Lion's Bride - Iris Johansen [10]
No matter. She had other things to worry about. She must leave here and find a place for herself. She could do this by herself, but it would be difficult.
Kadar. He was a strange, quicksilver man, but he had been kind and appeared to wield some power over Lord Ware. Perhaps he could be persuaded to help her when she gained enough strength to leave Dundragon. “I’d like to speak to Kadar ben Arnaud,” she called to Jasmine as the servant opened the door. “Will you tell him to come to me?”
Jasmine stepped aside to make way for a small man in a djellaba and turban who bore a half tub. She smiled at Thea. “Certainly. As I said, I’m here only to serve.”
Kadar stopped short, his gaze fixed on her naked breasts and widening in shock. “Dear God, I didn’t mean—I’m sorry. Jasmine told me to go right in.”
Thea quickly covered her breasts with her arms and scrunched down as far as she could in the half tub. Every inch of her body felt on fire with embarrassment.
Jasmine came forward and said without expression, “You said you wanted to see him.”
“Not now.” Her voice was strangled. “You know I didn’t mean—” She stopped as anger banished shame. Of course Jasmine had known what she had meant, but she had wanted to make Thea uncomfortable. “Turn your back, Kadar.”
Kadar quickly presented her with his back.
Thea glared at Jasmine. “And you get me something to cover myself.”
“I’ve not put the balm on your face yet.”
She spaced her next words with precision. “Get me a cover!”
Jasmine shrugged, then jerked the gauze cover from the bed and moved to stand beside the tub. She silently draped it around Thea, who stepped out of the tub. Thank heaven, the cloth was not oversheer and large enough to completely envelop her from feet to shoulders, past which hung freshly washed hair.
“Now leave us,” she said to Jasmine.
Jasmine shook her head. “It is not proper. He is a man.”
“Not just any man,” Kadar murmured. “Kadar, the wise, the honorable, the magnificent.”
Jasmine ignored him. “Lord Ware brought you here; therefore, you are his property. I’ll not have him shamed by leaving you without a woman present.”
“Leave us!” Thea could not believe her. Jasmine had deliberately brought Kadar to her when she was naked, and now Jasmine was giving her this outrageous argument?
For a moment Thea thought the servant would hold her ground. Then Jasmine turned and glided toward the door. “I warn you, I must inform Lord Ware of this trespass.”
“Any trespass was yours. Get out!”
Jasmine gave her another cool glance before she left the chamber.
“You can turn around,” Thea told Kadar as the door closed behind the older woman.
Kadar sighed when he saw the blanket wrapped around her. “It’s a hot day and you look very warm. Are you sure you don’t wish to shed that cumbersome wrapping?” Then as he saw color flood Thea’s cheeks, he said gently, “I was but joking. You are very lovely, but I am no threat to you. What did you do to so irritate Jasmine?”
“Nothing.” Thea’s hand nervously opened and closed on the edge of the cover. “She doesn’t like me.”
“Jasmine has had a difficult life and likes few people. But she doesn’t try to hurt them as she did you.”
“I did nothing.” The embarrassment and rage had taken their toll. Her knees were trembling, and she sank down on the stool beside the tub. “She’s just a cruel woman. It makes no sense.”
Kadar studied her and then said slowly, “Perhaps it does make sense.”
She shook her head, then drew a deep breath. She had not asked him there to rail against Jasmine. “You were very kind to me last night. The reason I asked Jasmine to—”
“It was Ware who saw you and made the decision to go help you.” His gaze went to the basket beside the bed. “Worms? Were you joking?”
She impatiently shook her head. “I will tell you of that later. As I said, I wished to ask you to help me a little more. I must leave this place and go to Damascus.”
“You’re not well yet.”
“In a few days I will be. I’m very strong.”
“When that time comes, we will talk to Ware about it. No one enters or leaves