Love Knots
Chapter 3
“Mister Cain?”
Cain
looked up at the sound of his name, fixing to correct them as he
registered the approaching footsteps, but then realized that it was a
female speaking, and it was in fact, DG…again.
“Yes?” he asked.
“Mister
Cain,” DG said again, her voice dropping into a conspiratorially hushed
whisper and she grinned as she stepped up to him. “What did you do?”
“Excuse me?” Cain asked and DG sighed and batted at him.
“Ambrose,” she replied still grinning. “How’d you do it? I mean, not only is he out and about… he’s singing!”
Cain blinked again, somewhat surprised. “Singing?” he asked in disbelief.
“Well, not literally,” DG admitted. “But damned near… what did you do?”
Cain
chuckled and shook his head, turning back to finish filing away some
paperwork. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Just be glad it worked.”
DG sighed. “I’m not going to get it out of you, am I?”
“Nope,” Cain replied with a rueful smile.
“Well,
thank you,” she said and leaned up, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
“I’ve not seen him so happy… not even as Glitch.” She turned then and
left him in peace to finish his work.
He
blinked, stilling as her words registered and sighed, thinking. Shaking
his head with an amused snort and the thought that she was mistaken, he
finished his filing for the day before picking up his coat and hat and
heading back to his room. True to his word, Ambrose had been at
breakfast and lunch that day, and so Wyatt had promised that after dinner, he would receive a second apple as a reward.
He
smiled to himself as he reached his room, stowing the sack of apples in
the bottom of the wardrobe after picking one and leaving it on the bed
as he cleaned up before dinner. Even he had to admit that he’d been
looking forward to seeing Ambrose at the next meal between those times,
and unlike previous days, his dreams the night before had been filled
with the man’s expression of surprise and delight, rather than the one
of anger, surprise and hurt that they had been before.
* * *
Ambrose
was rather disappointed when he appeared at dinner without the promised
apple, which amused Wyatt to no end. Pulling him aside before they got
to the table for the meal, Wyatt murmured in his ear, “Later.”
This
whispered word of promise had Ambrose flushing not only with excitement
for the rare treat, but from the closeness and familiarity he was shown
as well. They shared a brief smile before parting company to go to
their places around the more formal dinner table.
Wyatt caught DG watching them suspiciously as they talked and shared smiles throughout the meal with the others seated around.
“Well,
it’s good to see you have decided to join us again, Ambrose. We were
really worried about you. What got you to come out? I remember when I
had to practically twist your arm to get you out here.” This came from
the Queen and Wyatt turned his head, chin in hand to watch the exchange
and saw Ambrose blush, his gaze lowered before glancing to Wyatt.
“I was given a present and promised another, your Majesty,” Ambrose answered and Wyatt gave him a small smile.
“Oh?” the Queen asked. “And what was that?”
Wyatt
glanced over at DG when he heard her shift in her seat at the prospect
of learning what had happened to get Ambrose in such a good mood. He
heard Ambrose hesitate and glanced back at him to catch his eye.
“I, um…” Ambrose said, turning back to address the Queen. “I’d rather not say just yet…”
“Oh, is it a secret then?” the Queen asked.
“Well, no… I don’t think it is, anyway, but I’m not really sure of the stipulations on receiving another,” he answered.
“All right then,” the Queen said with a smile and reached out, squeezing his arm gently. “I won’t pry just in case.”
Ambrose returned it and Wyatt had to bite back a laugh when DG huffed in frustration.
* * *
Shortly
after the main course, Wyatt nearly choked on his drink when Ambrose
looked at him expectantly. Recovering, and lowering his glass, he
mouthed, ‘dessert.’
Ambrose sighed and sat back in his chair with a huff causing Wyatt to chuckle.
Remembering
the cherries the day before, Wyatt wasn’t disappointed when the kitchen
staff brought out strawberry short cake for everyone, and he arched a
brow when Ambrose’s was minus the cake, having a dish of melted
chocolate instead and he smiled, shaking his head slightly before
beginning to eat his own that was set in front of him, when he saw the
look of delight on Ambrose’s face.
He
nearly choked on his first bite when he heard the purr of satisfaction
come from down the table and looked up to see Ambrose sucking on the
end of a chocolate dipped berry before carefully biting into the tender
fruit, his eyes closed in pleasure.
“Cain all right?” Raw asked, looking at his friend in concern as he thumped him on the back.
Coughing
and clearing his throat softly, his eyes watering slightly, he nodded,
hoping the viewer didn’t pick up on his thoughts and feelings.
Hearing the cough, Ambrose glanced over, looking concerned when he saw Raw patting Wyatt on the back.
Catching the look, Wyatt waved him away, motioning for him to finish eating.
DG laughed softly behind her wrist, having watched her friends throughout dinner while the rest of her family looked confused.