Before the Fire by Jaid Black

Author:Jaid Black [Black, Jaid]
Language: nld
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Paranormal
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Published: 2001-04-21T22:00:00+00:00

* * * * *

“You shall truly like her, Mother Julia.” Kane held up the lady’s gown the dowager countess has scrounged up for Melea and smiled at it. It was a beautiful color of emerald with lovely embroidery work stitched into the bodice. “And since she is a full-time Warrior Woman, she is far more practiced at her craft than I. She will make us both an excellent sparring partner.”

Lady Julia clapped her hands together and beamed a brilliant smiled toward her daughter-in-law. “Excellent!” She then considered the gentlemen’s reactions when she and Kane had been caught sparring earlier today and her smiled wavered. “Though I do hope my lord son—not to mention Chester and Alex—don’t think badly upon my person for continuing to engage in our sport.”

“Nonsense!” Kane spat out. “And if they do, I shall have a very long talk with all three of them.” She placed the lady’s gown on what was to be Melea’s bed, then drew her fists indignantly to her hips. “You do realize, Mother Julia, that we could have come to a bad end that day in the alley had it not been for my skill?”

“Of course I realize it!”

“Then we shall make the gentlemen realize it as well.” Kane shook her finger at the dowager as if scolding her. “Don’t even think of backing down now. There is nothing shameful about your skill! I can’t be there to watch you always and I…” She sighed, her finger dropping as her shoulders slumped. “By the power of the goddesses, I couldn’t bear it if anything bad happened to you.” She looked away, unable to retain eye contact. “You’re the only mother I’ve ever known,” she whispered.

“Oh Kane, darling,” Lady Julia crooned, touched by her daughter-in-law’s words more than she could say. She reached out and swept a lock of her golden tresses from her forehead and smiled. “I love you too.”

Kane’s head shot up to meet the dowager countess’s gaze. She nodded, knowing it wasn’t necessary to say more. She took Lady Julia’s hand and squeezed it. “Thank-you,” she breathed out.

“No dearest,” the dowager insisted, “thank you.”

Neither of the women were the types to cry, so they both broke into peels of laughter instead. “Oh dear,” Lady Julia quipped. “We were dreadfully close to hosting a sinful display of tears!”

Kane giggled. “By Mercury’s noxious gases, I would be ashamed of that!”

They laughed again.

A minute later, Lady Julia bent over and reached into the valise a servant had brought into the bedchamber. She picked up another gown that would be given to Melea, holding it up for Kane’s inspection. “What think you of this one?”

Kane nodded her appreciation, her eyes gleaming. “She’ll love it. Red is her favorite color.”

“Excellent.” Lady Julia placed the gown on the bed beside the one Kane had set there a few minutes past. She reached into the valise again and drew out another. Laughing, she held it up for Kane to see.

Kane raised an eyebrow, not understanding the humor in the situation.

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