"Excuse me," She called to the handsome man as she approached the odd-looking pair. She stopped a few paces away and glared at him, noticing his features were more chiseled and defined in the sunlight.
He stood a bit taller as if he owned the town...
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When the storm ended, they exited the lodge with LeFou at their side. Gaston remained in the loft without making a sound, and Darcy left without waiting to speak with him. She had to do what was right. She couldn't abandon James after all he'd been through to survive and save her brother.
"Monsieur LeFou," James called as he paced behind the group, "How did you come to meet my beautiful fiancée?" He asked with a large grin, adding, "You two seem to be well acquainted with one another."
"Just lucky, I guess." He forced a smile on his lips as he continued to march forward through the mud. The title made her heart drop – Fiancée – Why did the sound of the word make her cringe? LeFou met her eyes. He immediately turned to look forward and led them toward the village. She felt guilty.
"Thank you for taking care of her," James told him as they entered the busy market. He offered LeFou his hand, but the littler man refused to smile.
"She took care of herself," He told James without a hint of remorse for his harsh tone. Taking a step back, he nodded to acknowledge Darcy before turning to walk away.
Owen began to chase the chickens around the yard as they approached the front door. Entering the cottage, James was quick to notice the bow and sword hanging on the wall, "What are these for?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Darcy asked, "They are for fighting." He raised his eyebrows, wanting more of an explanation.
"Who taught you?" He asked as he examined the perfectly crafted blade. His question was innocent, but she could feel the accusation behind his words. He was fishing for answers to the questions he didn't want to ask.
"His name is Stanley," She answered, adding, "I'm sure you'll meet him at the tavern tomorrow."
"Is he a friend?" James asked, and she turned to glare at him.
"Yes, he's a friend of LeFou," Darcy told him as she pulled his hand away from the sword. Touching him didn't feel real. She was still in shock. "I can assure you, his eyes are elsewhere. You don't need to worry about him."
"And Monsieur Gaston?" James asked, noticing how Darcy's eyes sparked at the mention of the man's name. She turned to look down and took a step away to avoid him. "Should I be concerned?"
"No," Darcy told him as she walked toward the front door. She called to Owen, and he ran into the house. "You are worth more than any man in this village." She pulled the little boy into her arms, hugging him before directing, "Wash up for bed."
Owen ran away, skipped up the stairs. "Are you happy here?" James asked her. He moved to stand behind her and placed his hands at her hips. He gently kissed the curve of her neck. "We could have a happy home here, perhaps finish what we started." His hand trailed down her arm, reaching to fiddle with the engagement ring. "We could start a family."
