Page 48 of The Mountain King
Chapter Sixteen
Maddugh watched, arms folded, as he leaned on the door. “Does it meet with your approval?”
She glanced at him, at the open amusement on his face. “For a man who has a staff to clean up after him, you’re rather blasé about the accommodations.”
He crossed the room and took a seat in the only chair, stretching out his legs. “Ah, but I am not human, mistress. I am used to sleeping in the earth among the bugs and creeping crawling things.”
Kailigh stilled. For a moment, his eyes flared gold, the pupils narrowing to slits, then they were normal again.
“I see,” she said, and sat on the edge of the bed, marginally satisfied. She’d slept in worse places in her life than a brothel. “Well, for what it’s worth, I’ve seen inside the kitchen before, and the chef keeps her domain impeccable.”
“See? Nothing to worry about. Why don’t you come here?”
She glanced at him, wary. His lids covered his eyes and his fingers were laced on his stomach. He looked sleepy, lazy. She knew it was a lie.
“You just stay over there,” she said. “Dinner should be—ah, there we go.”
She rose at the knock on the door, and crossed the room to open it. A cheerful server stood with a small wheeled cart.
“Dinner, mistress.”
Kailigh stepped aside and the young woman entered, proceeding to lower a tabletop from the wall near Maddugh, unfolding its single leg and securing it to the floor. Kailigh blinked. Ingenious.
“There’s a second chair in the closet, mistress.”
She opened the indicated door and pulled out a folding chair and a moment later, the attendant left. Kailigh sat, and observed the dishes. A casserole dish with chunks of roast swimming in its own gravy, thick-cut root vegetables nestled in the sauce. A platter of steaming cornbread and side dish of butter. A dish of greens drizzled with vinaigrette and another plate with two generous slices of caramel butter cake. There was a pitcher of lemon water, and the wine Maddugh had ordered as well.
She gestured to the food, indicating he might serve himself first. Maddugh shook his head, waiting in silence as Kailigh helped herself. He chose his own bits and Kai turned her attention to her plate.
“What will be your next move, Kailigh?” the Lord asked.
She glanced at him. He hadn’t touched his food, but continued to watch her. “I have some information I’ll follow up on.” Thunder cracked outside and she grimaced. “Evidently not tonight. The establishment wouldn’t take kindly to me tracking mud on the floors.”
“What shall we do to pass the time, then?”
Kai didn’t like the relaxed tone of his voice, or the now fully lidded eyes, as if he were hiding his slitted pupils.
“I understand meditation is good for one’s soul.”
White teeth flashed, a little pointier than she recalled seeing before. “I’m sure. Tell me, why are you unmarried?”
Kai put her fork down, sipped on her wine. “My husband was a lazy lout and I had no desire to repeat the experience?”
His brow rose. “Why did you choose him then?”
“He was pretty.”
Maddugh’s eyes opened. “Is that all it takes to win your hand? A pretty face?”
Kai snorted. “I was twenty.”
“And since then? You raised children on your own under… trying circumstances. A husband would have been a help.”
“Maybe. Likely not. The pickings around here tend to be all of the same type.” And she had no desire to start over in a different settlement, or try her hand at applying for admittance to one of the cities. She didn’t have the temperament for that kind of lifestyle, anyway.
“So, here you are, a woman with Dwyrkin blood, unwed, and a proven child bearer.”
Kailigh frowned at him. “I don’t need any more children.”
