“I don’t mean to sound presumptuous, since I don’t know you, Madoc.” She glowered at him when he picked up a piece of meat and shoved it into his mouth. “But do you think it was polite to laugh at your brother’s humiliation?”
Madoc lifted his head slowly from his food and stared straight at her. Tanon wasn’t sure which was blacker, his eyes, or his expression. “I wasn’t raised to be polite.”
“Oh, please forgive me,” she replied, sincerely regretful. “I shouldn’t fault you, then, should I?”
He shook his head and looked at Gareth for some aid, but the prince was preoccupied with scowling at the butterflies on his serviette.
“Still,” Tanon continued to scold him, gently, of course. She was a tad afraid of him, after all. “You might consider apologizing to Cian.”
“Tanon,” Gareth began just as she looked up and smiled at another man who hovered over her looking for a place to sit.
“And what is your name, sir?” she inquired with a friendly smile that deepened her dimple. If she was going to be living among these men, she should get to know them.
“Bleddyn,” he replied darting a tentative glance toward Gareth.
“You may sit right there.” She pointed to the space beside Madoc. “And please help yourself to another slice of meat. You’re very handsome, but terribly thin.”
“Tanon!” Gareth’s command startled her enough to make her leap almost into Madoc’s lap.
“What?” She stared at him, her eyes large with surprise and anger.
“What the hell are you doing to my men?” He didn’t shout, but looked so incredulous, Tanon couldn’t help but take offense.
“I’m being polite!” She righted herself and swept a mote of dust off her skirts. “Truly Gareth, you would do well to follow my example. You frightened the wits out of me by bellowing so.”
“I would do…” He seemed unable to finish speaking. A muscle flicked angrily in his jaw.
Tanon set her chin in a stubborn line.
“I will do as I see fit,” he said through clenched teeth. “Youwill stop trying to turn my men into Norman peacocks with courtly manners. And never,evertell any man again that he’s handsome.”
Why, she…He was…How dare he…. Norman peacocks? Her mouth twisted into a wry smile, and even that took an enormous effort. She shouldn’t argue with him in front of his men. But, oh, when she found a moment alone with him, she was going to tell him just what a brute he was being. For now, she gave her full attention to her food, picking up a crumb from her bread and popping it into her mouth.
Satisfied that everything was back to the way it should be, Gareth began to eat.
“Had I known how incredibly rude you are, I would have refused to marry you.”
Rebecca cleared her throat. “This cheese is quite tasty,” she said trying to douse the flash of fire that gleamed in Gareth’s eyes.
“And blemish your spotless reputation as a lady?” he asked in a deceptively cool voice. His mouth twisted into a smirk. “I think not.”
Tanon continued to chew and looked up at the branches as if a bird had just chirped at her.
She caught Gareth’s ill-concealed smile—or was he grimacing, trying not to wring her neck? She continued to ignore him.
“Aye, silence suits you.”
She pivoted her head and stared at him. Anger flared to the surface as she rose to her feet. She tried to keep her temper in check by biting down on her tongue, but the task was becoming more difficult since he had strolled back into her life. She shouldn’t care what he thought of her, but blast her, she did. His words stung, and she was good and tired of it.
“No wonder your poor men have no manners, what with an arrogant, mean-spirited….” The remainder of her insult disintegrated in her throat when Gareth stood up beside her. His cobalt eyes bore down into hers, daring her to continue.
Tanon’s legs twitched, ready to run. She absolutely would not! She would never let a man bully her again, she reminded herself, girding up her courage to face his immobilizing gaze as she stood.
“Very well,” she said more quietly, regaining her composure. “If it’s silence you want…” Her dark brow tipped at him, then she turned and walked away without another word.
Without a moment’s hesitation Gareth took off after her.
“You won’t run from me,” he warned, snatching her wrist and turning her toward him.