He wore a deep brown silk shirt and pants that looked like leather, matching color almost perfectly, with heavy boots that had really high, but very soft, soles on them. He suddenly wondered if he should turn them into something more impressive, but knew that pretending to be something he wasn't wouldn't help anything.
Sitting down next to Trice earned a funny look from her, a worried and happy thing to start with, blurring into something like anger. Right, she hated him for her job still. Which wasn't going to work, but Tor couldn't share that with her without ruining her game.
The Count waved to him lazily but pointed towards the quiet girl and placed a single finger to him mouth covertly enough to not call attention to the move. Trice glanced up at the giant, but ignored Tor after that. It made Tor feel almost like he should grope her under the table in retaliation, but that could be noticed so he refrained.
Barely.
It would just be funny. Not able to resist long he stared at the conversation and dropped his hand to his friends leg, running his fingers along the inside of her thigh ever so gently, but just once, then, as if it never happened, even though she jumped and looked at him, took his hand back before she could make a scene about it.
That got a baffled look from Trice, which Tor found unduly rewarding for some reason.
The conversation got complicated, because Maria kept asking “and then what” about her sisters evening and Bonita was going into detail. Embarrassing and graphic detail, but it sounded good when she said it. Almost as if his efforts in love making were artistic rather than just paltry fumblings. About halfway through Trice glanced at him and smirked, expecting him to have turned a bright scarlet, most likely.
Tilting his head he grinned at her and winked, which truly confused her. That was plain on her face, as well as washing off of her field. Maria seemed excited enough about the events though and promised to help her locate the man, whoever he was. Even if they had to line up all the brothel men in the city. Bonita kept her head down and just didn't look over at all. Not even at Patricia or up at the Count.
Finally Maria made eye contact and smiled prettily at him, as if she hadn't noticed him before. Possible, she'd been busy after all, family first, and Bonita was sweet and kind, and had an adventure to share, so was worth paying attention to. He really needed to find out if she was married so he wasn't accidentally indiscreet. The Countess nodded a few times, seeing where his gaze went.
“Oh! We've all been so busy I haven't introduced you two at all have I? Bonita, this man is Master Builder Torrence Baker, Countier four Lairdgren. Well, you know, Tor. Tor, this is my oldest sister Bonita Coltress, half sister-really, but she's closer to me than my full sister. She's Baronetta first. Hmmm. Are you engaged right now? That’s within three steps. Nita's not married yet and she really should be soon.” The tone was playful, but not said without a bit of serious intent.
Without looking up a soft moan came from behind hands laying flat over her face.
“Maria! God, I'm so embarrassed… stupid Bonita Turnbull…” She didn't hit her head with a rock, but Tor could sympathize with the feeling.
He spoke, trying to make his voice warm and happy sounding. It wasn't hard. He really liked Bonita.
“Currently not engaged to be married, but supposedly I have a date tonight, with a Baronetta even. If that doesn't fall through or something. Things are looking up, definitely, you know? I was just coming to check and see if Bonita had a jealous husband or boyfriend I needed to watch out for, the way she stole away like that… And seriously, two and a half gold? No one's worth that for a single night. I'm keeping it though, we can use it for our date.” His voice came out wry and pleasant sounding at least.
His voice got her to look up. Finally. He'd thought she might bolt, Terlee used to do that when scared or pushed too far socially. That or hide and mumble at him, instead she smiled, and jumping behind Trice, tried to pull him into a hug, then a kiss, but he had his shield on, which he turned off for her.
It was warm and done well enough to feel nice, what more did he want?
Trice got up and stormed out.
Angrily. A small flash of real angst coming from her as she did. And a whole lot more confusion.
Tor ignored her and kissed Bonita back.
Chapter thirteen
The next few days were some of the most wonderful Tor had ever experienced. Nita, as he'd taken to calling her, met with him each evening and they did things. Fun things. Like flying along the coast and having a picnic on a beach, the wind whipping past them and blowing sand everywhere. Or walking through the market place in the city, where smiling people kept offering them free things for some reason. The late nights were fun too. Each morning after the first, he woke to find Bonita's arm over him protectively, as if he were going to suddenly disappear on her if she wasn't careful.
It was different during the day, they ate with the Wards most of the time and Trice kept giving him looks that indicated his death might just be imminent, but it seemed a little over the top to him. Even if she was really angry at him for “spurning her affections”, which was kind of what she hinted to everyone that would listen, she wouldn't have acted like that.
She might have punched him when he wasn't looking, but she wouldn't… sulk. Not like she pretended to. Worse, she insisted on following him and Smythe around like a puppy, making sure she was at each questioning and glaring when he wasn't looking. He could feel her doing it.
Her field said the anger wasn't real at all at least, and even that she was mildly bored by it all, but that didn't cause her to let go of the plan. She had orders it seemed. From the King.
It explained it, sort of. Tor needed to get with the man and discuss the situation, didn’t he? It really was pretty much wasted effort at the moment. Plus annoying.
Smythe was far more professional, and didn't even act like Tor should be put to death at the moment, choosing perhaps to wait for the investigation to finish? Really, the old, but huge, military Counselor assured him several times, his part, Tor's, was finished and he could go back to the Capital or even stay with his new friend when Smythe moved to the next location to hunt for spies and assassins.
“The King wanted you to be here in case a war had to be stopped, clearly. A full force of men would simply aggravate things, so he sent a single man in their place, in case it was a trap. He has great faith in you, I hope you understand that? It would be a shame if you let him down. That's not the point however. Your time is better spent doing what you do. Building and, one hopes, continuing your humanitarian efforts. Also… you're a young man. This kind of thing… It doesn't serve to put youth in the way of ferreting out spy's and assassins. It hurts the soul too much, too soon. Enjoy your youth while you can. You'll have an entire lifetime to be old.” He smiled warmly and as far as Tor could tell, it was a real thing and the words heartfelt. It made him pause for a bit before speaking.
“Sound advice, and trust me, I'd love to take it. Work on my little projects, grab Nita and maybe a few other girls if I could manage it and go to the Capital, spend my time making friends for once and going to parties where people will at least pretend to like me, desperately trying to wheedle things out of me that I'd just give them if they asked, or even just hinted at wanting, within reason. But I can't do that, can I? We're at war and the King put me with you to learn. What the lesson is I don't know. Probably professionalism when a task is at hand. But regardless, I can't leave your side until told too can I?” Tor grinned.