Once Upon a Kiss by Tanya Anne Crosby

her.”
    Blaec smiled morosely. “Certainly she’s fared
better against those fiends than any of our men have managed thus far.”
    Graeham sighed. “A rather sad fact, but true.”
    “At any rate,” Blaec continued, “last night it was
much too dark to search the adjoining woods, but I thought perhaps today... we
would invite our guests on a... hunt?”
    Graeham’s brows lifted. He nodded. “I should very
much like to see Beauchamp’s face if we were to happen upon a body,” he
admitted.
    “‘Tis settled then.”
    “Aye,” Graeham agreed. Lifting himself from the
bed, he made his way to the door, re-sheathing his sword. “I suppose I shall go
extend the invitation to our guest,” he proposed. And pray he’s found
blameless, he thought silently. For everyone’s sake he hoped Beauchamp was not
responsible.
    “Be certain to invite your bride ,” Blaec called after him, his
tone sardonic.
    Graeham stopped and turned. “Of course,” he said,
but his brows knit.
    Something about the way Blaec had called her his
bride caught his attention, and he stood there considering his dutiful brother
a long moment. He’d been watching those two together and even a blind man could
detect the undercurrents between them. And suddenly he grinned, for he knew
precisely how to extricate himself from his entanglement. Inadvertently he’d
already stumbled upon the answer. Blaec was right, though Graeham would never
admit it. Out of guilt, he had inadvertently been casting the two of them
together.
    Even if William was guilty, he reasoned, in all
likelihood his sister was not, for she didn’t strike him as a treacherous
shrew. Loyal to her brother, she might be, but her outburst yesterday evening
when they’d considered the fate of William’s messenger had told him much.
    Aye... what better way to shed himself of his
burden?
    Indeed, and if all settled itself well, then it would
go considerably easier when he spoke to Stephen later. He’d long vowed to do
so, but it was past time, and as he shut the door behind him, and Blaec settled
back into the massive tub, Graeham felt remarkably lighter in spirit.
    Lighter than he had in ages.
     
    Dominique managed to wait until both she and Alyss
were respectfully dressed, but she couldn’t hold back any longer. When Alyss
lifted up a comb from Dominique’s possessions in order to dress her hair,
Dominique removed it from her hands, returning it to the table.
    “Alyss,” she began, her tone grave, “you must tell
me who did this to you.” Gently, wincing at the sight of the bruise, she
reached to touch Alyss’ cheek. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
    Alyss fidgeted uncomfortably. “Nay, m’lady...
there is nothing for you to be sorry for.” Gently she removed Dominique’s hand
from her face, as though heartily uncomfortable with the ministrations. “I do
thank you, but ’tis just as I said... I fell from my bed whilst I slept.”
    Dropping her hand at her side, Dominique averted
her face, turning from Alyss toward the shuttered window. “Dear God, Alyss...
how can you expect me to accept such a tale? As much as it pains me to agree
with a single word Blaec d’Lucy might utter, I cannot believe that tale any
more than he did.”
    “Twas kind of him to consider me,” Alyss
interjected.
    Dominique’s brows collided as she whirled to face
her maid. “Kind? I can think of much to call that man, but kind is not one of
them!”
    Alyss nodded impassionedly. “Aye, m’lady! In
truth, he would not have been so angry were he not concerned. Only think of
it... would he have spent long hours without sleep, battling fires, when he
could have sent his men out, instead, and then gone to bed without a backward
thought? Could he not as easily have dealt with the fire this morn? Aye,” she
affirmed, seeing that Dominique considered her words, “That blaze did not
threaten the donjon and were he not so concerned for his people, he’d have done
precisely so!” She looked