ALL about it? He looked down at his leg sheepishly. "Well, no, I wasn't bored, not in the slightest." Armand looked at his sister and noticed what Helene had told him. She was thin and frail. Her skin was whiter, and she looked tired. But at the same time, happier than she'd ever been. "Marguerite, are you well? You look a little... like you don't feel well."
"Oh," Marguerite began, "I'm getting over a little something. I must tell
you though I feel ten times better now then I did even when I woke up this
morning. Now don't you start telling me to see a doctor because I know you
want to and you know I can take care of myself. Now, where did you go
this time on your trip."
Nervous, he avoided her question and pursued the doctor issue instead. "Chéri, you should see a doctor!" He said, confirming her guess. "I don't care what you say, you should go. You may feel fine, but trust me, you don't look it. I'm worried about you, Margot. When we left you looked fine, but a mere week later, you look frail and weak. Margot, what's going on?"
"Armand, nothing is going on. I promise you. All I need to have you and
Percy need me to get well." she said as she gave him a hug to calm him,
"I miss you both so much when you're gone."
"Well, I missed you to, ma petite mère, but if you're sick, I don't think it has to do with Percy and me not being here." Armand studied her. She had always been a hair shorter than he was, but now she seemed much smaller. "Have you been eating? Maybe we should get something to eat." He said this casually, as it was a normal comment for him to make.
"Goodness, I think you and Percy are determined to make me quite
plump," Marguerite said with a laugh. "No, no I can a rather sizable
breakfast this morning and I'm sure it will be hours before I can manage
another bite. Now, stop avoiding my questions and tell me about your
trip."
Well that settled it. He had to tell her about the trip. 'Armand,' He told himself, 'There is only one thing to do in a situation like this. Lie as you've never lied before and pray she doesn't see through you.' "Well, you see, Margot, I really can't say anything about it. I've been sworn to secrecy." Well, that wasn't a lie.
"Sworn to secrecy?" Marguerite said, "Well, what sort of nonsense is
that, you can't even tell your own sister about your trip. Come now, if
Percy can stand to indulge me with the details of your journey." Marguerite
began to tease him as they walked along before she noticed something was
wrong, "Armand, why are you limping?"
"Percy, obviously, had a designated story for you, Marguerite. I apologize, but my lips are sealed. Let's just say, you'll like the surprise when you find out." Not too bad. He was sure she'd be pleased that Louise's parents were freed.
"A story? I've already heard about his adventures at the boot makers." she
said with a hint of disgust in her voice.
But why was he limping? What had he told Hélène... thrown off? If he simply said, I got thrown from my horse, Marguerite would insist on him taking lessons. He made a face subconsciously.
"We were riding, and my horse was spooked. Threw me off, and I twisted my
ankle. Lucky it didn't do more." Would she buy it?
"Thrown from your horse? well you should be walking around like
this." Marguerite said, "Come, we should sit down and talk, and I want to
see that ankle."
He didn't even panic this time, as she would have definitely seen there was
no swelling or anything.
"Oh, there's no need, Marguerite. I've been to the *doctor* already. Percy
*insisted*." He emphasized the words, giving her a meaningful look. "He said
it was just a sprain, and it's only sore now. And believe me, despite what he
may say, it had nothing to do with boots as far as I know. But,
Marguerite..." Armand gave her a stern look. "You mustn't say anything about
what I've told you. Percy would beat me within an inch of my life. I've been
*there* before, and I don't have any desire to see *that* light again."
Marguerite paused and adjusted Armand's hair a bit, "Well, I'm glad he
took you to a doctor, but I want to see that ankle anyway. More then once
I had a doctor tell me you wouldn't live through the night, and we proved
them wrong. Don't think you're getting out of this so easily." Marguerite
said as she lead him into a parlor room. "Come, let's sit down for a
while then."
Merde. There was no getting around her. He could downright refuse, but, knowing Marguerite, she would probably hit him over the head with a vase to see his ankle. He knew she would insist on seeing the ankle directly, which meant boots and stockings had to go. The leather of his boots masked the slight bulge that the bandages around his knee made. But the linen was painfully obvious, the white contrasting quite nicely with the black of his breeches.
He scowled slightly as she toyed with the queue he'd pulled his hair into.
What could be expected of him bouncing around his room and falling down while trying to get dressed?
"Marguerite, really... I don’t see the need to look at it. The swelling's
gone down. The doctor said it was fine. Besides," He gave her a little smile,
"I don't see the harm in them predicting I'll be fine when before it was that
I was going to die. It's a nice change from their normal prophecies, n'est-ce
pas?"
"Oh, so now because I inquired to your health you're in such a sour mood
that you won't even sit and speak to me." Marguerite said, visibly upset
at his response to her suggestion. "Fine then, I'm sure there's someone
else here at the manor that would sit and talk to me, keep me company
while Percy changes."
Armand stared at her.
"Well, really, I said nothing of the sort. Simply, I don't want you to have
a gander. It feels the way a recovering sprain should. Marguerite..."
Armand's gaze turned from hurt to worried. "... are you sure you're all
right? You don't seem yourself."
'Now she'll know how I feel, her not giving up on "ankle problem",' He
thought.
Marguerite took his arm and led him towards the parlor. "I don't seem
myself? Will, I suppose I'm not myself. No, I am the happiest I've been
in nearly two months."
"Oh really?" He opened the door for her and stood back. She did not LOOK like
she was very happy. But maybe the outward look of fatigue was a clever
disguise. Either way, the junior St Just was unconvinced.
"What makes you so happy?" Armand bit his lip, which had curled in a sly
grin. "Could it have anything to do with what I interrupted back there, with
you and Percy?"
"Armand!" Marguerite said as she blushed, "well yes, it has everything to
do with what you interrupted back there, and that's all you need to know
little brother."
Now he laughed, good-naturedly at his sister's embarrassment. "I could have waited, Marguerite, and don't say I didn't offer." Oh he knew what they had been.... The boy was not THAT naïve. "Trust me, that's all I WANT to know."
"That's quite alright Armand, so we won't mention it any further. However,
you continue to avoid my questions about your trip. All I know so far is
that Percy wasted at least one day in a boot maker's shop and you were
somehow thrown off a horse. Now honestly, you two were gone the better
part of a week, surely there is something more you can tell me."
Well there was no avoiding it. He gave a loud groan. "Oh I know... that was ridiculous. All that time in there... Honestly. Sometimes he can be the biggest idiot in... well, just the biggest one in general." Still revealed nothing she didn't know. What the hell was he going to say??? 'Oh, we were just out and around, you know... scanning the country side'???????
"Armand" Marguerite said, "you shouldn't speak of Percy in such a
way. He can be a little silly, a little eccentric, but you shouldn't use
such words about your brother in law."
"I speak only the truth, Marguerite. But you know as well as I that he *is* a
good man. Strong and brave. And loyal," He added, thoughtfully, feeling a
flicker of pain in his leg from the wound.
Marguerite smiled and nodded, "Yes, yes he is a very good man. And you,
little brother, are doing a very good job of avoiding my question."
"Well, I specialize in that sort of thing! Procrastination has always been
something of a talent with me," Armand said, laughing. He was doing that for
a reason.
"So I noticed. You two must have gotten into some terribly awful trouble
if you won't tell your dear sister about your adventure." Marguerite
said.
"Is it really that important?" Armand said. His palms were beginning to
sweat. "I mean, if I told you, I might give away the surprise, Margot. Percy,
at least would have the appropriate excuses." He gave her a wry grin, hoping
she'd fall for his bluff.
"Yes it is that important Armand, why must you always be so difficult."
Marguerite said, growing frustrated and feeling a bit put off by her
brother. "I don't see why I'm even bothering anymore, it seems no one
around here much cares for me or my feelings." Marguerite stood and began
to walk towards the exit of the room.
Merde, not this again...! Leaping up and running (well, alright struggling up and gimping his way across the room).
"Marguerite, that's not fair! I promised Percy I'd keep quiet about it all.
You can't expect me to break a promise, can you?" Was this working out better
or worse than he'd thought?
"Considering the way in which Percy and I parted I highly doubt
it," Marguerite sighed, "besides, it can not possibly be so secretive that
you can't bare to spare one little detail of the trip."
Annoyed, was he? Yes.
"Why is it so important to you? All we did was go to Fr--" St Just broke
off, abrupt and frantic. Merde! Had he said too much? "To..." He thought
quickly, remembering a brief glance at a map of Scotland. "To Fraserburgh."
It was a town on the north-east coast of Scotland. Armand allowed himself a sly grin.
"see now, was that so hard," Marguerite said as she stepped back towards
to couch. "Now, since I've never been to this, Fraserburgh, you must tell
me what it's like."
He remembered a description of a place in Scotland from a poem.
"There were green hills all around and lakes where the men fished..." He
turned the poetry into prose, all the while hinting that it had to do with
the "surprise". He felt ridiculous though. Lying like this.
"...Percy never really let on why we were in this tiny village in Scotland,
but I suppose you'll find out. And Marguerite, don't tell him I said
anything, or he'll kill me for sure."
"See now, it's not so hard to fill me in on some of the little minor
details of your trip." Marguerite as she sat next to him and gently
stroked his hair, "and I promise not to let onto Percy that he has a
surprise in store for me, but this surprise doesn't have anything to do
with a certain date coming up next week does it?"
He wasn't so stupid as to not remember it was his sister's birthday. "It miiiight...." He said slowly, another grin creeping across his face,
Marguerite laughed watching his reaction, "And there's no possibility even
for the tiniest little hint?"
Vaguely, he thought to himself that he had no hints to give. His grin
widened, and he shook his head.
"No hints," He said firmly. "I promised. Now tell ME what did YOU do while I
was gone? Or were you doing secretive things, also?"
"Oh, I did plenty while you were away. A nice change from idling away
here at the manor. I spent a day in town, frank escorted me, and I bought
some supplies and welcome gifts for Helene and Louise. Oh, and another
day the three of us went to town to buy some clothes for them and spent
the day shopping. I actually even arranged for a new gown." Marguerite
said, happy she actually had something to talk about.
If only she knew what he'd really done... His leg throbbed, reminding him. "Well that's good. It makes my time sound achingly dull." Armand flashed her
a quick smile. "You... you haven't, by any chance, heard from Axelia, have
you?" Her red hair, those crimson lips... God, he missed her!
Marguerite shook her head. "No, I haven't, but I did see some signs up
for the MacBeth still. It seems like it is having a good run."
He glared sadly at his leg. No way he was riding a horse. He'd been in
terrible pain the other night, riding back. The other night... had he really
come back the night before? It had seemed like... ages since they'd been in
France. "I should go visit her..." He mused, more to himself.
Marguerite smiled and tightly hugged her brother. "Oh, so my little
brother Armand thinks he's in love does he. No doubt she'll want to see
you since you left so suddenly a few days ago."
He gave a playful scowl. "Marguerite, I don't think. I know!" But he laughed, and hugged her quickly back. "I feel so guilty, but Percy insisted on immediate departure. What could I do? I'm sorry we left so quickly though, Marguerite. It can't have made you feel any better."
Marguerite sighed, "No, I hate it when you leave, but it's even worse to
wake up in the morning and find that I am left all alone in the house."
"I have no excuse, no defense..." Armand chewed his lip. "I just hope Percy
doesn't need me to do that again..."
"Well, at the very least a little notice would be appreciated."
Marguerite said. "but next time you tell him to take me instead."
"I'll see what I can do about that," He teased lightly. "But in all honesty,
Marguerite, I promise I'll wake you up before we leave next time." The boyish
smirk flitted across his face, lighting up his fair skin and green eyes.
"You had better," Marguerite said teasingly, "or else I'll have no choice
but to track both of you down and bring you home."
"Yeah, uh... well I think Percy might have something to say about that," He
said, suddenly nervous. He didn't doubt she could do it, either.
"Well, that something had better be an invitation to come along. I'm
tired of staying here at the manor. I get bored and lonely and had I
known it would be like this I probably would have never of married
Percy." Marguerite replied.
"And we'd probably be dead right now, too..." He said, before he had time to
catch himself. "I mean..." Well he hadn't actually given anything away.
"Marguerite you know how Chauvelin feels about... us. And all that power he
has...." He quoted something he had read: "they hath said he were ambitious.
if it be true it were a grievous fault and grievously hath he answered it."
He wasn't the only one who had been reading Shakespeare.
"Chauvelin feels that way about me and he does so because I married and
English aristo. Now no more of him. For the most part in France he left
us in peace and had I not fallen in love and married Percy we would still
be living peacefully in France."
"Peaceful? You call what they're doing peaceful? Blood fills the gutters of
our country, and that's peaceful?" He shook his head, sadly. "No, Marguerite.
We would not be living peacefully."
"And what has caused this sudden change in you Armand. You were not like
this when we were still in France. If I remember the last week we were
there you were rather excited over a rally you and your friends had gone
to that included a bit of violence, and I know that wasn't the only time
you were at such a thing."
"Feelings.... ideals change, Marguerite. It was honorable then... until I
clearly saw what we were doing, and it's... horrible." He cast a slightly
panicked look at his sister. "Surely you.... You don't approve of the murder
that's going on there, do you?"
"Of course not Armand. Things are awful over in France, but they have
been terrible for years. Now they kill aristocrats for being rich. they
used to kill peasants for being poor. One day justice will come, we can
only hope that that day will be soon."
How close she was to the truth. If only the League could free all the
prisoners! Naturally, his sister had no idea he was one of those desired
freedom fighters. Armand knew perfectly well that if she did know, she'd put
a stop to it pretty quick. "It will come soon. I know it."
"I certainly hope so little brother." Marguerite said as she fussed over
his hair.
"Aww come on... Do you have to do that?" He laughed. "I'm 17, Margot. Is a
hair out of place? I didn’t think I looked like Percy... do I?"
"Yes and at 17 your hair should be straight. We might not have had the
finest things in France but I thought I taught you to keep neat."
"Yes and at 17 your hair should be straight. We might not have had the
finest things in France but I thought I taught you to keep neat."
Now was a moment for fun. Pulling away slightly, he quickly yanked his hair
tie out and, tossing it aside, raked his fingers violently through his long,
brown locks. The effect was somewhat.... ghastly on his young features. He
looked like he hadn't brushed his hair....
In a while.
"Non, je suis desole, Marguerite. I didn't learn a thing!" He said, laughing.
Marguerite sighed watching Armand mess up his hair. She brushed her
fingers through one of the locks, "Your hair looks so much like Papa’s
did."
He opened his mouth to say something.... and shut it just as quickly. He had no memory of his parents. "Does it really?" He asked stupidly, sounding like a little child who was being offered a cookie.
Marguerite nodded her head. "Yes, it does. He had very dark, very curly
hair, but it was usually hard to tell. He very rarely had it undone and
it was combed back so tight it didn't appear so thick and curly."
"What was mama like?" He asked, softly. She had told him so many times. When
they were little, she would tell him stories about their parents to make him
go to sleep. He knew them all by heart now, but he loved to hear Marguerite
tell them.
"Mama was a wonderful woman." Marguerite said, "She was very pretty, and
kind. She had the most beautiful voice and loved to sing. I remember you
would constantly beg her to sing to you, especially at night when you
couldn't sleep."
He smiled wistfully. The ability to sing must have been a family trait. "I wish I could remember that. The only person I remember singing to me is you... and you stopped when I was about twelve." The younger St Just ran his fingers, less viciously, through his hair so that he could re-tie it. Truth was, lately he could have done with someone singing him to sleep. He yawned, turning away.
Marguerite sighed. "I'm sorry Armand, I thought you were somehow out
growing it. If you had wanted me to sing, you know I would have if you
had asked me to."
"You can make it up to me later...." He said, stifling another yawn. He
leaned back. "I don't know why I didn't ask. I suppose I thought I was too
mature to have my big sister sing to me." Armand's mouth quirked in a little
smile. "Seems to be otherwise, doesn't it? Sometimes, at least."
"Alright then Armand, I will, but it seems as if you could use a little
nap yourself. Why are you so tired today?"
Armand laughed. He might have slept almost 12 hours, but it hadn't even
gotten rid of half the exhaustion of the last few days.
"oh, just coming home late... you know... Traveling and such can be so
wearing. A man can't get a decent night of sleep." 'Especially when one's
brother in law is digging around in your leg to fish out a bullet or two with
a knife,' He thought wryly. "Another good night of sleep and I'll be ready to
ride again, I'm sure. Speaking of which... how are the riding lesson going?"
"Oh very well Armand. Jonas has said he has never had such a fast learner
for a pupil. Oh, but don't tell Percy yet, I still want to surprise him."
"Well, I'm not surprised. Anyone who could raise me would have to be a fast
learner!" Armand thought briefly of the last few people who had asked him to
keep secrets: Marguerite, Axelia (he resolved to visit her the next day),
Percy.... Hell, even Chauvelin. He cringed. Luckily, there had been no
permanent damage from all that writing the sadistic creep had made him do.
"Quick on their toes at the very least." Marguerite said with a sigh. He
was such a troublesome boy growing up, she wondered if he would have been
different had their parents been around longer.
"Well I know you, and a few others, would say differently, but... well, I
wasn't such a bad child, was I?" He asked, innocently.
Marguerite shook her head, "No, Armand, you could be a handful at time,
but you were not a bad boy growing up."
"Well that's good to know..." He said, breaking off in a yawn. "Excusez..."
Armand stood up. "I do think I'm going to take you up on your suggestion
though, Marguerite.... a little more sleep sounds like heaven."
"Oh yes of course," Marguerite said as she stood up as well. "I will see
you to your room, perhaps then I will try and find Percy again."
He stood up and a sharp pang in his leg reminded him to be careful when
walking. Armand thought wryly, that it was something like a conscience. And
one he'd have to listen to.
"Will you walk, then, Lady Blakeney?" Armand said, offering her his arm as
gallantly as possible.
Marguerite smiled and took his arm, "Unless you prefer to carry me, yes I
will." Carefully, noting his slight limp, Marguerite walked with Armand
towards his rooms.
He moved toward his sister, jokingly.
"Do you want me to carry you? I'm sure I could!" Armand laughed. He had no
intention of even trying to pick up his sister, though both knew he could,
easily. He wrapped his arm around Marguerite's waist, as if he were about to
swing her up into the air.
"Armand!" Marguerite giggled, "don't even think on it, not on that ankle
of yours!"
He laughed. "Ankle? What ankle? It feels fine!" He was lying. Well... not about the ankle. We all know his ankle was fine. His leg wasn't doing so good, but Armand disregarded that long enough to swing his sister around in a circle.
"Well that was fun, wasn’t it?"
Marguerite gave a light screech and a laugh as Armand swung her around,
"Enough Armand, enough, next thing we'll both topple over and have injured
feet."
"You do have a point. Percy would have my head if I hurt you, I'm sure!" He
winced slightly, realizing what he'd said. Oops.
Marguerite decided to let that comment go and instead make a joke of it,
"NO, I'm sure he'd take your feet instead. Come now, let's get you to
your room so you can rest."
"But Marguerite..." He said, innocently, following her to his room,
"...without my feet, how would I walk?" Then he mused thoughtfully. "And
without my head, how could I talk?" He gave a silly laugh, imitating Percy.
"Oh sink me, it rhymes!" The phrase 'sink me' off a French tongue was rather
comical, and St Just doubled over laughing at how stupid he sounded.
Marguerite giggled a bit at Armand's silliness. "Armand, are you sure
you're so sleepy, or was that an excuse to be rid of your big sister?"
"Well, I *was*, but you just bring out the best in me, Margot!" He teased.
Armand sobered a bit. "In all honesty though, I do think I should get some
rest. I'll regret it if I don't, I'm sure."
"Of course," Marguerite said as she slowed down and walked with him to
his room, "and I still want to take a quick peak at your ankle before I
let you go off to sleep Armand."
The boy groaned. "You don't let go, do you?" Armand sighed. "A'right, a'right..." He opened the door to his room and sat down on the bed, pulling off the appropriate boot. Gritting his teeth as he unbuttoned his stocking, Armand pushed the bandages up his knee, completely under the garter of his breeches. "Ready?" Hopefully, she wouldn't see past the bluff.
Marguerite pulled a chair over and pulled his foot up onto her
lap. Carefully she rubbed and looked over it, "I don't see why you were
limping so hard before Armand. There's not a bruise, scrape, or bump on
your foot."
"Well... uh..." Oh merde, what was he going to say NOW? "Does it have to have an outward sign of injury to hurt?" Dumb, dumb dumb!!!
"For the limp you have there ought to be some sign of injury. I hope this
isn't some sort of trick Armand, because if it is, I do not find it very
funny."
He put on his best innocent face. "Hey, it's me!” Armand pretended to look hurt. "I'm not pretending anything, Margot. My l-- ankle hurts like hell! Well okay, it didn't before. Then I did what I did, but that's my fault."
"Yes Armand I know it's you and that is why I am concerned." she said as
she looked again at his ankle. Carefully she tried to get him to bend his
knee to see if the problem was elsewhere in his leg.
That did it. Armand pulled away, standing, but only on one foot. "What the hell.... what do you think you're DOING?" He gasped. Sure, he could stand on it. But he hadn't worked that knee in a while. Doctor's orders. That's why the bandages were there. Armand winced as he gingerly tried to sit back down.
Marguerite stood to carefully help him sit down again, all the while
snapping back at her little brother, "Armand don't you dare use that
language or take that tone of voice with me. It's now quiet clear that it
is not your ankle that is bothering you. Why did you lie to me?"
”I promised.
Marguerite gave Armand an odd look, "You promised what?"
ARMAND
"That I wouldn't tell. Anything." Simple enough. Obvious, definitely.
-Armand-
Marguerite, enraged at his behavior push back her chair and went towards
the door, flinging it open and slamming it behind, leaving her brother
alone to 'sleep' if that was even what he planned on doing.
He was both relieved and annoyed. He was up, limping after her. The kid
didn't know when to stop, did he? Probably not even if he was hit in the face
with a sign that said it.
"Hey wait a minute, Marguerite St Just!" He'd only called her by her full
name a couple times, usually when he was mad. "If I promised you something,
something important, something that would cause the death of other people if
the wrong person just *happened* to find out... If I promised silence, you
wouldn't want me tell, would you?" He glared at her. "I didn't think so."
Marguerite turned to him in a huff. "You lied to me Armand, lied to
me." she said, near tears, "I doubt something so important could have
happened as Percy shopped for boots and I stayed here starving myself that
you would have to lie to me about it."
"It's not *about* the boots, Marguerite!" Armand retorted. "So I told you I
twisted my ankle instead of getting shot in the leg! Big... deal...." He
clapped his hand to his mouth. Whoops.
Marguerite's eyes went wide open in shock as he finished, "You . .. you
got shot in the leg. How did you get shot in the leg Armand? An why are
you even up and moving about, you should be laying down. Back to your
room, now, move."
"Do I even bother to say it...? I promised I wouldn't tell!" He said,
emphatically. He *did* head back to his room though.
Marguerite followed Armand as he walked back to his room. "Fine then, but
I want you to lay down and don't think I'll let you go without first
having a look at that leg."
He sat down. "We went to the doctor, I told you. Do you really have to...?" He sighed and sat down. He must have looked pretty stupid, limping around with only one boot on. Carefully he unbuttoned the leg, so he could roll them up about halfway up his thigh. The leg was bandaged neatly, a slight pinkish tint indicating that a little blood had soaked through.
"Yes Armand I really have to. Do you think, after taking care of you for
the last nine years I am simply going to give that up just because you're
older." Marguerite said as she looked at the band aid. At least on the
surface it looks like it was well tended to. "That bandage probably needs
to be changed. I will do that, but after you rest." Marguerite said.
"No I guess you wouldn't," He said, glad she hadn't insisted on giving it a
good look. He didn't feel up to having HER dig around in his leg either.
"But I do want to look at it when you change the bandage." Marguerite
said, "but for mow you rest and take a nap."
"We just went last night...." Armand said, pulling off his other boot. "And
Marguerite..." Armand added. "Don't say anything to Percy. He had nothing to
do with this. I swear it."
Well all right, so it had been Percy who led them into Paris, Percy who came
up with the plan, Percy who chose Armand to ride in and get the woman, Percy
who told him how to do it and everything in between.
And it had been Armand who had agreed. Yup. Percy had nothing to do with it.
Marguerite eyed him suspiciously. "How exactly then did you hurt your
leg Armand?" Marguerite asked.
He fidgeted. "I... I told you. I got shot."
"Yes little brother I know you got shot yet you have neglected to tell me
how you got shot." Marguerite said.
He lowered his eyes. "With a gun," He said finally.
"Armand!" Marguerite snapped, "I could have guessed that much. I want to
know exactly what happened."
He moved away from her and said, very quietly, very calmly, and completely
serious: "You can want all you want but you aren't going to find it".
Marguerite's eyes blazed, "Armand, I asked you a question regarding your
health and well being and I expect an answer."
Two pairs of bright green eyes, burning more furiously than a thousand
bonfires, stared at each other. " I gave you one," He said, calmly. " I promised."*
"I want to know to whom you made this promise Armand, and why." she said
back to him.
"To Percy, because he asked me." He crossed his arms defiantly.
"And why would Percy not want to let me know why you got hurt." she
asked.