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This time Temel was the one to frown.
“It is quite a long distance for daily travel. And what if the road should flood again? It would be better if you stayed here. If the quarters behind the kitchen don’t please you, there are other bedrooms upstairs.”
“It’s not that, it’s just… Why don’t I wait and see how well the house handled the storm before I decide?”
Kalpar nodded, then cuffed Naffon’s ear.
“Time to check on the cattle.”
“Again?”
Despite his protest, Naffon rose to his feet, then gave her his charming smile.
“I do hope you and your family decide to join us, Ida.”
Blue eyes sparkled at her before he turned and followed Kalpar out of the kitchen, and she shook her head.
“He certainly knows how to turn on the charm.”
“Does he?”
Temel’s voice had dropped to a low growl, and she gave him a startled look.
“I didn’t mean that I was falling for it. Although I wonder if Dora did.”
“Do you think they’ve met before?”
“Yes. Although they obviously didn’t get as far as exchanging names.”
“Is he Dora’s prince, Mama?”
Tommy’s question was interrupted by a huge yawn, and she laughed.
“I don’t know, sweetheart, but I think it’s time for you to go to bed.”
And she wanted to talk to Dora.
“I’m not sleepy,” he protested around another yawn, but he snuggled against her when she picked him up.
“Will you return?” Temel asked softly. “I would like to talk to you.”
She should probably refuse, but she nodded anyway.
“Yes, but it may be a little while.”
“I’ll be in the study.”
He’d suggested nothing more than a quiet conversation in a room full of books, but as she carried Tommy off to bed, she felt as excited as she had been before attending her first dance.
CHAPTER 9
Temel paced back and forth across the study as he waited for Ida, hoping she wouldn’t change her mind. The more he thought about Kalpar’s suggestion, the more he liked it. He would have her and Tommy under his roof.And her daughters, he thought, frowning. There was something odd about their relationship, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, other than the fact that Ida seemed much too young to have a daughter of Dora’s age.
He was still considering the matter when she arrived. Her pretty round face was flushed again, and she gave him a shy look from under long, dark lashes.
“Sorry that took so long. Tommy insisted on a story even though he could barely keep his eyes open.”
“I didn’t mind waiting.”
