“I am all right. I am sorry to have worried you.”
“Tom found Perseus and the bridge was out.”
“I tied his reins poorly, so he abandoned me. I spent the night in the dower house. But I am well.”
She released me and I felt the cold more acutely because of it. Kate did a visual inspection of me, searching for injuries I expected. Seemingly satisfied with her efforts, she pulled me down to meet her in a kiss. It was more passion than skill, teeth nipping at lips, tongues dancing.
She tasted of… scotch? That was new and not unpleasant. I chased a further taste.
Kate did not hesitate to position me where she liked, using a hand on my jaw to tilt my head to an angle that pleased her. I swept an arm low on her back, pulling her toward me, up on her toes. She remained there for a moment before dragging me back down with her. That was fine, for I would follow where she led.
A pointed cough sounded from somewhere behind her. I could not bring myself to care overly much but it was followed up by another, even more direct. Her grip loosened enough that I pulled free, the intent was to glare at my brother and return to more pleasurable activities. I glanced up and was met with, not only Tom, but my mother as well. That sight was enough to force me to release my wife.
“I see you are not dead somewhere and buried so deep in mud we will never find you again,” Tom said.
“I was in the dower house.”
“Made friends with the mice, did you?”
“They were rats, you were right. Apparently, it is also home to a family of bats,” I added.
“Good, that is almost enough punishment for being safe and warm while I searched for you in the pouring rain for hours.”
“I would not say safe and warm… The bats called the chimney home and were less than pleased when I tried to light a fire. Sorry to have worried you.”
“You should be.” He looked me up and down in askance before tentatively wrapping an arm around me, keeping as much of his body away from mine as possible. I thought it strange until I glanced down with a wince. My clothing was more mud than fabric at this point. Kate—one look at her confirmed that fear; her gown faired almost as poorly as my waistcoat.
Another pointed cough came from behind Tom, my mother. “It is good you are home.”
“Thank you, Mother.”
“See that you do not do it again,” she ordered.
“Yes, Mother.”
She offered something akin to an approving nod before returning to the house. The sight of the house reminded me of my gnawing hunger and thirst, the bone deep exhaustion, and the stabbing cold. Tom clapped me on the back, before releasing me fully, gesturing toward the house. I kept my arm banded low on Kate’s waist and continued up the walkway.
“That was strange, was it not? Mother’s behavior?” Tom asked.
“Very,” I answered.
“We may have reached an understanding last night,” Kate said.
“You reached an understanding?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“What kind of understanding?”
“That is between us,” she explained.
“She apologized?”
“More or less.” Tom and I shared a confused look over Kate’s head. He settled on a shrug and held the door for us. “Oh, and we will be naming our first boy Henry. I think Harry, for everyday,” she added, slipping into the house before us.
Tom mouthed “what?” at me behind her back. I was still caught onfirst. If she wished for more than one, I could provide her with more than one. I could do that very well.
Also distracting was the sight of the soot, dirt, mud brand of my arm along her waist. That was rather fetching.
