Biko dropped the buckets of water and bent low to slide the balancing rod from his shoulders. “Muuuum,” he groaned dramatically. “I feel like I’ve been walking around with these buckets for days.” He rolled his eyes and tossed his hair over his shoulders. “It’s getting late, and you need your bath. Besides, I don’t think what we saw here was what you think we saw here.” He sidled between me and Syndrian and tossed a heavy arm over each of our shoulders.
Syndrian quickly composed his features and shook his head. “Indeed it was not,” he said. “I was counseling Lady Pali against the tournament in Kyruna.”
“Oof, your arm feels like a balancing rod, you brute.” I nudged my brother in the ribs, trying to keep the sharp disappointment out of my tone.
Biko dramatically lifted his brows and craned his neck to make a face at me. “Kyruna? That would be a thoroughly unadvisable mistake,” he said, imitating a formal accent like my father’s. I nudged him again, this time in the belly. “Sis,” he said, his face growing concerned. “Would you risk the travel and the sorts that frequent that place just for a game? Surely Mum and I are capable enough opponents.”
I flicked a glance at Idony, who looked truly grieved that she’d interrupted the moment I was sharing with Syndrian.
“No, of course not,” I said dismissively. “Syndrian provided excellent counsel against it.”
I slipped out from under Biko’s arm, pausing to dip my hand in the bucket of well water. I cupped a few drops and, curling my lips into a sly smile, splashed Biko square in the face. Far more than just a few drops of water flew at him. A generous handful of water nicely soaked Biko’s hair.
He coughed and sputtered dramatically, but that was just theatre.
“I’m sorry, brother,” I said, wiping droplets of water from his cheeks. “I didn’t realize you were so particular about your hairstyle!”
Biko gave me a rough hug, making certain to shake his wet curls all over my cloak. Syndrian turned away from us to add more wood to the fire.
“It’s late,” I said quietly once I pulled away from Biko, then strode toward the door. “I’d best return home.”
Biko cornered Syndrian, chattering loudly by the hearth. But the man whose hands had set my skin on fire watched me, his eyes unblinking and unusually dark. I gave him a prim smile, and an impersonal nod.
Idony laced an arm through mine. “You’ve missed your supper,” she said. “Would you like to stay? I can fix something for you. Biko will want a meal now that he’s home.”
I shook my head. “Thank you. I’ll take a plate in my room. I warned Norwin I would likely not return in time to eat with my parents.”
Worry creased the woman’s otherwise smooth forehead. “Are you going to be all right?” she asked, her voice low.
I nodded and gave her a hug. “Thank you for letting me speak privately with Syndrian. I’m sorry to have imposed.”
“This is your home, Pali. You’re family.” She looked both sad and apologetic as she helped me fasten my cloak over my hair. “You are never, ever in the way here. May the gods grant you peaceful rest tonight, love.”
I wished her the same but could not help looking back into the cottage as I walked out the door. My heart beat harder as I watched Syndrian joking with my brother, his intense stare never leaving my face. I nodded at him and blinked rapidly against the threat of tears. Maybe it was better this way. I’d pressed my luck tonight—too many times, in fact.
Perhaps it was better thatjust this oncewas never meant to be.
ChapterFive
The next day, I had to be far more creative to escape Norwin.
“Miss Lombard.” He had his middle finger stuck to an eyebrow and the most pained look on his face; I nearly felt sorry for him. But only nearly.
I walked down the stone stairs, my day dress rustling softly as I walked. “Good morning, Norwin. Or I suppose it’s afternoon now, isn’t it?”
I covered my mouth and feigned a yawn, doing everything I could to give the impression that I had absolutely nothing to do. The truth was, I was in a terrible rush. I’d sent one of my mother’s attendants to the crofter’s cottage early this morning with my backgammon board and pouch of checkers. I’d carefully concealed within a bit of rag inside the purse all the coins that I had. I told the girl that since I was intent on playing the next few nights before I became too deeply entangled in matters related to the engagement, I planned to leave my board and checkers with the crofter. If the girl thought my request unusual, she certainly did not speak up. I’d suspected she was relieved to be sent away from laundry duty for some time in the fresh air.
I met the butler in the main hall where he continued to pinch his brow as though the overgrown thing were causing him as much distress as looking at it caused me. “Norwin,” I asked, “what’s put that troubled look on your face?”
“Hmmmm,” he hummed through his nose. “Yes, well, I’m delighted to see you taking my concerns seriously, Miss Lombard. I am very much worried about the menu for your engagement celebration. You see, your father intends to take your future fiancé on a quail hunt, but…” He pinched a long strand of eyebrow hair between his knobby fingers while he puzzled over the issue. “I don’t see how I can be expected to prepare a menu featuring quail when we’re so close to the end of the season. I might ask the crofter to procure several birds at market—not, mind you, that I question Lord Lombard’s skills with the bow. But…”
“Norwin,” I interrupted, trying hard not to imagine braiding the overly long brow hairs together. Much as I would have liked to pat him on the shoulder or give him a friendly tap on the cheek, I simply wasn’t that strong a performer. Instead, I smiled and reminded him, “I have absolute faith in your decisions. As do my parents.”
He dropped the hand from his brow and looked like he didn’t know whether to bow or shake my hand. “Well, well, thank you, miss. In my many long years of service here—”
“I believe in you, Norwin!” I called and sauntered outside.
After leaving the manor, I forced myself to cross the grounds to the crofter’s cottage at an unhurried pace. The activity around the manor was typical for late afternoon. My mother was working with Guild Master Amynnda, a scrivener who had made a special trip to record some contract or other, as she did every few weeks. My father had again left early this morning for business outside the shire, so I decided this would be the perfect day to make another trip to Kyruna.