Page 292 of Historical Hotties
“Well?” he said. “Where is it?”
Jane’s wide eyes grew wider. “Here!” she said, sticking it out again. “Don’t you see it?”
Darius pretended to suddenly see her tongue as she pointed to it. “Now I do,” he said. “’Tis a great relief. I thought it was missing and would not return.”
Jane frowned. “That is silly,” she said. “Tongues do not magically disappear.”
“Yours does,” Darius said, a twinkle in his eye as he turned back to the half-finished chicken bed, which was really no morethan a square frame of wood at this point. “Let us continue our conversation about the great cities of England. One of my favorite cities is York. It has an enormous cathedral that is quite elaborate. God must be very pleased that the English have built such a great house for Him.”
He held out a hand for a nail, and Jane handed it to him, but she was trying to envision the church he had mentioned.
“Is it made of gold?” she asked.
Darius shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “Only stone. Gold is very soft and would collapse under its own weight. Stone is better. I think God prefers stone.”
“Why?”
“Because it is strong, like He is.”
That fascinated Jane. As she pondered the great stone walls of York’s cathedral, Nicola caught Darius’ attention and silently motioned for him to send Jane away. Darius finished nailing the leg of the chicken bed before complying.
“I need more nails,” he said. “Lady Jane, will you fetch more nails? They are over in the smithy shack.”
Jane looked indecisive. “But how will I know which nails you want?”
“Bring me a handful. I will pick the ones I want.”
Quickly, she dashed off. Darius was practically the only one she did anything for, so she was diligent about it. As she rushed away, he turned to Nicola.
“You have very little time before she returns,” he said. “She is very fast.”
Nicola cocked an eyebrow. “Should I be jealous?” she said. “It is clear that she thinks the world of you, though I cannot imagine why she thinks you are so wonderful.”
She said it dramatically and he knew she was jesting. In all the years he’d known Nicola, he’d never known her to be the jealous type, and most especially not with a child.
“That is because Iamwonderful,” he said, pointing the hammer at her. “You would do well to remember that.”
“I remember it every day, my sweet.”
He chuckled, returning his attention to the bed. “What did you want to say now that she is gone?”
Nicola’s smile faded. “Try to convince her to return to her lessons,” she said quietly. “She and Callie had words earlier because Jane was being very difficult, so can you please speak with her? You seem to be the only one she listens to.”
He inspected the leg he had just nailed down. “I will try,” he said. “She is a very confused young lady.”
“I know. But allowing her to remain in this state does her no good. We must help her.”
“I will do what I can,” he said. “Provided you promise me something.”
“What?”
He eyed her. “That you will meet me here after supper,” he said. “I’ve not held you in my arms for an entire day.”
She grinned. “Do they ache?”
“For you, they do.”
She was about to comment when Jane suddenly reappeared, her hands full of iron nails. “Here,” she said, carefully putting them on the table he was using. “Are these good?”
