The Lady Knight

Chapter XXXIII: Ices and Images

Tess was standing up on her toes in front of Nick, who was already impeccably dressed for the Potential Quest trip to the earldom villages of Roche, standing much too close to him than I would have liked her to.

So close, in fact, that they could be hugging.

Her slender fingers adjusted Nick's cravat for him, her forehead creased in extreme concentration as she did so. He, on the other hand, was smiling contently down at her, trying to be as still as he could for her sake. His lips moved continuously, which elicited melodious, tinkling laughter from her, as both their heads, mahogany and gold, were bent over the damned cravat.

They could well be part of an image from a portrait, of a dutiful, loving wife fussing over her husband. Such a simple gesture, yet, it evoked a strong response in me that I could not have anticipated.

I did not recognise that rush of dark rage that pulsated through me at that moment, or that violent urge to rip her hands away from him, or that desperate need to break something fragile that instant, but certainly, it was not a pleasant feeling.

I felt Captain Everard's and Captain Dupont's curious stares burn into the sides of my head. I knew I had gone pale. I did not need them to voice out that fact.

I cleared my throat.

Tess turned to glance at me, surprised to find me there with my Captains. However, she made no move to remove her hands from his cravat. Instead, her deceptively innocent blue gaze held mine with a strength and determination I had to applaud, as her lips curled up into a vicious, triumphant smile upon seeing my countenance.

She knew. She always knew.

Nick's head turned too, and he shot me a happy grin in welcome. "Good morning, Julie - " he began brightly, but faltered almost at once, "is there something wrong?" I noticed he still did not step away from her.

By God, how I wished that did not bother me so!

I took a deep breath to calm myself, and shoved my hands in my pockets, curling them into fists. Raising my head, I rocked on my heels for a moment, before mustering up a convincingly happy smile.

"Nothing of consequence," I shook my head, "so...would anyone like to join me for breakfast?" I forced myself to chuckle, gazing around as I was met by genuine cheers and whoops of approval, even from Tess.

Only Captain Everard remained strangely solemn.

***

I jumped off Aurora in one fluid motion and tied her to the nearest tree with tight knots.

The door flung open at once, and two figures rushed out towards me. "You look awful," was Richard's blunt and immediate welcome, as he pulled me into a warm hug at the doorstep, "does she not, Jackie?"

He was whole. His both hands were still intact, crushing me to his chest. I was overwhelmed by the relief that flooded me at that moment.

"Thank God," I mumbled into his shirt.

"Tsk, tsk. Allow her to come inside first before she freezes," Jackie admonished gently, smacking his arm, "have you no manners?"

Richard released me, chuckling, as he pulled me into the house past a grumbling Jackie. "Have you not been eating well? Sleeping well? Has my brother been tormenting you?" he fired questions laced with concern at me, "why do you look like you have starved for days?" He sat me down on a chair and sank into a seat next to me, his face expectant.

"Thank you for boosting my self-esteem, Richard," I rolled my eyes at him, flicking his forehead none too gently, as Jackie closed the door behind us and seated herself across us.