The girl, continuing to look wary, held out a pair of slippers, delicate little velvet things embroidered with open toes and a tiny wedge heel.
Abby didn’t realise her intention until the girl was about to drop down to her knees, and at this point she snatched the slippers and slid her feet into them herself. ‘Perfect fit...’ Abby arched a delicate brow of enquiry in the younger woman’s direction.
‘Mina,’ the young woman supplied shyly as she dragged her curious gaze from Abby’s flamed hair, which seemed to fascinate her.
‘Thanks, Mina, but I can take it from here,’ Abby said politely but firmly.
It took a few attempts but Abby finally managed to convey her message, namely that she didn’t need help to dress, drink or anything else. It had taken five minutes and Abby was on her second cup of reviving strong coffee by the time she walked the younger woman to the door, where she received a startled look in response to her casual parting shot of see you later.
‘Morning, guys!’she called to the men standing outside before ducking back in.
She leaned against the wall, thought steeplearning curve and began to laugh...hysteria, she told herself as the tears ran down her cheeks. Ah, well, as her nan would have said, better to laugh than cry. She might have entered into a very dubious deal with a sinfully good-looking devil who, pointless to pretend otherwise, she was not immune to, but it was a means to an end and she’d make it clear when she saw him that she was probably going to mess up...royally! She dragged a hand though her tousled hair and wondered when she was likely to see him and what she was meant to do in the meantime.
Zain had seemed convinced that he’d be discharged from hospital today but that seemed unrealistic to Abby.
Floating in a bath into which she had tipped half a gallon of truly glorious-smelling oil from one of the crystal flagons on the marble-topped washstand, she began to feel slightly more relaxed.
She didn’t manage to empty her mind but at least she had things more in perspective—a few uncomfortable months of her life was a price worth paying to know that her grandparents would be able to live in comfort for the rest of theirs.
She had just emerged from the decadent sunken tub and was towelling herself dry when she heard the sound of voices. She took a deep breath, wrapped a towel turban-style around her hair and tightened the sash on the silk robe. Clearly she had not convinced the woman that she could cope alone.
She took a deep breath, realising she’d just have to be blunt. ‘Thank you, Mina, but I’m—’
The level of calm she’d achieved in the bath went flying out of the window. Mina was there, along with two other women, one of whom was folding items of clothing that were definitely not Abby’s into a tall chest of drawers, removing layers of tissue paper as she did so. The other was helping Mina fill a wardrobe with hanger-hung items which all had labels still attached.
This was all disturbing but it was a gnat bite to a mountain lion when compared with the disturbing presence of the man who was standing there supervising them!