“If she is mine, why is she telling me to leave my own house and screeching like a demented woman.”
Tanith frowned at him, noting his state of undress. “Did you try to harm her?”
“I but tried to get into my own bed and the cur began yapping at me, then she started screaming and running around the room.”
Siran snorted and began laughing, and Tanith’s mouth stretched in a wide grin. “She’s your new housekeeper.”
“Housekeeper! She’s my new housekeeper? Why is she sleeping in my bed then? Why haven’t you found suitable lodging for her?”
“That is your duty. I only made her comfortable until your return.”
Kellach suspected there was more to this situation than met the eye. The beautiful woman in his bed was hardly what one would expect as a housekeeper. Housekeepers were old and ugly. They weren’t young and beautiful. It did not make sense. He brushed his hair back and planted his hands on his hips, glaring at them. They were enjoying this far too much for his liking.
“I suspect I had better go over there and calm her fears.” Tanith rose and moved towards the door. “But please stay quiet, she understands very little yet of what we speak.”
“Oh, I’m to have a housekeeper who can’t even understand what directions I give?”
“She understands quite a bit, but you have to speak slowly. She is learning more every day. Be gentle with her and she will serve you well.”
Fiona was still shaking. Her eyes were glued to the door, watchful should the naked giant return. Thankfully, he hadn’t done more than just scare her. The puppy whimpered, as if sensing her distress.
“Well, Conan, I don’t think we handled that one very well. But he was awfully big...in more ways than one,” she admitted to herself, embarrassed that she knew so much so soon. Feverishly, she glanced around the room, searching for a weapon should he come back. Decorative swords and shields hung in several places on the wall areas but she didn’t know if she would be able to get them down quickly if the need arose. A large cooking knife was easily accessible and she grasped it, clutching it to her breast. Voices sounded outside and her heart stopped. The door opened and Tanith stepped through, followed by the half-naked giant.
“He attacked me,” Fiona exclaimed, pointing her knife at the glowering male.
“He attacked you?” Tanith looked to the giant. She chattered a quick stream of words and the giant shook his head vehemently “no.”
Tanith laughed and turned to the giant. “This Kellach,” she said patting his chest.
“That is Kellach?” It couldn’t be, but of course it was. Family resemblance was apparent with the two siblings standing next to each other. He was, of course, considerably taller than Tanith, but the resemblance was unmistakable. While Tanith’s face beamed, his face fumed. She felt her face flush.
“I…I didn’t know,” she said miserably. Her first meeting with her new employer was not going well. No doubt, this would be her last day, given the look on his face.
She covered her breasts, conscious that she was only wearing the silk tunic and moved to grab a throw. She draped the throw around her and turned to face Kellach.
“Very sorry,” she said, trying to sound contrite.
Tanith looked from one to the other. “All fine now. I go home.”
“Tanith,” she croaked. “Please stay.”
Tanith grinned. “You feed him. He hungry.” She nodded at the food and left.
She flew to the fire and gathered up the food she’d prepared earlier, moved to the table and arranged a place for Kellach. He stood still, watching every move and finally sat down at the table. She handed him a small cutting knife and retired to a corner of the room while he dined.
The food was excellent and, though he was tired, Kellach enjoyed the repast. Food was what he needed and by the time he was finished, his mood had lightened considerably. The woman cowered in the far corner and, unless he wanted to be up the rest of the night, some conditions had to be decided. What those were, he wasn’t ready to determine.
He turned to the woman. “Sleep now. Talk in the morning.” With that concession made, he strode to the bed and got in. The cur nipped at his heel and she grabbed him up. “Dog outside,” he said.
She shook her head “no,” and clutched the puppy to her chest.
Fiona stood there in confusion. Where was she to sleep now? There was only the one bed and he was in it. He regarded her closely and then motioned for her to get in. Like that was going to happen! She shook her head adamantly “no” and stood her ground.
He shrugged his shoulders as if to say “no matter” and rolled to his side, he would deal with it in the morning as well. Right now, he just wanted to sleep. The dog would stay in the stable from now on at night. Dogs belonged outside, they didn’t belong inside. And what fool kept a housekeeper who looked like she did? Within a few short moments, snores came softly from the bed.
Fiona watched him sleep. He certainly wasn’t what she expected and the situation certainly wasn’t what she expected either. Certainly, Tanith didn’t expect her to entertain him that way as well as serve him. Unless you considered the gown—in that context, the whole situation changed. She carefully pulled a few blankets and sheepskins from the bed and fashioned a sleeping pad on the floor. Tucking Conan against her side, she lay there tense and wakeful, waiting for any untoward movement he might make. Time passed and he continued softly snoring and she finally drifted off to sleep.
Though he pretended to sleep, Kellach found himself listening to the woman’s restless tossing and turning, disgruntled by her intrusion on his heretofore cherished privacy. When he did sleep, he slept fitfully, his dreams troubled by visions of a beautiful woman with hair the color of moonbeams, who beckoned and beguiled him with whispered promises of untold delight.
Kellach woke and sat up. The woman was sleeping on the floor, the cur tucked under her chin. He moved to stand up, swung his feet over the side of the bed and stepped down into something slimy, oozing up through his toes. He cursed and the woman woke up. She sat up, confusion registering on her face. Her eyes widened as she looked at him and then moved down to his foot. At some point in the night, the cur had deposited a little gift at the side of the bed, and he stepped in it. He limped out the door, glaring at her and the dog.
Fiona rushed to clean up the mess before he returned, scolding Conan as she did so. Things were certainly not going well. She threw on a robe and herded Conan out the door. He ran over to Kellach, who was attempting to clean off his foot. More glares.
“Sorry,” she said. “Puppy not good.”
He grunted and continued to wipe his foot. When it was somewhat clean, he stomped back into the house. She followed, handed him a wet rag and raced around preparing breakfast. If nothing else, she was a good cook and perhaps he would forgive Conan on a full stomach.
After he finished eating, Kellach dressed and prepared to leave.
“Talk when I get home,” he said. Fiona’s heart plummeted. She was probably going to be fired, if that’s what they did here. She had no idea what would happen. Tanith had taken care of her long enough and she needed to pay her way.
“Very sorry. Conan bad puppy. Will get better,” she tried miserably.
Kellach looked at her, she seemed so forlorn standing there and the cur seemed so important to her. Secretly, he relented, but he would let her worry for awhile. But the cur better learn some manners or he was in the stable!
Fourteen
Aside from her duties as Kellach’s housekeeper, Fiona began taking care of minor injuries, fevers, colds, and numerous other health-related conditions in the community. As her skill as a healer spread, more and more people would gather every day seeking her help. She turned none away and between housekeeping, gathering herbs and preparing and dispensing herbal remedies, her days were filled. Most of her patients paid in coin but others paid in trade goods which were negotiable as well. In that way, her small coffer steadily grew.
She used some of her hoarded money for small necessities from the marketplace, but the larger portion she saved. She hoped to eventually have enough money to travel east, her optimism held fast in finding the doorway home. At various times she asked Siran to take her back to where they originally found her, but he was loathe to do so, saying she should make her request to Kellach.
Kellach was an enigma. He was polite if somewhat distant, and on more than one occasion, she would turn and he would be staring at her, brooding and intense. When asked if he needed anything, he would quickly exit and return hours later, sometimes smelling of wine and cheap perfume. On those occasions, she would lay awake for hours, trepidation keeping her awake. She could hear him moving about the room, but he never overstepped the boundaries. In all respects, he was considerate of her. He purchased a sturdy bed, which he arranged next to the chest she used for storage. He never questioned her need for privacy and allowed her a small area of his home which she cordoned off with hanging drapes.
Theirs was a comfortable, if aloof, relationship which she found acceptable. He was the employer, she was the employee. She did wish that she didn’t feel quite so nervous whenever he was around but trusted that would pass in time. Kellach grew to accept Conan as well and there were times that Conan would actually desert her to be with Kellach, who absentmindedly scratched him behind his ears. He was patient with her and, if she made a mistake, never reproved her, only his mouth would quirk at times, as if he were trying to keep from laughing. He had never yet let himself entirely relax around her, and as a result, she was on guard as well.
After living there about a month, she finally found the nerve to ask him about taking her back to the place he found her. He considered her request and his quick response was that it was too far and nothing was there anyway. She repeated the request several times, but each time he gave the same answer. He brushed off her requests and, though she wanted to, she knew without being told that no amount of pleading would change his mind.
Fiona was unwilling to accept the fact that she might never go home again, somehow she arrived here and somehow she planned to go back. Worry for her parents and homesickness were uppermost in her mind. Not that she didn’t find some measure of happiness in this place, but it wasn’t the life she had worked for and the loss of her family’s comfort was too distressing to contemplate. She harbored the idea that perhaps someone in the east had the knowledge to help send her back. They must call it the mysterious east for some reason.
Her language skills grew daily and she was able to carry on conversations without losing much in the interpretation. Tanith and Cyrnon were always willing to work with her and she progressed quickly. Trips to the marketplace were learning sessions as well. Care had to be taken to avoid paying dearly for the goods purchased. Wily merchants were ever anxious to fleece the unwary and bartering was so fast and furious that at times Fiona was lost. She was getting better at it and quickly learned which were the most fair in their dealings.
Caravans passed through quite often and, although Fiona had given up trying to negotiate a ride with them, she never passed up the opportunity to view the encampments with interest. Dusky-skinned men with turbans wrapped around their heads and large weapons at their sides kept unwelcome visitors at bay. Their women were only viewed from a distance, and never outside the confines of the enclosure.
An air of excitement gripped the settlement each time a new group of travelers arrived. She learned from Tanith that Kellach had traveled extensively in his quest to find trade goods and trade contracts and that he dealt almost exclusively in jade. Jade was a commodity mined from the nearby river and to some extent in the outlaying areas and was greatly valued by the Emperor to the east. Large shipments went out regularly and Kellach was often on hand preparing the goods. He was well respected in his status as a Warrior Lord, but it was clear that he was knowledgeable as a trader as well. It was also clear that he was not adverse to laboring alongside his servants should the need arise. He rode out every day to check on his herds and each day visited the Council chambers to discuss the community’s needs and help in the decision-making process.
Fifteen
Although she kept his house and prepared his meals, she was not privy to any of Kellach’s personal thoughts. Her attempts to form a friendship with him were largely rebuffed, and she had yet to reason why. Evenings were spent mostly alone, so she continued with her evening trip to the bath house as a diversion. Modesty aside, she gave up the bathing suit as she became less conscious of her own nudity. No one seemed to notice and they were respectful and considerate. Many of the women were the same each evening and, although the men generally bathed later, they would be in attendance from time to time. Trying to fit in, she went on the premise that “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
Kellach had not returned for the evening meal, and Fiona left it warming on the hearth. She gathered up a length of cloth for a towel and headed down for her evening bath. Wind was a constant companion here and it was really kicking up. She opted to leave Conan behind, tying him to the table near his food dish and commanding him to stay. He lay down on the floor, dejection and disappointment oozing from his sad gaze.
The wind whipped her skirts and dust blew in her face. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. Although the wind was really blowing in gale force, the bath house was made of sturdy wood and protected the pool from the outside weather conditions. Rarely was the bath house empty, but on this occasion it was. She was pleased and looked forward to a few moments of solitude.
She quickly undressed and stepped into the pool. The water was clear and inviting and the heat from the hot pool caused steam to flood the room, warming her skin. The room was lit by only one small oil lamp flickering on the far wall and shadows lurked in the corners. Feeling totally alone, she kicked and rolled, enjoying freedom from the ever present watchers. She ducked under, intending to wash her hair, and when she re-surfaced, her water-blurred eyes detected a form standing at the door. She gasped in alarm. Her vision cleared and Kellach’s large outline materialized. She crossed her hands in front of her breasts and sank lower into the pool.
He leaned against the door and watched her, his eyes never leaving her for a moment. Trying to appear at ease and unconcerned, she turned her back to him and moved to the far side of the pool. He walked around the pool and squatted down, gazing into her face, his golden eyes unreadable.
“You should not have come here alone,” he said softly.
“Why? No one is here.”
“You didn’t know that until you arrived. It’s dangerous for a woman to be out alone.”
Trying to appear unconcerned, she said, “Well, I’m not alone now. You’re here.”
The barest whisper of a smile moved his lips. “As I said, it’s dangerous for a woman alone out here.”
“Are you suggesting that I should fear you?”
“I am a man.” His heated eyes gleamed.
She felt her lips tremble as she reached for the towel.
“Perhaps you are right, I should return.”
He moved the towel to a bench and slowly undressed, his eyes never leaving her. “I see no reason for you to leave. I will need your services to wash my back.” Fully nude, he paused, as if giving her the chance to view him completely—like she had forgotten how he looked the first time—and slid into the water. He advanced slowly on her.
Fiona’s heart raced. The large pool suddenly seemed dwarfed by his size. He pursued her leisurely, wading slowly through the water. His eyes bored into her, piercing her with their directness. She backed away. Her breathing quickened into short shallow gasps, her movements sluggish at best. When the rocks on the side of the pool stopped her retreat, he smiled. This was the first time he had ever actually smiled at her and she was staggered by her response!
His smile lit up his face, softening the hard edges and warming his eyes. Huge dimples deepened his cheeks. She had never really noticed before the small cleft in his othe
rwise strong chin. Her foolish mind acknowledged and admired those genetic defects. Tanith had them as well, but on him, they were devastating. His teeth were blindingly white and straight, and the only noticeable flaw was a very slightly overlapping eyetooth. Far from being an imperfection, it only added to his smile. He was gorgeous when he smiled. She stood rooted to the spot, staring idiotically at him for a long moment, enough time for him to close in and capture her within the circle of his arms.
Her mind refused to respond intelligently and all she was able to say was “I can’t wash your back if you trap me thus.”
His smile only widened more. “Perhaps there are more important areas that need attending besides my back.” He leaned down and nuzzled her neck, breathing in her scent. Fiona’s knees buckled slightly and she had to stiffen them to keep from losing her balance. He was too near and she wasn’t able to think clearly. His tongue tickled her ear sending shivers racing through her veins.
She pushed at him. “I can’t think with you standing so near,” she complained, “and I don’t think I should help you wash.”
“Why not,” he murmured. “I think you would do a fine job, and you are my servant, are you not?” He trailed small light kisses along her neck and down her shoulder, the sensation so startling her that she jumped. It amused him that he affected her so, she had not shown any interest in him thus far, always busy and out of reach, but perhaps he was mistaken. Her resolve seemed to be slipping and he pushed against her, pressing fully against her. She was soft where it mattered with an incredibly narrow waist, curving down to enticingly small hips and even further to shapely legs.
Fiona tried to push him away, his nearness was too disconcerting; it was obvious he was aroused and growing more so with each passing moment. Panic heightened her anxiety. “I am your housekeeper, not your personal maid. Now let me go,” she demanded.
He seemed unconcerned with her outburst and continued his lazy exploration of her body. His hands seemed to be everywhere and she was unable to stop the desire that coursed through her. It had been a long time, no forever, since she had been held and touched the way he was holding and touching her. Truthfully, she’d never been held or touched by any man so completely. Things were getting out of hand and she wasn’t prepared for this. Ducking down, she slipped out of his grasp and back-peddled quickly to the far side.
10 Timeless Heroes; A Time Travel Romance Boxed Set Page 10
