“Wolf could use an outing,he isn’t trained to a chamber pot as well as I,” she said, and thecorners of the captain’s full mouth twitched up and then clampedback down.She smoothed her dirty hands down her tattered skirt.“Icould use a bath.”
He stared hard at her with those steelgray eyes of his, then dipped his head.“I’ll makearrangements.”
***
Lara stopped her pacing at the soundof voices beyond the door.The outside bolt was thrown open and shestood back as Wolf came bounding in, looking none the worse foryesterday, followed by the captain and two men carrying a woodenbathing tub.The captain directed the men to set the tub in anempty corner of the chamber, then proceeded to pull the draperiesdown from around the bed while two more men, each lugging a heavywooden post nailed into a base, set them at an angle and tied arope from one post to the other.The captain hung the drapes acrossthe rope as Berta bustled in with Lara’s blanket from home and setit down on the bed.Berta waved her over as she unfolded theblanket to reveal Lara’s nightshift, a clean tunic and skirt, herbest gown of dusty blue linen, her brush and comb, and a bar of herfavorite rose-scented soap.
Lara ruffled Wolf’s ears.“So that’swhat took you so long.”Sophie must’ve gone home and packed up herbelongings.
“The captain,” Bertawhispered to Lara.“He told Sophie you weren’t leaving this chamberuntil Mallus.And then only under armed guard.”
“Hmmph.”Lara glared atthe captain’s broad back as he opened and closed the newly hungdrapes.“We’ll simply have to think of something else.”
Berta said nothing, though her pursedlips spoke plenty.
“What?”Lara snapped.“Youdon’t think I can outsmart an oafish soldier?”
Again, Berta said nothing, and Laraswept up her blanket and belongings and strode over to the hearthand plopped down on Wolf’s pelts, where she watched as houseservants carried buckets of steaming water and poured them into thetub.The two men who’d carried the posts in came back with a cotpiled with bed linens they set against the far wall by the newlymade bath chamber as the house servants returned with more bucketsof steaming water for the tub.At a look from the captain, Bertashooed everyone out.He stood before Lara, who sat back on thepelts and glared at him.
“God’s blood,” hemuttered.“It’s akin to treeing a…” He stopped and held her angrygaze for a moment before clearing his throat.“A hot bath and softbed are luxuries I’ve come to appreciate after years on the march.Enjoy yours while you’re here.”
CHAPTER 4
Inquisitions
Talon
Carrying a pitcher of wine and twocups in one hand, Talon tried the door to his chamber with theother, not at all surprised to find the inside bolt shut.“Open thedoor, Lara.”
He heard the bolt slide and then thedoor creaked open.He stepped into the chamber, and his senses wereinstantly assailed by the sweet yet spicy fragrance emanating fromLara’s freshly washed hair, its long, loose tendrils starting todry and curl.She wore a clean tunic of yellow linen and a skirt ofocher, her waist belt, minus its knife, cinched around her slimwaist, her feet bare.He coughed and turned and slid the insidebolt shut.“So we won’t be disturbed,” he told her, hiding his grinas her hazel eyes sparked amber.
He set the pitcher and cups down onthe table and pulled a chair out, indicating that Lara should sit,admiring the sway of her skirts as she approached.Her eyes weren’tthe only thing catlike about her.Even as stiff and sore as shemust have been after yesterday, she moved with an ease and a gracethat the practiced women of Charles’s court strove for and seldomattained.
She took her seat, and he sat acrossfrom her and filled both cups with wine.“We will sit and talkawhile.”He pushed a cup over to her.
She picked the cup up left-handed,sniffed the wine, and took a sip.“What are we to talkabout?”
He took a long swallow of his wine.“You.”
“A jailer’s curiosityabout his prisoner?”
“Precisely.”
She took another, longer drink of herwine, set her cup down, and folded her hands together on top of thetable.“Let the inquisition begin.”
Talon grinned despite himself.He’ddetermined to be very captain-like, though it wasn’t easy when hismind kept straying to the fullness of her pink lips and thestubborn tilt of her patrician chin.“You’re lefthanded,” hesaid.
“I am.”
“In the Saracen lands tothe east, they would call you sinister-handed.”
Her eyes challenged him.“Here theycall me witch for it, among other things.”
Talon took a drink of his wine.Beinga witch wasn’t a crime, though he’d never had a woman claim to beone so blatantly.She was testing him, trying to find out if shecould gain any advantage over him, but he was neither aparticularly religious or superstitious man.He tended to believein things he could see and hear and touch.“Are you?”
She gave a little half smile andshrugged.
Talon gave a dismissive laugh.“Howold are you?”
