Return to Caer Lon by Claude Dancourt Page A

minute to vest despite the resistance of the fabric on her humid skin.
    “You can turn around now.”
    Her voice was regal, and perfectly icy. Derek stayed immobile for a few more seconds. When he finally decided to grant her one look, she was seated on the bed, working her brush through her mane. The surprise on his face annoyed her even more.
    “You are wearing a dress.”
    The brush stopped midway in her damp locks.
    “Yes, I am. Is that a problem?”
    “No, of course not.”
    She was not sure she liked the glint that sparkled in his eyes. The taunting smile was even more hassling. Sacha continued arranging her hair, falsely unconcerned.
    “The water is still hot, if by any chance you feel like cleaning up.”
    His smirk disappeared at the insult. Excellent.
    Derek put off his jacket and started unlacing his shirt. Sacha narrowed her eyes on him, unable to chase away the warmth spreading up her throat.
    “The screen is over there, Derek .”
    His boots landed on the floor. Sacha turned to face the opposite side of the room but she refused to close her eyes. Her locks were already tangling, she had no reason to wait for him to discover the sense of the word ‘modesty’ .
    “You really splashed water everywhere…”
    God , was he insufferable ! What need had he to always tr y and make her feel addled or futile!
    “I am not use d to have someone entering my chambers while I am bathing.”
    “This is reassuring… Hum, this is good.”
    The appreciative murmur when he entered the tub tore away a smile. Sacha focused on one particularly difficult knot; like certain prince . The sound of water caught her attention again. The knot gave in with a vigorous pull that echoed down to her arm and she could not stop a whimper to escape her lips.
    “I asked a couple of questions of the barman. He was able to buy some cider from Camelot last winter.”
    She chocked . He hadn’t intrude d her privacy to talk about alcohol, had he? If this was an excuse for ill behaviour, t his was the lousiest she had ever been served . And Elwyn had a bottomless stock of them. She put her brush away without a reply and started arranging her hair , wincing every time she pulled too hard at the wavy mass .
    “ I suspect beverages are not the only thing that came across. Apparently, bad things did too. Whatever they are. So, are you ready?”
    Sacha looked up to find him dressed fresh, his hair shining a dark gold from the bath. Irritated at liking the image , she took her time to clip her braid up with a beautiful ly carved hazel comb Agnes had thoughtfully added to her packing. Then she stood gracefully, a perfectly composed smile on her lips. Derek ’s expression flinched, yet it was still too bold for her taste.
    “Good. Let’s go explain to the innkeeper why a lady dresses as a page and why said lady and her knight need to find the church…”
     

Chapter 8
     
     
    Derek decided the furious embarrassment in Sacha ’s eyes when he served his story to their hostess was worth every second. She had no idea what her shriek had done to his heart rate. Especially given that he was still recovering from his encounter with one of her t wo admirers in the main room. What the hell was she thinking, screaming like that? He thought... No, he had just stopped thinking for a split second.
    Afterward, t he effort of calming the beast raging inside his chest had nearly made it easy to ignore her shadow playing on the wall as she dressed ; well, quite easy. She had taken her sweet time vest ing . Did she think he was made of stone? Good God , he was only human and she was beautiful …
    “I cannot believe you told her we eloped!”
    Her outrage cut through his distracting thoughts . Caught off guard, Derek managed a sneer .
    “I did not recall using that particular word. I told only the truth. We did leave without your father’s approval.”
    Derek paused to observe their surroundings and find the general direction the innkeeper had indicated for