She tasted the inside of his mouth with her tongue and he groaned.
