Page 46 of Christmas at Castle Dunrannoch
The bothy itself was damp and earthy, the floor being no more than compacted soil. The single room contained a truckle bed, a table and chair, a cast iron woodburner, and some shelves—mostly empty. It was hardly warmer inside than it had been out, but there was a stack of fuel at any rate—not coal but peat, sliced in thick, dark bricks and stacked dry in the corner. Someone had left a tinderbox and a few sticks of kindling.
Rye bent to the task, placing the wood in a pyramid and coaxing a flame before resting a block of peat on either side.
“Come on, closer.” While she unpinned her hat, he drew up the chair for her, right by the fire, then stripped the blanket off the bed. “This’ll be better than your damp coat.”
Nodding, Ursula fumbled with the buttons, laying it over the table.
She stood in her travelling skirt, shirtwaist and long cardigan, letting him place the blanket round her shoulders, all the while trying not to think about who might last have used it.
Did the cold kill fleas?
She hoped so.
With the flames rising, he pushed-to the iron door, then made an examination of the room. There were no more blankets and nothing at all to eat or drink, though there was a pan to cook with, and two earthenware cups.
“I’ll collect some snow.” He indicated the old pan. “Don’t s’pose you’ve a few coffee beans in those bags o’ yours?” The side of his mouth curled upwards.
She managed a small smile in return. “There’s some Rowland’s powder.”
“Hot water and tooth powder—sounds delicious.” He pulled a face.
While he was gone, she drew the chair closer to the burner and unlaced her boots. Her feet were soaked through. Dare she take off her stockings? She’d more chance of getting them dry if she lay them over something.
She was about to wriggle her second foot free of its worsted when Rye returned.
“Whoa there. I turn my back for a few seconds and you’re gettin’ bare! Least let me be here while all the excitement’s happenin’.” He gave her a wink.
“I was just—I really wasn’t—” She looked down at her feet: one pale and the other damp in its soggy casing. “I’m being sensible,” she said at last, yanking off the other foot of her stockings and tugging down her hem to cover her toes.
“Sure thing.” Rye set the pan on the stovetop then scooped up the cast off underthings. “Like a rattler shedding its skin, huh?” He grinned, draping them over either side of the stove.
Best not to encourage him,Ursula decided.He’s really becoming altogether too familiar.
In proof of point, having removed his coat and boots, he rolled down his own socks and lay them alongside her things. He gave her a sideways glance and another quirk of his mouth, clearly aware of her watching.
Untying the kerchief at his neck, he used it to wipe his face, but kept on his hat, merely tipping it back a few inches.
He threw another brick of peat into the burner then sat, at last, on the floor, since Ursula was occupying the only chair. One leg he stretched towards the warmth while the other he crooked at the knee, resting his elbow on top.
He was in his shirt sleeves, the fabric tight across his shoulders and arms. His trousers, too, fitted close through the hip and thigh. Where he’d removed the kerchief, the upper two buttons of his shirt were open, revealing tufts of dark hair.
Don’t look.He’ll only get the wrong idea.
But Ursula couldn’t help herself.
She’d seen Eustace’s chest only once since he’d come of the age where men grew hair. His, she was sure, couldn’t have such a covering. Besides which, Eustace was blond and didn’t even have a proper moustache yet.
Rye’s stubble looked like it would turn into a beard if he ignored it for a few days.
“A strange place to be, isn’t it, on the moor?” She bit her lip. As an opening gambit, it wasn’t the friendliest conversation starter. “I mean, are you visiting someone? For the festive season?”
That was better.
“Yup.” Rye gave a slow nod. “S’pose you could say that.”
“Won’t they be worried about you?”
“Maybe, but they told me about this place when I was saddling up. Said I was to shelter here if the weather came in.”
