Page 53 of The Iron Dagger
He could see her ready to chastise him on his poor choices as a host, but her protests stopped short.
“Oh yes, well that room is quite splendid.” She took another sip of tea and eyed him shrewdly. “You must think very highly of her, indeed.”
“I do,” he said, and he quickly spoke up as he saw the knowing smile curl her lips. “I am deeply indebted to her, and I have offered her a position here at court.”
“Naturally,” said his mother. “What other adventures have you had? You were gone for an obscenely long time, my love.”
By the time he had satisfied his mother’s need for conversation, the sun was high, and he was relieved to finally be able to go to his rooms and change into something resembling a lord.
The dark hair wasn’t so bad, he thought as he made final adjustments in his gilded looking glass.
After he spent several minutes brushing a lock of hair to fall just so over his brow, he realized what he was doing and strode purposefully from the room. It wasn’t as though he wished Hara to notice that he looked considerably more dashing in fresh clothing and a shave. Even if he did.
When he arrived at Hara’s door, he gave a soft knock.
“Yes?” he heard her muffled voice respond.
“It’s me,” he said.
The door swung open, and Gideon’s breath caught at the sight of her. She wore a dressing robe over her witch hunter disguise, but it was left open at the front. Her black leather trousers left little to the imagination as they clung tightly across her thighs.
Gods above. Those wool skirts had been hiding such glorious wanking fodder.
Somehow, he found the willpower to snap his eyes away.
“My apologies for keeping you waiting this morning without word. I was accosted by some Norwen lawmen, and then I was waylaid by my mother’s summons,” he said as he entered the room.
A short maid was laying out some covered dishes on the table by the window. She looked up at his entrance and clattered the teacup setup, blushing furiously. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence for women to lose their wits around him, but that wasn’t what bothered him. It wouldn’t do to have gossipy little maids telling everyone that he was visiting Hara in private.
With a quick-mumbled apology, she dipped a curtsy and fled from the room, shooting Hara an embarrassed grin before she closed the door. He frowned. He would have to task Tobin to find out the maid’s name and keep watch over her. Every servant in his father’s household should be expected to spy for him.
“Are you aware of the effect you have on women?” asked Hara as she sat at her table. “You do tend to fluster them so.”
“That’s not fair,” said Gideon. “I fluster the men, too.”
Hara gestured to the table, inviting him to sit. “I can ask for more.”
“No need,” he said, going to the table and taking one of the seats. “I don’t want anyone in the kitchens gossiping about how we are dining in private together. It will be sure to get back to my mother, and I don’t want her to get any more encouragement.” Not to mention his father.
“What do you mean?” said Hara.
“I spent the morning singing your praises, and now she wants to hold a homecoming celebration with you as the guest of honor. She’s absurdly taken with you.”
“Oh,” said Hara with mild surprise. “I wouldn’t think she would . . . well, that is very kind of her, but I didn’t bring anything that would be suitable for a ball. Do you know where I can find a gown?”
“I would not take the treat of gown shopping with you away from her,” he said, watching as she began to eat the pale parsnip soup and roast game hen that had been hidden under silver covers. A thought occurred to him. “I suppose the silver doesn’t bother you, but the kitchen staff do not know that. They should not have been so careless.”
“It doesn’t matter. As you said, it’s not a bother.”
“It does matter. As my guest, you should be treated as they would treat me, with every comfort in mind.”
“I doubt they have any other plateware, Gideon,” she said. “My chambermaid said they don’t entertain sorcerers in this area of the palace.”
Gideon frowned. She was probably right, but he had never thought of it before.
“What did the lawmen want?” asked Hara.
“Recompense for robbing that shopkeeper.”
