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“No. Of course not.” He opened the door to the room in question. “Come on in…”
A huge bed with giant pillars sprawled at the center of the enormous room. Easily, I could fit myself and all of my husbands in that bed—a thought that sent heat flooding to my cheeks. The pillars seemed to be missing something, perhaps a top part to block the view of the ceiling. But there was nothing there. Maybe I would make something.
I knew how.
“I don’t have any stuff. I mean, none. It was all in Hawkseye, and then we were in the tent.” I looked around. “So I’m going to have to get some things, I think.”
His eyes were huge. “We didn’t even think of that.”
“Think of what?” Truett leaned on the doorway. “How you would run off with our pretty young wife and leave us to bury those annoying things?”
Freddie shrugged. “Not sorry. She has no stuff. We didn’t bring her stuff.”
“Oh.” Truett shook his head. “Yes, we did. When I went back to see Judge, I arranged to have your things delivered. Your bags should be here tomorrow; someone packed all of your stuff.” He looked at Freddie. “But, for tonight, you’re correct, she doesn’t have what she needs. Let’s send a servant into town, get a few things for her? Either that or she can use Sadie’s.”
I shook my head. “No, thank you. Not trying to be mean.”
“It’s fine.” Charlie drew me against him as he entered the room. “You don’t have to use her stuff if you don’t want to. Oliver,” he yelled downstairs. “Send someone to town to get stuff for Sloane. Enough for tonight.” I hadn’t seen Charlie arrive, but he was there, too. “Why is she next door to Truett? Who decided that?”
Truett grinned. “Not me, but I’m not complaining.”
“I’m shocked you didn’t put her between you and Oliver.” Charlie looked at Freddie. “That’s what I assumed you were doing when you took off.”
Freddie groaned. “Ye of little faith. No, I didn’t do that. Okay, maybe I would have, but she said she didn’t want to be in Sadie’s room. She said specifically no to that, so she’s in the closest room to all of us… Which happens to be here, at the end of the hall, next to Truett.”
I held up my hand. “It doesn’t matter who’s next door to me. It’s not like any of you intend to sneak in here at night.”
They didn’t answer until, eventually, Oliver strolled into the room. He said, “Amy went to get her some things. She’s always so accommodating.”
Amy, yes, I met her. She was one of the slightly older employees, and I noticed she didn’t particularly smile when she met me. I didn’t mind it. Hopefully, we would become fast friends after she got used to me.
“Show me the grounds.” I needed to get them out of my bedroom. The longer we stood near the enormous bed, the easier it was for me to imagine all of them piled into it, with me at the center, warm and cuddly. I told Oliver I needed love for sex, and I meant it. I gritted my teeth. That was how it was going to be. I couldn’t imagine all of us cuddling in the bed if we never reached that place together.
It would probably be hollow and not what I wanted it to be, anyway.
I followed them outside toward the grounds out back. I always loved my gardens at home, but they were nothing compared to the gardens here. Rows upon rows, spreading out until there were orchards and more past what I could see. It made sense, and I could see how they kept them Warriors—they gave them the very best and made them nobles, if they weren’t already. To go from nothing to gardens that spread further than the eye could see? They’d fight until they died to keep it. I wondered if the property came from a previous Warrior group, some who served until they died, and then it got passed down to my husbands.
Do they really have enough properties just sitting around, to give these kinds of places away to Warrior groups? Why aren’t they doing more for those who don’t have these resources?
“Sloane?” Charlie tugged my hand to pull me to his side. “You left us again. Your head goes to places, and you don’t tell us where. I miss you when you do that. You’re here but you’re not here. It’s like I can feel it.”
I shook my head. “I just start thinking a lot. Sometimes my head goes to places I don’t anticipate. Good places. Bad places. I don’t do it on purpose.”
“I know. I get that. I just…want you to come back. I don’t like the idea of you being anywhere I can’t follow, even if it’s inside your own head. Let’s go have dinner. Mrs. Grey will have it set up. By the time we’re done eating, Amy will be back with your stuff and we’ll head to bed. I love having you here. It feels…settled, like this is a place I want to spend time now.”
I stared at him. “The things you say. I want to believe you, but I’m terrified you’re lying to me. That I’m going to fall for it, and then I’m going to be crushed.”
Charlie turned me to look at him. “I’m not lying to you. I’m absolutely not. And I can promise you that they’re not lying anymore, either.” In fact, they’d all gotten quiet. “But you’re going to have to come to believe us on your own. We’re here for the next few months, unless you have a vision that takes us away. We have nothing to do but get to know each other, okay?”
I nodded and blew out a breath. “Okay.”
The wind blew over us. We would be there until I had a vision that took us away. I could figure out how to be there, how to make it my home. By then, I would know if they could make me happy and if I could make them happy, too.
The answer right now…is maybe. They were capable of falsehoods. The question was, at this point, would they lie to me again?
A chicken in a sauce I couldn’t have made served alongside creamy potatoes seemed more than tasty. I slouched a bit after drinking a glass of wine with the decadent dinner. Amy arrived before we got through the first course—a crisp green salad with a creamy dressing—and she handed me a bag with everything I would need for the night. After that, she brought me my food herself. Everyone at the table had their own server, and it seemed she was mine.
The woman still didn’t smile at me, though. I thanked her each time the food came and tried my best to be friendly.
