Bound By Honour (Book 1)

Chapter 7

"Are you hungry?" Bronco's deep voice asks. Sparrow sighs, clearly she needs to work on her stealth. She rounds the corner and immediately her shackles go up. Wolfe grins lazily at her from across the table, eyes twinkling with amusement. He sits leaning back comfortably, at ease with everything. Bronco gestures for her to come closer but she shakes her head no, eyes flickering to the exit. "Sit Sparrow and you can discuss this like adults."

"Is there someone guarding all the exits?"

"Sparrow, please sit."

"I'll take that as a yes." Exhaling she glances at Wolfe. "You look mighty proud of yourself. Nothing has changed, I still refuse your proposal and that will not change. I thought perhaps your brother would talk some sense into you, not lead you to me." At this she casts Bronco a disdainful look.

"Don't give him that look. He did the right thing. He is my brother, not your protector"

"If any of my sisters did something like this I would not help them, I would protect the victim."

"You're calling yourself a victim?!" Her eyes narrow, throwing fire towards him. "Didn't think so. I have a new proposal for you. Sit and we can discuss it."

"I prefer to stand." Wolfe sits straighter up mimicking her, as she stood with her shoulders squared and her stance ready to move.

"As you wish. Stay in my lands today and you may go home tomorrow. As an apology I wish to host a dinner in your honour. If you refuse my hospitality and apology that news will spread and your lands will greatly struggle when you need help the most." Her lip curls in anger and Bronco stands up, moving in between them.

"It is already snowing, come tomorrow I may not be able to return home. You planned this."

"Refuse then. Nobody is stopping you." Wolfe adds, taunting her.

"You know very well that I cannot. I would bring dishonour to my father and you; you are using that against me. I will tell you this, no matter how bad the weather gets tomorrow I will go home." Wolfe grins and stands, lazily stretching his arms out behind him.

"I will see you tonight Sparrow." To Sparrow it seems to take an age before he leaves the room. Bronco bustles about, eager to avoid eye contact.

"Your mother, where will she be?"

Bronco raises his head, clearly puzzled before understanding becomes apparent. "She will not overrule him; he inherited the right to rule many years ago, her place is to advise but never to force."

"That does not answer my question, where will she be?" Bronco chuckles deeply, catching her off guard. She takes a wary step back.

"Don't worry child," he manages to say between laughs, "I'm just thinking I rather miss the girl who spoke quietly and appeared afraid from last night. She did not order for me to tell her information." He chuckles again, the sound filling the kitchen. She relaxes her stance and allows a small smile to appear on her lips.

"I'm sorry, but she does not truly exist. You're stuck with me until I leave tomorrow. Please, "Bronco grins at her when the word leaves her mouth, "Advise me as to where your mother might be."

"She'll be in the walled garden around the back of Wolfe's manor." Bronco opens his front door and peeks out. He nods happily before glancing back at Sparrow, "Would you prefer Jag or Ra to take you?"

"I'm not allowed to go unsupervised?"

"No. You are a stranger to our people; you must be escorted wherever you go. If my mother agrees to watch you, Jag or Ra will leave you with her. Choose."

"Jag." Is her curt reply. Jag's head appears in the open doorway, his expression solemn. She hears a sarcastic, evil laugh from beyond her sight. Jag turns his head to the side and frowns disapprovingly at Ra who leans against the wall outside sharpening his dagger.

"Don't allow her to distract you." Ra warns as Sparrow moves through the doorway. She doesn't even cast a glance his way but watches Jag's reaction. His lips tweak upwards and he raises his eyebrows at Ra.

"Like you've never been distracted, recall only a few weeks ago." Ra pushes away from the wall and stalks off. Jag offers his arm to Sparrow with a sly grin. "Shall we?" Sparrow struggles to keep her face straight, out of the three of them Jag is the most likeable despite all that they've done. She accepts his arm with reluctance. "You've never done this before have you? No one has ever escorted you, not even to a dance?"

"Of course they have, just not since I was seven. I openly refused since then; my uncle was the only acceptance." Sparrow looks sideways at him. "Will Wolfe really let me leave tomorrow?" Jag frowns, and absent-mindedly he licks his lip.

"Wolfe has promised to let you leave tomorrow?"

"You didn't know? You know what's happening tonight?" Jag chews on his cheek and gazes into the distance. "Jag. I thought Wolfe trusted you."

"He does. Clearly this a new tacti...development." He sighs and finally looks at Sparrow. He smiles with only half of his mouth. "I assume he has found a weakness in you, something such as your family honour and respect." He chuckles, "He is holding a dinner in your honour isn't he?"

"So he's predictable then?"

Jag chuckles, and gazes at Sparrow with admiration. "To me, yes. Even to Ra and Leo but no one else. I will be impressed if you can learn to predict him. It has taken me years."

"Hopefully I will not be here long enough to need to." They both pause before a strong wooden door situated within a great tall wall crawling with ivy. Jag knocks and waits for an answer.

It creaks open slowly and Sparrow bows her head in respect at the sight of Lady Claire. Lady Claire smiles kindly at Jag. "You may return to your duties now. She will be safe with me," Jag moves to argue but she raises one hand and beckons Sparrow within with the other, "and I with her." She shuts the door in his face and turns to Sparrow but she is already well within the gardens walls inspecting the roses that tangle and fight their way to the top of the walls. Lady Claire watches, quietly, seeing the decisiveness in every one of her movements. She would not be the one to speak first. "I believe I must apologise," No reaction comes from Sparrow; she simply touches the petals of a rose and smiles. "I knew very well where my son was yesterday when you asked but I still went along with the lie that you had been told. I shouldn't have done that."

"No. You shouldn't have but it was the answer I expected. Your son is more to blame."

"Yes well, I believe I should apologise to him also. It seems I am to blame for your escape. I did think you'd get further."

"Maybe I would have but I ran into yet another of your sons."

"What do you want Sparrow? You asked to see me, there must be a reason."

Sparrow grins, "I want you to save your son. Advise him that he's being foolish. That I am the opposite to what he wants in a wife. Persuade him to cancel tonight and to allow me to go home with one of his best horses. You must make him know this is in his best interests. You love him, you want the best for him; then do this."