its warmth.
Almost dozing, she stirred at the sound of juices from the beef spitting and popping into the fire. Marek leaned forward, cut off a portion, and handed her a plate of meat and cheese along with a cup of wine. Reclining back on his saddle, he appeared relaxed, as if he hadn’t just fired her every sexual pulse point. She stuffed meat and cheese in her mouth not caring what he might think of her. Sexual attraction aside, she was starving.
“Why do you think we can understand each other’s language?” she asked as she chewed. “Augusta thinks it’s the gods.”
“Yes, the Gods,” Marek agreed confidently.
“I guess.” Janney wasn’t so sure. “A lot of our words come from Latin.”
“Your words are the same?”
“They’re not necessarily the same. I think most of our medical terms are in Latin. And plant names. If you look in a dictionary, a lot of words have a Latin source.”
Marek watched her intently.
“The Catholic Church used to hold services in Latin. I’ll bet there are some priests who could talk to you in your language.
You’ve certainly heard about Christianity even up here in Britannia, haven’t you?”
“Yes.” Marek sounded disdainful.
Janney bristled, “Don’t look like that, my friend.
Christianity went on to become the most powerful religion in the world. Your gods and goddesses are just interesting stories now. I mean in my time.”
“Janney Forrester! Don’t say things like that out loud.”
Marek actually glanced around him in alarm. “They’ll hear you.”
“What can they do to me? Marek, are you still saying they interfere in people’s lives? They did this? Brought me here?
Why?”
“Brought you here to me.”
Her heart warmed at his possessiveness. “You mean like a dating service?” She laughed at her own silliness. It must be nerves and exhaustion.
“What is a dating service?”
“Someone who brings lonely, single people together.”
“Oh, a matchmaker.”
“Yes.”
“Are you lonely, Janney?” his voice suddenly soft.
Was I? Am I? Janney closed her eyes against her memories.
She’d been with Ed for a long time and had still been lonely most of the time, if she was honest with herself. Now, she was as alone as anyone could be.
“No. Certainly not.” Of course, she was lying. Marek remained silent, his gaze never leaving her face. She didn’t know why he didn’t pursue the subject, but figured like most men, he didn’t care about a woman’s personal life. Thank goodness, because she wasn’t going to tell him what a failure she’d been with Ed. Or about the death of her father and what a hole that left in her life.
What did he want from her? He was trying every way to seduce her. Or was she imagining it because she wanted him to seduce her?
He was not really talking about himself. It had to be as hard for him to make sense of this time travel thing as it was for her.
Janney smiled. She felt a sudden protectiveness for the man.
After all, she had the advantage of twenty centuries of science and technology, of inventions, of horrendous and miraculous happenings. In some respects, maybe it was easier for her to accept the unexplainable.
Janney decided to start over at the basics. “How old are you?” It was impossible to guess. She knew the life expectancy in ancient times was much less than in her time. The texture of his skin told tales of long years outside.
“I’ve lived thirty-eight years.” Marek leaned forward and stirred the fire higher. “How old are you?”
“I’m thirty-four.”
He took a bite of his food and continued. “I was twenty years of age when I was posted to the land of the Picts. I patrolled the wall built by the Emperor Antoninus Pius.”
“The country is called Scotland now, and parts of the Antonine Wall are still standing. Hadrian’s Wall, also.” This was the most interesting, and handsome history teacher she’d ever had. And the food was great, too.
Janney
Almost dozing, she stirred at the sound of juices from the beef spitting and popping into the fire. Marek leaned forward, cut off a portion, and handed her a plate of meat and cheese along with a cup of wine. Reclining back on his saddle, he appeared relaxed, as if he hadn’t just fired her every sexual pulse point. She stuffed meat and cheese in her mouth not caring what he might think of her. Sexual attraction aside, she was starving.
“Why do you think we can understand each other’s language?” she asked as she chewed. “Augusta thinks it’s the gods.”
“Yes, the Gods,” Marek agreed confidently.
“I guess.” Janney wasn’t so sure. “A lot of our words come from Latin.”
“Your words are the same?”
“They’re not necessarily the same. I think most of our medical terms are in Latin. And plant names. If you look in a dictionary, a lot of words have a Latin source.”
Marek watched her intently.
“The Catholic Church used to hold services in Latin. I’ll bet there are some priests who could talk to you in your language.
You’ve certainly heard about Christianity even up here in Britannia, haven’t you?”
“Yes.” Marek sounded disdainful.
Janney bristled, “Don’t look like that, my friend.
Christianity went on to become the most powerful religion in the world. Your gods and goddesses are just interesting stories now. I mean in my time.”
“Janney Forrester! Don’t say things like that out loud.”
Marek actually glanced around him in alarm. “They’ll hear you.”
“What can they do to me? Marek, are you still saying they interfere in people’s lives? They did this? Brought me here?
Why?”
“Brought you here to me.”
Her heart warmed at his possessiveness. “You mean like a dating service?” She laughed at her own silliness. It must be nerves and exhaustion.
“What is a dating service?”
“Someone who brings lonely, single people together.”
“Oh, a matchmaker.”
“Yes.”
“Are you lonely, Janney?” his voice suddenly soft.
Was I? Am I? Janney closed her eyes against her memories.
She’d been with Ed for a long time and had still been lonely most of the time, if she was honest with herself. Now, she was as alone as anyone could be.
“No. Certainly not.” Of course, she was lying. Marek remained silent, his gaze never leaving her face. She didn’t know why he didn’t pursue the subject, but figured like most men, he didn’t care about a woman’s personal life. Thank goodness, because she wasn’t going to tell him what a failure she’d been with Ed. Or about the death of her father and what a hole that left in her life.
What did he want from her? He was trying every way to seduce her. Or was she imagining it because she wanted him to seduce her?
He was not really talking about himself. It had to be as hard for him to make sense of this time travel thing as it was for her.
Janney smiled. She felt a sudden protectiveness for the man.
After all, she had the advantage of twenty centuries of science and technology, of inventions, of horrendous and miraculous happenings. In some respects, maybe it was easier for her to accept the unexplainable.
Janney decided to start over at the basics. “How old are you?” It was impossible to guess. She knew the life expectancy in ancient times was much less than in her time. The texture of his skin told tales of long years outside.
“I’ve lived thirty-eight years.” Marek leaned forward and stirred the fire higher. “How old are you?”
“I’m thirty-four.”
He took a bite of his food and continued. “I was twenty years of age when I was posted to the land of the Picts. I patrolled the wall built by the Emperor Antoninus Pius.”
“The country is called Scotland now, and parts of the Antonine Wall are still standing. Hadrian’s Wall, also.” This was the most interesting, and handsome history teacher she’d ever had. And the food was great, too.
Janney
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