Page 40 of While Angels Slept (de Lohr Dynasty #1)

Myles nodded, warmth in his pale blue eyes, as he marched off to carry out the earl’s orders.

Tevin stood in the doorway a moment, still stunned, yet knowing what he had to do.

Even though he’d never truly lusted after Geoff’s title and power, he realized he was more than ready to assume the mantle. He’d been bred for this moment.

He was East Anglia.

*

Val was dead asleep when the door to her chamber opened, creaking and old. In fact, it was stuck, making noise that awakened her. Exhausted and drugged on something the surgeon gave her, she could barely open her eyes.

Myles came into the room, kneeling down next to the bed. His fair face was serious as he put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Val?” he said softly. “Are you awake?”

She inhaled, long and deep, before nodding her head. “I am,” her eyes lolled open, looking at him. “What time is it?”

“Almost dawn,” Myles caressed her shoulder gently. “I have come to tell you that something has happened.”

Muddled though she may be, those words had meaning to her. Val blinked her eyes, struggling to focus. “What has happened?” she looked apprehensive. “Tevin? Is he well?”

Myles shushed her softly, cutting her off.

“Geoff is dead,” he informed her. “Your brother is now the Earl of East Anglia. I am summoning men at this moment to spread the word, and then I am riding to Dartford Crossing to find out who holds the bridge. Your brother needs to speak with them. I am telling you all of this in case Tevin comes to you. He is somewhat overwhelmed by everything at the moment so he make seek solace with you. I wanted you to be prepared.”

Val understood most of what he said, but she was still focused on Geoff’s death. Her pale face slackened. “Geoff is dead ?” she repeated in a whisper. “What happened?”

Myles sighed as he moved from caressing her shoulder to stroking her hair. “He attacked Tevin in anger,” he said quietly. “Your brother was trying to protect himself and accidentally killed him.”

Val’s eyes widened. “My God,” she gasped. “Where is my brother?”

“Inside the keep, but I suspect he will make his way out here to you shortly.”

“Is he not riding for Cantia and Arabel?”

“Aye, he is. He says there is nothing more important to him at this moment, not even Anglia.”

Val thought on that a moment. Then she tried to sit up. “I must go to him,” she grunted. “I must find my brother.”

Myles threw an arm across her shoulders, preventing her from rising. She was fairly weak and didn’t give him much of a fight. He was able to push her back to the bed without a significant struggle.

“He will come to you, I am sure,” Myles insisted softly. “Be at ease, Val. I do not want to see you further injure yourself.”

There was something in his tone that made Val take a closer look.

For a man who, as long as she had known him, had only spoken of warring things and other trivial subjects, it was a tone of voice she had always wanted to hear from him.

Perhaps his sympathy for her injury would cause him to say something sweet to her, something she had longed for.

Perhaps he would say that he felt more for her than just knightly camaraderie.

“Why not?” she asked softly.

He appeared confused by the question. “What do you mean?”

“Why do you not want to see me injure myself further? ”

Myles stared at her. But as he did so, something in his blue eyes changed. They seemed to soften, grow liquid and warm. A faint smile tugged at his lips.

“Because I do not,” he whispered. “That is all you need to know.”

She could sense humor and her dark eyes glittered. “That is not true,” she murmured. “I need to know everything. Tell me, Myles.”

His smile grew although he fought it, biting his lip as he averted his gaze. “I cannot tell you.”

“Why not?”

“Because I am a coward.”

She grinned. “Myles de Lohr, you are no such thing. Tell me why you do not wish for me to injure myself further or… or I swear I will never speak to you again.”

He cast her a sidelong glance. “Never?”

“Never. Never, ever.”

“That is a very long time.”

“It is. Are you willing to take that chance?”

He sighed heavily, although he was still having difficulty looking at her. “Can you at least give me time to determine what it is I need to say before you cut me off completely? I do not want to say the wrong thing.”

She did giggle, then. “How on earth can you say the wrong thing? Myles, you had better tell me what I wish to hear or there will be serious consequences.”

His grin broke through. “I do not like consequences.”

“Would it be easier if I spoke first?”

His grin faded and he looked at her, then. In fact, he looked both curious and hopeful. It was a strange combination.

“Aye, I believe it would,” he confided.

Her smile faded as well, though it didn’t vanish completely.

She gazed at the man, his handsome face, someone she had known for many years.

She had always been very fond of him, made stronger now with age and experience.

She couldn’t remember when she hadn’t longed for him in a way that made her heart race and her palms sweat.

Reaching out, she gently touched his wrist.

“Very well,” she whispered. “Promise you will not laugh.”

“I will not laugh, I swear.”

She nodded her head, almost reluctantly, as she summoned her courage.

“I know I am not a fine lady with elegant pursuits,” she admitted.

“But I am strong, brave, and of good character, and I swear I would love you forever if given the chance. I would do all in my power to make you happy and content, Myles. Perhaps you do not feel the same way about me but I would be honored if you would at least give me the chance.”

His smile was completely vanished as he stared at her with big eyes.

After a moment, he took the hand she had placed on his wrist and brought it to his lips, kissing it reverently.

Val had no idea why tears sprang to her eyes, but they did.

They streamed down her temples as she watched him gently kiss her hand, her wrist. It was the most wonderful moment she could have ever imagined.

When he was finished kissing her hand, he moved to her head, very carefully cupping her face between his two big hands. He just stared at her.

“You are far braver than I am, my lady,” he murmured. “You have spoken everything that is within my heart but I have been too afraid to speak the words. I never thought… I did not believe you would be receptive.”

She grinned at him, thrilled beyond measure at his tender touch. She had dreamt of this moment and now that it was upon them, she could never have imagined it to be this wonderful.

“I am receptive,” she whispered.

He lifted his eyebrows. “Enough to give up the sword to become my wife? I do not want to marry a woman who can out maneuver me in battle or best me in a fight.”

She giggled. “I promise that I shall lay my sword down if I am your wife. Unless, of course, you ever have need of me.”

His eyes glittered as his gaze drifted over her forehead, her eyes, the shape of her lovely face. “I will have need of you,” he whispered as his face loomed closer. “But not in that fashion.”

His lips claimed hers, a sweeter kiss neither of them had ever known.

He suckled her lips, tasting her for the first time, thinking he’d been a fool not to have done it sooner.

The gentle kiss turned passionate and, instinctively, he moved to put his arms around her and pull her close but she yelped in pain as he tried. Startled, horrified, he backed off.

“I am so sorry,” he whispered. “I did not mean to hurt you.”

She laughed it off, her lips red and moist from his attention. “Not to worry,” she assured him. “It is of little consequence considering I have been waiting for weeks for you to kiss me as you just did.”

His grin returned, as did his hands to her face. “Why did you not tell me this?”

It was her turn to look horrified. “And risk your rejection, or worse? You would have thought me to be a horribly forward creature.”

“I would have thought you to have given me an invitation of a lifetime.”

She giggled and he kissed her again, being very mindful of her injuries.

But he had duties to attend to, much as he was reluctant to leave her.

Only when Val swore she would not leave the bed and would wait impatiently for his return did he force himself away from her.

Heart racing and limbs tingling, he quit the knight’s quarters.

Tevin wondered why Myles had such a huge grin on his face when he saw him crossing the bailey a few minutes later. Realizing he had just come from the knight’s quarters, he began to suspect why.