After carefully bringing Lady Eames discreetly back to her father Duke and General Eames through the servants' entrance, Olson headed back to where he had left Goren.
Olson still couldn't understand.
How could his best friend who was an excellent and conscientious captain...
Could he do so much wrong when it came to Lady Eames.
Olson was not blind.
He could see that his best friend was madly in love with the widow, to the point of forgetting the most important thing.
But strangely...
Olson could never blame him.
After all...
Goren was a human being with feelings.
The trouble was...
He always forgot the risks of seeing Lady Eames on the sly.
Even if she were a widow...
He could never be with her.
Nor could he have an affair with her.
And that was the problem.
How to make her see reason.
Especially with someone as stubborn as him.
It was simply impossible.
Arriving in front of the green field where he had left Goren, he looked towards the near side, and came face to face with something red near the stream.
Or rather someone wearing red.
Someone who was sitting on the grass, near the stream, and who was throwing pebbles into the water with all his strength, making ricochets.
Good God...
Olson should have known that Goren would not be calm.
And that he'd still be pissed off.
But Olson knew that underneath that anger...
Goren was hiding that he was deeply unhappy without Lady Eames.
And that as always, and with a little patience, Goren would eventually calm down, but he would still be sad.
Good God.
He absolutely had to go and cheer up his friend.
And not leave him like that.
With a determined step, Olson walked towards Goren, and when he reached him, he put his hand on his shoulder and patted it.
- What again.
At Goren's grumbling voice, Olson smiled.
He knew his captain by heart.
And he knew very well that he was going to be received like this.
Just like every time.
Olson bent down to pick up a pebble, and then stood up, raised his arm, and threw it into the water.
- Robert... At the low intonation in Olson's voice, Goren looked up at him. You forget that you are not of the same social rank.
The same social rank...
And then...
What does that have to do with anything.
Eames was gone.
Leaving him alone in this world he didn't know.
The only person he knew and trusted was gone.
And all because of that damn redhead.
So what more did he want.
To thank him.
But then...
No way.
- Lady Eames is a duke's daughter... And you... a simple nobleman.
Pardon.
Daughter of a duke.
And he...
A mere nobleman.
What the hell was that all about.
Eames was his equal.
There was no social rank between them.
It was all a lot of nonsense.
- You're talking nonsense.
Nonsense.
While Goren was openly courting Eames.
- You must stop seeing her on the sly... and especially... courting her.
What.
At her words, Goren opened his mouth wide to close it again, shocked by such words.
Him...
Courting Eames...
No, but Olson wasn't right.
And what was that.
Seeing her on the sly.
He had never done such a thing.
And he wasn't about to start.
- I don't court Eames.
But yes.
Goren was not courting Eames.
So that's why he was meeting him on the sly.
- But of course... Andy came and sat next to Goren. You're still seeing each other on the sly. Olson waved his hand around. You're ready to fight a duel with any man who has the misfortune to lay eyes on her. He elbowed her in the ribs. You always look at it in dog of faience. He put his hand to his mouth, making it look like he was thinking, and raised his little finger. But you're right... I must be wrong.
Goren looked at Andy, stunned by what he had just told him.
Could it be...
That the man he was in his time was in love with Eames.
Or at least the woman she represented.
But no, it was impossible.
But he had to admit that Eames was a pretty brown girl.
And that if the man he was at that time was in love with Eames, he could understand it.
How could he not love such a woman.
But for him...
It was simply impossible.
For one thing, because he had never thought of Eames in those terms.
And two...
Because he respected her too much.
Olson reached into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper which he handed to Goren.
- This is from Lady Eames.
Goren took the paper in his hands, and laid his eyes on it, reading the fine writing of the words.
"Bobby, I still don't understand where we've fallen. But I trust you to find the solution. Besides... Don't you think it's better if we play the roles of the people we are told to be. To avoid any trouble. And that we are discovered to be impostors. We could get into a lot of trouble. You promised to keep in touch with me. Don't forget it. Alex."
At his words, a small smile appeared on Goren's lips.
Of course Eames had thought of everything.
But he...
Here he was, moping around by himself without her.
Good God...
What would he do without her by his side.
Eames always had hope, even in the worst of situations.
And that's what gave him hope in life.
He admired her.
She was a pillar of strength for him.
So for Eames' sake alone, he would take it upon himself to do what she said.
Even though he wasn't too thrilled with the idea of being a captain in the eighteenth century army.
- You have that little smile... But of course... You don't like it.
At his words, Goren glared at Andy, who burst out laughing.
At Olson's laughter, which irritated him to no end, Goren had to restrain himself, so as not to put his hands on the young man's little blow, and to press his fingers with all his strength on his line, until he choked, so much that this weakling irritated him.
But he should not.
For Eames he had to control himself by all means...
And above all...
By all means...
Keep his cool
And that was going to be difficult.
In addition...
Why was Olson implying that he was in love with Eames.
When he wasn't.
- Come on... Let's go back to camp. Andy waved his hand to follow him. Your men are waiting for you.
His men...
Good God...
So if he had to play that role...
That of Captain Goren.
He was going to have to command men.
Would he be able to do it.
He usually followed orders...
Not the other way around.
But then again.
For Eames he would play that role.
- All right... Let's go.