A Wager Of The Heart

63. Being that careless

:::Kent:::

I grimaced at another pair of simpering eyes as the accompanying mouth continued its ceaseless chatter. I stopped listening almost as soon as she started speaking but from the bits that slipped passed my indifference I gathered that his young woman was very used to getting her own way. I sighed as her voice broke through my haze.

"You will be perfect." She smiled slyly at me.

"I'm sorry, I stopped listening when you were explaining that your long and respectable lineage made you worthy of my time." I said distastefully. 

The girl smirked and stepped closer to me. "I'd heard you were deplorable, I'm glad those rumors are true." She reached up and grabbed my arm, squeezing gently.

"Kent!" I heard the admonishment from behind me and I smiled for the first time during my conversation with this brainless twit still clinging to my arm. I braced myself to turn around, every time I'd seen her since she emerged from her room, I'd lost my footing and my breath. The sight of her standing looking at me angrily only made my smile grow and my heart pound. "What are you doing?" Charity asked as her magnificent eyes flashed. 

"Nothing that would displease you." I said smoothly as I calmed my heart from its frantic beating. She was light a ray of sunshine, beautiful to behold and blinding me to the rest of the world. 

The woman behind me snorted and Charity focused her gaze on her. "I have private business with him." Charity snapped at the intruder. 

"If he would rather entertain a bastard than a lady then he is beyond my help." The woman replied snottily.

"He doesn't require your help, he is perfect the way he is." Charity growled as she stared daggers at the other woman. 

'I was perfect?" I thought as a devilish grin spread across my face. 

"Bastards are said to lack commonsense, I guess that is true. What man in his right mind would chose you?" The woman said with her nose firmly in the air.

Charity rolled her eyes but ignored the comment, I could not. I turned so I could look at her disdainfully and answered, "I am not a man, I am a devil, and I always prefer to entertain a challenge rather than an easy woman."

The woman snapped her head back and walked swiftly away without another word. I winked at Charity and she relented with a reluctant smile. When the smile faded I saw the haunted look in her eyes. After a moment that was overshadowed as her anger returned and she rounded on me. "How could you?"

I looked at the empty space the strumpet had occupied and shrugged, "She was flighty and rude and I couldn't have her treating my angel like that, so I send her away." Charity stared at me dumbfounded for a moment and then laughed, her eyes lighting up with the fire I loved so much. I felt my mouth go dry as I forced thoughts and feeling back where they belonged, at least for now. "I can always summon her back, if you wish." I smiled because I knew that was not what she meant, however I had no idea what she did mean.

Charity looked after the retreating woman and sighed heavily, her eyes going blank for a moment. Then she leaned against the wall and I saw the energy drain right out of her. "It is time we fight back." She said quietly. "And shame on you for doing exactly what Ursula wanted you to."

"I wasn't even listening." I defended casually as I watched her closely.

"Never mind." She dismissed me as she pushed herself to her feet, she waved her hand in front of her and I smiled at her diminutive height. "Come on, we have to find Brandan." She walked into the crowd. She never looked back to see if I complied or stood my ground. I smiled at my angel's assurance that she would be obeyed and followed her on her search.