Lion's Bride - Iris Johansen [23]
“You’re always so inhospitable.” Kadar followed him toward the steps. “But I forgive you this time. You’re clearly exhausted from picking all those heavy mulberry leaves.”
Ware took off his helmet and faced Kadar. “I shouldn’t have let you stay this long. It’s time for you to go.”
He looked tired, Thea thought. He still held himself with rigid straightness, but deep lines engraved either side of his mouth and fanned out from his eyes, which held a strange hollowness. It was as if the weariness had passed from his body into his soul.
She said impulsively, “You need a bath and a night’s rest.” She jumped to her feet, snatched up her basket, and hurried toward him. “I’ll go tell Jasmine to have water heated.” She turned to Kadar. “Take him to his chamber and get him out of that armor.”
“Kadar doesn’t need to take me anywhere.”
“Nonsense. You look as if you’re going to fall down at any minute.” She glanced at his neck and shook her head. “And your muscles are knotted and twisted. I can help with easing that pain.”
“I have no pain.”
She snorted derisively. “Help him with his armor, Kadar. I have no patience with lies.” She moved past him into the castle and encountered Jasmine coming down the steps. “Hot water for Lord Ware.”
Jasmine gave her a cool glance. “I gave the command when I saw him ride into the courtyard. You don’t have to tell me my duty. I know how to care for my lord. I’ll send for Tasza to attend him.”
“I will attend him.”
“I will send for Tasza,” she repeated.
“No.” She tried to hold on to her temper. “He’s done me a service this day and I’ll be the one to ease him.” As she met Jasmine’s stony expression, her irritation flared. “I’ve no desire to take Tasza’s place in your master’s bed. I merely wish to make him comfortable.”
Jasmine studied her for a moment, and then the faintest smile touched her lips. “Are you a virgin that you don’t know that the best way to make a man comfortable is to rid him of lust?” Then her eyes widened as she read Thea’s expression. “Truly? Your manner was so bold, I thought—” She frowned. “Why did you not tell me? I have better things to do than worry about a threat that doesn’t exist. Tasza need not be concerned about a woman who has no skills.”
Thea stared at her in indignation. “I should not have to tell every passerby on the streets that I’ve never had a man.”
“You should have told this passerby…if you wished a comfortable stay here.” Jasmine proceeded down the stairs. “You may tend my lord. Perhaps you should even couple with him. Once your veil is broken, he will lose interest and Tasza’s skills will shine in contrast.”
“How many times must I tell you? I don’t wish to couple with him.”
“My lord’s chamber is two doors from your own. I will have Omar bring the water. You will find unguents and salves in the chest in the corridor.”
Thea stared after her in helpless exasperation. She felt as if she had tried to stop the flow of a river by standing in its path. Jasmine’s sudden reversal in attitude was just as bewildering as everything else at Dundragon.
Well, at least Jasmine would not hinder her today. Heaven knew if she would change her mind again tomorrow. Thea turned and ran up the steps to find the unguents.
Ware was already in the tub when Thea came into his chamber. His eyes were closed and his head was resting on the high back of the tub.
Kadar, sitting cross-legged on the hearth across the room, smiled at her. “Caution. His temper is not good. If you don’t please him, he’ll probably drown you.”
“I’ve never seen him when his temper was good.” She came brusquely forward, set the salves and unguents on the floor, and moved a stool beside the tub. “So I’ve nothing with which to compare.” She tossed a handful of sweet-smelling leaves into the water. “But at least he will have a pleasant scent.”
“Go away,” Ware said, without opening his eyes. “I have servants aplenty to bathe me.”
“You may bathe yourself. That’s not why I’m here.” She sat down on the stool