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Chapter Fifteen
The Queen of Hearts made some tarts and the Knave of Hearts stole them clean away
Wherein the title makes no sense and Sydney gets sent to bed with no dessert
He and Marshall had waited several minutes for Sydney and Sark to join them in the dining room before he had grimly decided to start without them and now they were seated at a booth eating some of the best food he’d ever tasted. The tabletop was covered in foods of all sorts and in more than generous servings. Marshall was enthusiastically digging into the food and was on his third plate when Sydney and Sark finally arrived.
He narrowed his eyes at their approach. Sydney was wearing an outfit like all the cheap harlots prancing around the town. He glared at Sark, who was no doubt responsible for his daughter dressing this way. A distracted Sark seemed oblivious to his glare as he followed closely behind Sydney to their table.
“I’m starving!” Sydney proclaimed sliding into the booth opposite him and Marshall while eyeing all the food delightedly.
“W…wow Sydney you look,” Marshall trailed off shooting a nervous glance at Sark before finishing weakly, “nice.”
“Thanks Marshall! You’re looking pretty sharp,” she smiled at him then began piling her plate with food.
Sark was sitting directly across from him and the blonde had the temerity to smile vaguely at him before helping himself to the food.
Feeling rather content and full Sydney glanced around the inn’s dinning room. Her father was talking to various people, trying to cage them a ride to the castle. Marshall had excused himself with the words that he always wanted to learn how to yodel and was now standing in front of a stage with two buxom, blonde, yodeling milkmaids.
Her hand which had been absently drawing patterns on Julian’s knee began to slide up his leg. She watched him out of the corner of her eye.
He narrowed his eyes and leaned in to sibilantly whisper into her ear, “Naughty, naughty wench.”
She turned her head to graze her lips against his, “Very naughty,” she seductively agreed. “I should be put straight to bed without dessert.”
His eyes gleamed, “If you promise to mend your naughty ways, I’ll reconsider letting you have dessert.”
She bit her lip, “Do you really want me to do that? Perhaps I could persuade you, I think you’ll find naughty can be very, very nice.”
“Oh, I’m already quite aware of that,” he growled as he rose and pulled her up behind him. Grinning wickedly they hurriedly made they’re way upstairs and back to their room.
They were on each other before the door was closed, fumbling with clothing as they stumbled deeper into the room. They collapsed onto the still rumpled bed without having removed any clothing, but the restricting parts having been circumvented. She had time to be grateful that her father’s and Marshall’s room wasn’t near theirs. She rather thought they had a very, very naughty night ahead of them.
Pounding on the door woke her the next morning. Stiffly raising her head she blearily stared at the door.
“Sydney, time to get up.” It was her father. “We’ve a ride and it’s leaving soon.”
“Okay,” she hoarsely called out, letting him know she was awake.
Once she was sure he was gone she dropped her head back to Julian’s chest. She was amused to note that he had slept through the pounding and shouting. “Julian,” she slid up to kiss him awake. “Good morning,” she smiled at him as he reluctantly blinked open his eyes.
“Good morning, luv,” he yawned, his arms wrapping around her as he kissed her. “Very good morning indeed,” he breathed.
Giggling happily she dropped a kiss to his forehead and sat up, “Time to get dressed.”
They were too late for breakfast and her father glared at them when they finally emerged from the inn’s front door. She offered him a chagrinned smile. Marshall was saying good-bye to the buxom milkmaids from the other night and she watched flabbergasted as the two blondes each kissed Marshall’s cheeks.
“Surely you don’t think…” Julian scandalized voice trailed off in her ear.
She quickly shook her head to prevent any unwanted images from entering her mind. “Help me up,” she indicted the straw filled wagon that her father was already sitting in.
“As you wish,” his strong hands wrapped around her waist and helped boost her into the back of the wagon. They’re packs came next then Julian helped Marshall in as well before hoisting himself up.
As the wagon started off, she waited until Julian was settled in a comfortable spot on the straw before boldly positing herself between his legs, curling into him and resting her head on his shoulder. She smiled and closed her eyes as his arms came around her.
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