Past Loves

Part 33

Chapter 33

A smile crossed his face when he saw Rose close her eyes.  He knew that she wanted answers, wanted him to tell her what their future together would be.  He had not found the time.  No, that was not true.  It was not time itself that he could not find, it was the appropriate moment.  Any time he had been alone with her, it was in a barn or he was bleeding from his side.  Even now, it hurt to walk.  How was he to drop down on one knee if even breathing pulled at his side?

The pain was pushed to the back of his mind as he followed Cassie into the study.  He was glad that the woman seemed to be doing well, but he hated for her to lose someone.  Cassie was as protective over those she thought her own as Lord Ashmore was.  The only difference between her and her adoptive father was the fact that Cassie ordered with a smile that made others want to do her bidding.  Lord Ashmore did so with a glare that made others scurry in fear to do what he wanted.

Peirce hoped that when the time came for Cassie to welcome her babe into the world, Lord Ashmore would be here.  A man as him was needed with Colin.  Colin would worry, he would get angry, and he would demand to see Cassie at times that it was unheard of for him to see her.  Ashmore could calm Colin.  To be honest, he wished the man were here now, because the way Colin was looking at his wife let Peirce know that the man was on the edge of worry.

“Sit down,” Cassie said with a smile as went to ease into the large chair in the study.  Colin frowned at her, before gently easing her to the side and flopping down on the chair himself.  Before Cassie had time to protest, he was pulling her down into his lap.  “Colin s—”

She let out a moan that had Peirce’s eyebrows rising in question.  Following his friend’s hands, Peirce watched as Colin rubbed between Cassie’s shoulder blades.  It put them both in a position that looked awkward, but neither of them seemed to notice.  The more they sat there, the more unfocused Cassie’s eyes became, and Peirce knew that if he wanted to start this talk, he would have to be the first to speak.

“When is your father arriving?”

Her eyes snapped open and alertness met him.  “Soon,” she mumbled before looking towards the study door.  “William is returning home with them.”

“Why?” Rose asked, a frown on her face.

Cassie shrugged, but he could see the sadness worrying the corner of her eyes.  “His father is the King, but will not be alive forever.”

“I understand,” Peirce said with a nod.  William, while he was a great person, he was not ready to run a kingdom.  He did not have the harshness it took to make decisions to rule a country.

“Enough of this,” Colin grumbled as his hands moved to Cassie’s neck.  “Tell them what you wish; it is time for a nap.”

A large smile crossed Cassie’s face that made Peirce feel as if he were intruding on an intimate moment.  She took a deep breath as the smile dropped from her face and seriousness drew her eyebrows together.  The look that she sent him let him know that, while the next words were needed, he was not going to like them.

“What happened on your trip, and what happens in your life is private between the two of you.  That does not change the fact that I feel as if the two of you need to speak to one another.  I know,” she paused, scrunching her face up in annoyance, “call me what you wish, but I know the two of you have not spoken about your future.”

“It is true,” Rose said from beside him as she shifted on her feet, “but it is not as if we are avoiding anything.”

Cassie stared at the two of them before letting out a sigh.  “Colin and I have decided to set aside a small amount of money for the two of you.  While I do not mind you living in my home, I think that at some point, you will prefer to live in your own.”