Dawn sniffed at her garments and noticed that she did carry a scent on her and she buried her nose in her sleeve for a minute. It was a woodsy scent mixed with Cree’s body scent. Some men’s scent was hard on the senses causing the nose to wrinkle in distaste, not so Cree, his scent actually appealed to Dawn. She couldn’t define what she favored about it; she only knew she liked it.
The realization startled her and she stopped sniffing her sleeve, just in time, since the door swung open and Flanna returned with servants who carried a round wooden tub and others followed carrying buckets of steaming water.
Dawn was grateful for Flanna’s fussing and more so for the tub of steaming water. After they all left she disrobed and climbed over the rim into the tub and sunk into the blessed hot water. Being tall didn’t help and so her knees almost touched her chin, but she didn’t care. The hot water was most welcoming, its heat soaking into her every limb and easing the stiffness away.
She had slept so rigid last night and rushed so this morning that it wasn’t until she had watched the tub being filled that she had realized how her body ached. She wished she could sit and soak until the water turned cold but there wasn’t time.
Cree would be waiting for his morning meal and he had questioned her during last night’s meal so perhaps this morning she could pose her own questions to him. She scrubbed herself with the soap that Flanna had left for her, including her hair.
She smiled favoring the scent of lavender that covered her, that was until she reached for her clothes. They smelled of Cree and the strong, not unpleasant scent sent a quiver through her body.
The door swung open and Dawn was quick to wrap the towel around her. She smiled wide when she saw that it was Lila her best friend.
Lila was everything Dawn wasn’t. She was beautiful with soft red hair that curled gloriously down her back, lovely green eyes, cream-colored skin, petite and slim and a lovely voice that could chatter on forever.
“I was stunned when Flanna showed up at my doorstep and expressed concern about you needing fresh garments. She struck me speechless she did, being kind and thoughtful to your—” She stopped and hurried to give Dawn a quick hug. “When Paul heard what Colum had ordered you to do he wanted to go to him in your defense.”
Dawn shook her head and waved her hand.
“I know,” Lila said grabbing tight hold of Dawn’s hand. “I told him you would not want him to do something so foolish.”
Dawn nodded and tapped Lila’s rounded stomach and then slipped her hand out of hers and backed away.
Lila got teary-eyed. “I know you tell me that Paul must worry only about the babe and me and not to worry about you, but Dawn…” A tear slipped down her cheek. “Are you all right? Did that monster hurt you?”
It would have been easy to turn to Lila and wrap herself around her, knowing she would hug her in return just as they did when they were young and something troubled either one of them. They had always sought solace from each other and it had been no difference as they had gotten older. They had always been there for each other.
This time however was different. This time if she shared the truth with Lila it could prove dangerous for her and Paul, and Dawn refused to take that chance. So she had to do something she had never done; she had to lie to Lila.
She tapped her chest and smiled.
“You tell me you’re fine, but I don’t know if I believe that.”
Dawn hurried into a brown, worn wool skirt and slipped a faded green linen blouse over her head.
“You won’t look at me which means that there is something you’re not telling me.”
Dawn turned, walked over to her, pressed a finger to her mouth, and shook her head, her eyes pleading for understanding.
“I know what you’re doing,” Lilia accused another tear slipping down her cheek. “You’re trying to keep Paul and me safe.”
Dawn joined her hands as if in prayer and placed them to her lips. Lilia knew the sign all too well. It meant please no more, trust that I know what I do.
“I don’t like it, but—” Lila shook her head. “I know there is nothing that Paul or I could do without suffering for it, and it pains me not to be able to help my friend who is more sister to me and who I love dearly.”
They hugged then, Dawn close to tears herself but refusing to surrender to them. She stepped away, crossed her arms over her chest, patted her hand to her heart and pointed to Lila.