Page 17 of Once Upon a Reckless Rogue

“Well actually there were three notes. I left them on the bench.”

His tone was calm, but inside his rage was boiling. “I saw no notes, Elena. I woke up and you were gone.”

Beside him, he heard her take an audible breath. “I left you notes, saying I was going to the village for supplies and would return. You really did not see them?”

He turned slightly enough for her to see his expression.

She took a step back. “I’m sorry you are upset but I did return, and I have some delicious things to tempt you.” Elena sighed. “You are angry. I understand.”

He turned to her. “Do you? Do you think I’m so unreasonable that you cannot discuss your plans with me? That I will meekly accept whatever you decide is to be done?”

“I…I thought it was best for me to go alone—”

“That much is obvious, Elena,” he interrupted. “How can I stay where I am given no choice in the decisions that affect me?”

“You are right. I’m sorry. I thought, if the French were somehow still lurking in the area, at least they would only capture me, and you would be safe.”

Pinning her with a fierce glare, he said, “I am not your responsibility!” Turning away from her, he said in a more controlled tone. “I wish this had ended differently.” He walked back towards the room with his slight limp.

She followed him. “After everything I have done, you will leave me because I thought of feeding us and preparing us for our journey? You think I made the decision to go to the village lightly?”

Good God, she just didn’t get it. “All I knew was that you were gone.”

“But I left the notes,” she stammered.

“I don’t care about stupid notes, Elena. For God’s sake, tell me to my face, when I am awake. Is that so hard?”

“I didn’t want to get into an argument with you if you insisted on coming with me.”

“Ah, the truth at last. You do not care about my opinion. I thought you saw me as a friend, as someone you could trust whose needs and wants may be aligned with yours. I see I was mistaken. Well, you won’t need to worry any further!” He started walking up the stairs towards the room.

Elena ran ahead of him and poked him in the chest, her eyes flashing with anger. Lord, she was beautiful. It made this all the harder.

“Worry about you is all I do! That is all I have done for the last two months, you ungrateful English pig!” Stomping over to the basket, she brought it back up the stairs and dumped it in front of him. “Take what you need and go.”

Thomas stared at the basket. He was justified, wasn’t he? He had seen no notes, and he had imagined all types of mishaps befalling her. The worst of which was that she had left him with no word of goodbye.

*

Pushing past him, she entered the room and went to her bench. Shaking with anger, she tried to concentrate on gathering all the medicine bottles and packing them in the ornate box that had belonged to her father, but her fingers were trembling too much. The notes were nowhere to be seen on the bench. Maybe he really did not see them. Tears spang to her eyes, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. Why should she care about what he did? Where he went? If he would make it back to his precious England or not?

She heard the sound of his footsteps moving and used all her might not to turn around. Had she become so controlling that she had to know everything he did? Was he right? Tears fell in earnest now, and she let them fall on the bench in fat droplets. She had expected him simply to go along with her plans. That had been wrong of her.

Had he gone already? Had she missed her opportunity to apologize?

She heard him sigh and swear under his breath. “Please. Don’t cry, Elena.” His voice was soft as she felt the warmth of him behind her.

“Lo lamento.” Her voice came out at an odd pitch.

Tomas took an audible breath behind her. “I know.” He put his good arm around her, and she leaned back against his chest. “I’m sorry too. I am grateful for everything you have done for me. I’m still disappointed in the way you decided to go today. But if we are to survive this trip, we must be able to trust each other with no secrets between us.”

She turned in his arms and looked up at him. “You are not leaving then?”

He gave her a brief half-smile. “Not without you.” He reached down and wiped the tears from her cheeks, a gentle caress which made her catch her breath. Relief swept through her, and regret. This all could have been so different if she had just told him what she was planning.

Elena opened her mouth to speak, but he shushed her with his finger before leaning down and kissing her on the lips. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she rose up on her toes to wind her arms around his neck. To kiss him back. Tingles of sensation sizzled down her spine and took over her body, and she wanted more, needed more. Not without you. Sweet, open-mouthed kisses swept her away from the dull room, the ruins of the fort, the heat of the midday sun to a place where there was only Tomas and his lips upon hers.

Not without you.