Savage Splendor (Savage Lagonda 2) by Constance O'Banyon

the wide fireplace. There were two small cots, a wooden table and four chairs, and along the wall was a small cupboard and a wooden stand that was stacked with dirty dishes and pots. A huge iron pot hung from a hook over the fireplace, and, from the odor that pervaded the room, she could tell the pot contained spoiled, leftover food. Mara stepped away from the pot so she could put some distance between herself and the offensive smell.
    "It ain't much to look at, princess," Jake told her, looking about him with his hands resting on his hips.
    Mara tried to find something positive to reply and she searched the room. "It has nice wood floors, Jake."
    She saw the windows were shuttered and walked over to unlatch them. Pushing the shutters wide she breathed in the fresh air.
    Zeke entered and placed the animal pelts down in a corner that was already piled high with pelts. "You are to make yourself to home, little lady. It ain't fancy, but me and Jake call it home."
    Mara placed her hands on her hips and turned around in a circle. "What it needs is a woman's touch."
    "There ain't never been a woman inside this cabin," Jake told her as he unhooked the pot containing the offensive odor and carried it out the door.
    Mara eyed the two cots and wondered where she would be sleeping.
    Zeke seemed to read her mind and nodded at the wooden ladder that led up to the loft. "We can make you comfortable up there. With a little fixing up, it won't be too bad, I reckon."
    Mara nodded her head, and then scanned the room, not knowing where to start cleaning first. There was so much to do before the cabin would be clean enough for human habitation, she thought. She did not say this to Zeke, however, not wanting to hurt his feelings. It was too late in the day for her to get much accomplished. If she could only clean the cooking area it would help some, she thought.
    "Zeke, would you bring me some water?" she asked, eyeing the pile of dirty dishes.
    "You want it for drinking or bathing?"
    "I want it for washing dishes," she said as she stacked the dishes together.
    By now Jake had returned and both brothers looked about the cabin, as if seeing it for the first time, observing it as it must appear to a fine lady.
    "Guess it could do with a bit of sprucing up," Zeke said.
    "It won't hurt it none to have a good cleaning," Jake spoke up. "Zeke, do you recollect if we ever had a broom?"
    "Nope, I don't think so. Never needed one before."
    Mara smiled to herself. Already the two brothers were becoming important to her. They spoke in soft tones, and she could read kindness and concern in their eyes. She could not imagine either of them ever raising his voice in anger. "Zeke, the water," she reminded him.
    The light was beginning to fade when Mara finished washing the stack of dirty dishes. Zeke had disappeared up the ladder to the loft where Mara was to sleep, and Jake had broken a small branch of a tree and was trying to sweep the floor with it.
    Mara looked at him fondly, thinking that he was stirring up more dust then he would ever sweep out the door with the branch. Opening the door to the lower cupboard, she saw that it was well stocked with a large tin of lard, flour, cornmeal, coffee and sugar. Evidently the brothers liked to eat well when they were in residence, she thought.
    She was not aware that Zeke had come up behind her until he spoke. "If you are too tired to cook, I will do it," he volunteered.
    She looked at him, total confusion written on her face. "I do not think I know how to prepare food. If I did, I have forgotten."
    Zeke picked up her hands and turned them over. He noticed they were delicate and well shaped, soft hands that had never labored. "There ain't no callouses on these hands," he said.
    Jake leaned his makeshift broom against the wall and came over to stand beside his brother. He took Mara's hand and inspected it. "You ain't never done no hard work, but that don't surprise me none. I knew when I first heard your voice that you