LadySmith

by Rhavensfyre

  The phone rang just as she pulled out a fresh bottle of water from the cooler tucked under the table. She tried ignoring it at first, then glared in the direction of the disruptive noise when it stopped then started up again. Whoever was calling was being persistent. The phone had rung at least ten times with no sign of quitting.

  One of those old wall phones that still had a dialer, the yellowing plastic annoyance had come with the house and she had left it as a reluctant necessity. She never bothered upgrading it and probably never would. Alex despised the modern appliance and refused to have a cell phone anywhere near her.

  “I really need to remember to take the damn thing off the hook when I’m working.”

  Another shrill ring brought a curse to her lips. Since both solitude and quiet had been lost to the incessant ringing, it was time to call it a day. She had already lost the feel for the form she had been working on and experience taught her it was better to step away rather than force it. The piece would have to wait for now, at least until the urge to create overwhelmed her and led her back into her workshop. Alex stepped inside the house and answered the phone with a resigned sigh.

  “Dottie? Really, you know I’m too busy to take new clients,” Alex said, tucking the phone under her chin so she could open her bottle of water. “Especially not a rush job.” Alex concentrated more on drinking her water than paying attention to her long-time friend—at first. Then the conversation started to get interesting. She sat down at the kitchen table and listened. After a few minutes, she interrupted Dottie’s sales pitch to ask a few questions of her own.

  “Why would she interest me?” Alex asked, pulling another chair up to rest her feet on. For Dottie to insist that she should help this lady out was out of character, she usually respected Alex’s privacy. She wouldn’t normally risk offending Alex over a one-time client. Intrigued by what her friend meant by “it being worth her while,” Alex finally agreed to the emergency visit.

  “All right. I’ll see her. Tell me what she looks like.”

  “She’s your type, isn’t that enough?” Dottie laughed. “I told her to tell you I was the one who sent her, just in case, but I don’t think you’ll have to guess.”

  Alex rolled her eyes and waited, holding both her tongue and her temper in check. She didn’t like being laughed at, but she was willing to let it slip by this time, mostly because Dottie knew just what type of woman Alex was interested in.

  “She’s blonde—true blonde mind you, not bottle. She’s about five foot three, slender but athletic. Just trust me, Alex. There’s something about her,” Dottie said.

  Alex hung up then closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath. She could practically hear the smirking over the phone line and wondered what her friend wasn’t telling her.

  Alex stood up and stretched, then headed back into the workroom to take one last longing gaze at her almost finished masterpiece before heading for the forge room. She would have to stoke her forge up before the customer arrived. Alex tied a faded black bandana around her forehead to keep the sweat from rolling into her eyes then laced a thick leather cuff on her left wrist. Her hair was already pulled back safely. The thick braid running between her shoulder blades would keep it from getting too close to the hot coals. Humming a wordless tune as she worked, she pumped the billows until the coals glowed white-hot. Alex stared into the fire, enjoying the heat from the antique coal forge she refused to put aside. When she travelled she would occasionally use the small gas forge she kept in her pickup truck, but the smell of an old-fashioned coal fire brought back too many good memories to abandon so easily.

  The familiar ritual allowed her mind to wander towards the mysterious woman whom she “just had to meet.” She did sound stimulating, Alex thought, then grinned and shook her head. She hadn’t even laid eyes on the woman yet and she was already letting her appetite rule her thoughts. As for Dottie? Dottie was clearly meddling in Alex’s personal life, but since it had been a while since she had enjoyed the company of a good-looking woman, Alex really couldn’t complain.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Alex leaned against the forge room wall just inside the wide doorway overlooking the large courtyard behind the main house. The whole property was incredibly secluded, which was how she liked it. Both the house and meadows that stretched behind it were hidden by a dense stand of trees. The mix of tall pines and old oaks started along the roadway and was only broken by the winding gravel driveway she had put in with the least amount of cutting necessary. What she had to cut was now siding for part of the main barn. Waste not, want not.

  The curve of the driveway prevented the casual visitor from accidentally showing up but also made it difficult to see any legitimate guests until they were almost on top of her. The crushed gravel balanced that out nicely. It made a nice loud crunching sound that echoed through the small forest. It was a great alarm system that never failed to warn her when company was coming, just like now. From the sound of it, the driver was moving slow and easy along the narrow passageway.

  Even with the forge stoked up, the barn cast shadows deep enough to allow her to watch her new customer negotiate the courtyard unobserved. Alex could imagine their relief when they saw the large turnabout area she had left, especially after their quarter mile ride through the woods.

  She smiled in amusement. The pickup truck and its matching fifth wheel trailer was ridiculously huge. The rig was worth well over a hundred grand and she was certain that the custom black and gold pin striping added a few dollars on top of that. Her eyes narrowed when the barn name plastered on the side of the rig came into view. MacLeod Farms was the biggest breeding and showing barn in the region.

  Alex’s anticipation dropped a few notches now that she knew who her customer was.

  “Rohanna MacLeod—the darling of the show circuit,” Alex muttered, trying to remember everything she had heard about the woman. Considering how popular she was, it was amazing they hadn’t run into each other yet. But then, Alex didn’t care to attend the horse shows so much as the fairs and expositions.

  Alex pulled on her braid and frowned. She really didn’t have time to deal with some horse diva or barn princess and she began contemplating doing something horrid to Dottie. Good friend or not, she should have known better than to send one of the snotty elite her way.

  She could just make out a single silhouette inside the line of windows passing by her. Each window chugged past her like a row of train cars. Alex whistled. When you added the full living quarters in the front, the monstrosity was as long as a full size tractor-trailer.

  “Amazing, and for only one horse,” Alex murmured, disgusted with the sheer extravagance.

  Her mood settled into the exact opposite of the bright summer sun, rapidly becoming dark and brooding. Dottie knew she couldn’t stand dealing with rich folks, and Alex couldn’t see how Dottie thought she would be interested in someone who drove such a ridiculous set-up. The sooner she took care of this “emergency call” the sooner she could get back to her art.

  She was about to push off from her hiding place when the driver side door opened and a petite woman jumped out of the truck cab.

  Her first view of Rohanna MacLeod was enough of a surprise to make her delay judgement. She relaxed back against the wall, deciding not to give up her shadowy vantage point just yet. A very casual looking flannel shirt, the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and faded blue jeans just tight enough to show off her assets brightened Alex’s mood considerably. That outfit told her that the woman might not be a complete snot. From the way she fills out those jeans, I hope she isn’t one, either.

  Alex wasn’t prepared for her reaction when Rohanna turned around. Reddish blonde hair, cut short just above her shoulders, framed a smallish face that was both strong and delicate. Curiously, she looked directly towards her hiding place. Alex closed her eyes against the spine tingling spike of arousal that knifed through her, sharp and hot like the iron imbedded in the coal fire, then stepped deeper into the sha
dows. She didn’t want the pale beauty standing in her driveway to see her jaw drop like some brain-addled fool who didn’t have the sense to keep their mouth closed.

  Goddess below, she’s gorgeous, Alex thought, both forgiving Dottie and thanking her for sending this heavenly creature her way. A light breeze flitted across the courtyard and spun into the entranceway, tasting the dark before continuing along its way. Alex inhaled deeply, discarding the more familiar taste of iron and coal and flame to focus on the unfamiliar scents. She could smell her. Rohanna’s scent reminded her of the glens and heathers of the old country, mixed with something heady and sensual. Alex’s pulse quickened and muscles low in her belly tightened in response to thoughts more appropriate for the bedroom than the forge room, although she would be hard pressed to say which one would be hotter.

  Unwilling to give away her presence just yet, Alex waited to see what Rohanna would do next.

  “Hello?” Rohanna called out in a clear voice that carried easily across the courtyard. Delighted with the woman’s independent nature, Alex watched Rohanna cross the courtyard with deliberate steps. Alex savored the visual feast striding towards her. The sway of her hips was almost hypnotic, the effect enjoyably exaggerated as the woman sought balance on the fine crushed stone beneath her boots.

  “Hello?” Rohanna called out again, squinting against the bright sunlight while she scanned the courtyard for any sign of the farrier. The crushed stone crunched beneath her heeled boots, her normally bold stride held in check by the uneven surface. A small noise inside the larger barn caught her attention, and she headed for it. Ro stepped inside the dark interior and was instantly blinded. She blinked a few times, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dimness. She had expected the shadowed interior to be cooler, but a dry heat assaulted her as soon as she walked a few feet into the room. A pale red light illuminated the various benches and tables around her. She was able to make out the outline of a large anvil and a tool shelf beyond the huge forge that dominated the center of the room. This was the source of the dim light, glowing lumps of coal sitting at the center of the forge. The floor was hard packed dirt, muffling her footfalls as she wandered farther into the silent room. The air smelled of heat, acrid with the scent of coal and steel that left a metallic taste in her throat.

  Rohanna felt strangely jubilant. Her skull tingled pleasantly, much like it did when she drank too much, both numb and overly awake at the same time. Her vision wavered with the lines of heat rising from the red-hot coals, making her feel off balance. She turned around, trying to find the source of the strange sensation, then realized what it was. The forge room was completely devoid of any modern conveniences. There was nothing mechanical in the entire room, not even an overhead light. The farriers she knew used a modern gas forge, instead of the great coal forge and bellows that dominated the wood beamed room. Complete with pulleys and chains that hung like marionette strings from above, the room could have looked the same a hundred years ago as it did today. Ro felt like she had stepped far into the past. A sense of déjà vu passed through her, and she shuddered delicately despite the heat of the room. Disconcerted, Ro turned back towards the bright square of light behind her. The modern lines of her truck and trailer reassured her that she remained firmly in the 21st century.

  Foolish woman, she admonished herself. Turning back towards the forge, she stared at the white tipped flames, caught up in their hypnotic dance. Where is this farrier? She asked herself. The strangeness of it all had started to get to her. Only her growing irritation at being left waiting kept her from screaming in surprise when a tall, slim figure materialized out of the darkness stubbornly clinging to the corners of the room.

  “Hello.” Alex had given the woman a few minutes to inspect the dim interior before stepping forward into the soft glow of the forge. She had no idea what possessed her to do that, other than working on pure instinct. Dottie was right; there was a strangeness about Rohanna that made her scalp tingle and the hairs on her arms stand on end. She needed a moment to compose herself, to shake the odd sense of déjà vu that sent her thoughts racing into the past. Had they met before? She had to say no. There was no way she would have forgotten this woman if they had locked eyes in the past, let alone spoke to each other.

  Her dramatic entrance was not lost on her guest. Alex noted the suppressed gasp, the pursed lips holding back a startled scream. Rohanna’s eyes widened, then changed to an expression of honest interest as she openly appraised Alex. A slow flush crept up from the woman’s shirt collar, her breasts rising and falling enticingly with each rapid breath. Alex shifted her gaze. Rohanna’s pulse quickened, bounding noticeably along her pale neckline.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Alex said. She knew full well that the woman before her wasn’t even close to being scared, startled, yes—but definitely not afraid. Alex nodded, impressed with her mettle.

  “I’m Alexandria Strider. Call me Alex. And you must be—?” she asked. There was no reason to let Rohanna know she already knew who she was.

  Alex looked down at the other woman and was captured by a pair of exquisitely colored eyes boldly assessing her. They were green yet not green at the same time. The reflection of early autumn leaves, they held flecks of blue-green and gold that couldn’t be reduced to just one color. With her fine gold hair and pale skin, the petite woman looking up at her appeared frail, almost waiflike. If it wasn’t for the eyes, today might have been the beginning and the end of their knowledge of each other. If not for those eyes, Alex wouldn’t have pursued the woman any farther than a day’s bit of work and perhaps a night’s worth of pleasure. But, Rohanna’s eyes smoldered with an otherworldly grace that was a rare find in this magic deprived world. Alex could feel the heat of that gaze like a second sun burning on the horizon.

  That look told Alex all she needed to know and left her with more questions than she could find answers for. Desire, need, and hunger simmering in the liquid depths of those eyes, waiting to boil over if stoked by the right fire. They marked her, revealing an inner strength that attracted Alex and made her want to be that fire. The urge to lean down and thoroughly kiss this woman was almost overpowering.

  “Fae,” Alex murmured, the word escaping her like a sigh. How extraordinary.

  A slow blink ended the moment and sent time back on its original course.

  “Not Fay, Rohanna.”

  “Of course, my mistake.” Alex nodded, amused at being corrected.

  Rohanna’s eyes changed in an instant, like a magician’s illusion. Now Rohanna’s eyes were hard, green malachite that gave nothing away beneath its surface. Alex watched as Rohanna forcefully swallowed her hunger, her passion, completely. She could practically hear the cold “snick” of armor plating encasing the woman before her piece by piece. As if the moment between them had never passed, Rohanna smiled at Alex. It was a smile that was impersonal at worst, professional at best, and never touched her eyes.

  Alex wasn’t fooled. She remembered watching a fire-eater once at the carnival. He would light sticks on fire then swallow the flame, then make a fine show of the doused stick as proof of his brave act. Alex had just watched Rohanna perform the very same trick. The difference was, Alex knew the flames the carnival man had swallowed weren’t real. Rohanna may have “swallowed” her fire for now, but her flames were hot and they could burn. Ice cannot stand up to fire for long, and if there is one thing I know, it is fire, Alex thought.

  “I’m Rohanna MacLeod. Dottie from the tack store sent me over.”

  “Well met, Rohanna.” Alex took Rohanna’s offered hand in her own firm grip. Electricity sparked between them where their palms met, much like a static charge but strong enough to create a tiny ball of electricity that vanished into the ether. Rohanna gasped and pulled her hand away, rubbing her palm vigorously. Alex coughed and pushed down the claxon bells going off inside her head, demanding she hear their warnings.

  “Sorry about that, I was welding just before you came over.” Alex
made a quick excuse and then back-stepped a few feet towards the doorway. “Why don't we have a look at your horse, then? Dottie said something about a pulled shoe.”

  “Yes. Exactly,” Rohanna said, still feeling a little out of it. Maybe it’s the forge smoke she wondered, following the farrier out into the courtyard. She took a few deep breaths and shook her head to clear it. “I’ll get him out for you.”

  With quick, practiced movements, Rohanna let the ramp down on the back of the trailer, then backed a very cranky and irritable gelding from the first slant stall.

  “Come on, Galileo. Don’t embarrass me now, not in front of this woman,” Ro whispered.

  After watching Rohanna fight with the energetic bay gelding for a few minutes, Alex pushed herself away from the tie out pole she had been leaning against. It was all getting a bit silly, and she was becoming bored watching the two of them fight with each other.

  “Here, let me.” Taking the lead line in hand, Alex tugged once, hard, and the gelding stopped dancing and pulling. The gelding turned to look at Alex, looking as silly as a 1400-pound warm blood could as he gave her a decidedly cross-eyed look down his long nose. Alex started to lead him towards the cross ties so she could see what kind of damage the loose shoe had caused, keeping an eye on how he moved.