Her mother and father would be deeply shamed by her brazen behavior, if they knew. She could almost feel the sting of the birch twigs on her bare backside. And Marguerite! She would skin me alive, using only her tongue!
Celeste pulled her fingers away from Guy’s locks as if they were a nest of garden snakes. Better to put the pillow next to his head and be done with it. Perhaps he’d sense it was there and roll onto it. Standing, Celeste looked down at him again. At least now Brother Guy looked a little more comfortable. She cocked her head. What did his face look like when he slept? Surely he could not maintain that stern mien all the time. One little peek wouldn’t hurt—just to satisfy her curiosity. Raising herself up on her toes, Celeste leaned far out over his body, twisting to get a glimpse of his expression.
Brilliant, unblinking sapphire eyes met her gaze, and one thick brow slowly rose.
With a small shriek of surprise, Celeste lost her precarious balance and toppled over Guy, toward the fireplace. His hands caught her before her head hit the hearthstone, and his body cushioned the impact of her fall.
A rasp of drawn steel rang out in the darkness. “By the cock of the devil, unhand her, you cur!” Gaston bellowed as he leapt from the bed. The moonlight glimmered on the naked blade of his sword.
Guy’s hands tightened around Celeste’s arms for a moment as he stared deeply into her eyes. Then, rolling over, he pushed her away from him.
Celeste caught her breath at the intensity of the blue flame that had blazed momentarily in his eyes. Only Gaston’s string of thunderous oaths shook her from the spell of his gaze. “Peace, Gaston!” She held out her hand to the angry sergeant. “I pray you, all is well. Good Brother Guy did no wrong.”
“I’ll cleave him in half!” Gaston bristled, his bare legs dancing in a frenzy as he circled the couple on the floor. “Move away, my lady, or you’ll get blood on your clothes.”
In one swift move, Guy rose, his blankets falling away from him like brown leaves off an elm tree in autumn. Before Gaston and Celeste could gather their wits, Guy chopped his hands down across the old soldier’s wrist. The sword clanged against the hearthstone. Cursing in pain, Gaston cradled his injured arm.
Bunching up the voluminous material of her gown and robe, Celeste pulled herself up between the two men. “Peace, I say! I am the one at fault. Oh, Gaston, are you sorely hurt?”
“Nothing’s broken, no thanks to that...Englishman!” Gaston spat out the word as he glared at Guy.
Celeste looked from one to the other. Guy’s hair stood out on all sides, like an angered lion’s. Gaston’s silvered strands bristled from the top of his head, as if they were the flames on a candlewick. Celeste put her hand over her mouth, but could not stop the flow of her giggles. The more she tried to control herself, the harder she laughed.
“Oh, la, la!” she gasped between bouts of mirth. “If you two could but see yourselves!” Another wave caught her. “In faith, two bantam cocks! Oui!” She nodded as both men glared at her.
“Lady Celeste!” Gaston threw his shoulders back with tattered dignity. “I’ve been charged upon my life to see you safely to your husband, and I’ll thank you not to make me into your jester for doing so!”
He looked so injured, Celeste immediately sobered. What on earth had gotten into her? In the meantime, Guy tossed another log on the fire. A shower of sparks flew up the chimney. The room grew brighter, illuminating the monk’s face. If Celeste had thought him stern before, now Guy looked exactly what she imagined an avenging angel would be on the final day of judgment, when he turned his eye upon the damned. Biting her lip, she looked down at her fingers which were clasped tightly together.
“Pardonnez-moi, ” she begged the two men in a soft, husky voice. “I have wronged you both.” She cast a sidelong glance at Gaston, who
Celeste pulled her fingers away from Guy’s locks as if they were a nest of garden snakes. Better to put the pillow next to his head and be done with it. Perhaps he’d sense it was there and roll onto it. Standing, Celeste looked down at him again. At least now Brother Guy looked a little more comfortable. She cocked her head. What did his face look like when he slept? Surely he could not maintain that stern mien all the time. One little peek wouldn’t hurt—just to satisfy her curiosity. Raising herself up on her toes, Celeste leaned far out over his body, twisting to get a glimpse of his expression.
Brilliant, unblinking sapphire eyes met her gaze, and one thick brow slowly rose.
With a small shriek of surprise, Celeste lost her precarious balance and toppled over Guy, toward the fireplace. His hands caught her before her head hit the hearthstone, and his body cushioned the impact of her fall.
A rasp of drawn steel rang out in the darkness. “By the cock of the devil, unhand her, you cur!” Gaston bellowed as he leapt from the bed. The moonlight glimmered on the naked blade of his sword.
Guy’s hands tightened around Celeste’s arms for a moment as he stared deeply into her eyes. Then, rolling over, he pushed her away from him.
Celeste caught her breath at the intensity of the blue flame that had blazed momentarily in his eyes. Only Gaston’s string of thunderous oaths shook her from the spell of his gaze. “Peace, Gaston!” She held out her hand to the angry sergeant. “I pray you, all is well. Good Brother Guy did no wrong.”
“I’ll cleave him in half!” Gaston bristled, his bare legs dancing in a frenzy as he circled the couple on the floor. “Move away, my lady, or you’ll get blood on your clothes.”
In one swift move, Guy rose, his blankets falling away from him like brown leaves off an elm tree in autumn. Before Gaston and Celeste could gather their wits, Guy chopped his hands down across the old soldier’s wrist. The sword clanged against the hearthstone. Cursing in pain, Gaston cradled his injured arm.
Bunching up the voluminous material of her gown and robe, Celeste pulled herself up between the two men. “Peace, I say! I am the one at fault. Oh, Gaston, are you sorely hurt?”
“Nothing’s broken, no thanks to that...Englishman!” Gaston spat out the word as he glared at Guy.
Celeste looked from one to the other. Guy’s hair stood out on all sides, like an angered lion’s. Gaston’s silvered strands bristled from the top of his head, as if they were the flames on a candlewick. Celeste put her hand over her mouth, but could not stop the flow of her giggles. The more she tried to control herself, the harder she laughed.
“Oh, la, la!” she gasped between bouts of mirth. “If you two could but see yourselves!” Another wave caught her. “In faith, two bantam cocks! Oui!” She nodded as both men glared at her.
“Lady Celeste!” Gaston threw his shoulders back with tattered dignity. “I’ve been charged upon my life to see you safely to your husband, and I’ll thank you not to make me into your jester for doing so!”
He looked so injured, Celeste immediately sobered. What on earth had gotten into her? In the meantime, Guy tossed another log on the fire. A shower of sparks flew up the chimney. The room grew brighter, illuminating the monk’s face. If Celeste had thought him stern before, now Guy looked exactly what she imagined an avenging angel would be on the final day of judgment, when he turned his eye upon the damned. Biting her lip, she looked down at her fingers which were clasped tightly together.
“Pardonnez-moi, ” she begged the two men in a soft, husky voice. “I have wronged you both.” She cast a sidelong glance at Gaston, who
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