allowed things to slide. I have informed Nyria to
call in the plantation women and they will begin giving the place a thorough cleaning
this afternoon.”
“It is so dark in the rooms,” she said, and winced at the remark. She eased her hand
from his. She couldn’t think straight with him touching her.
56
Shades of the Wind
“Yes well, that too will be remedied. Open all the drapes if you are of a mind to,” he
said. “Of necessity, my work is done mostly at night and I tend to sleep through the
daylight hours but hopefully now that you are here to help me with my work, things
can get back to a more manageable schedule.”
She was looking into his handsome face and feeling the effect of it on her womanly
parts. “Thank you, Your—”
“Khenty,” he said firmly.
“Khenty,” she repeated. She felt as though she were falling into his eyes and had to
look away.
He smiled—very slowly—and the warmth of his smile settled deep in her belly
where it stirred her womb and sent a wave of heat between her legs. She squirmed
beneath his sultry look.
“Have a good day, milady,” he said, getting up from the bed. The white of his
kameez was striking against his dark skin and the trousers fit his lean flanks as though
he had been poured into them. As he moved away from her bed, she became aware that
he was barefoot, and for some reason that made heat pool once more in her loins.
And then he was gone—taking the warmth of the morning with him. She was still
staring at the door when Olabishi came to stand at the entrance of her room, her hands
clasped together at her waist.
“How are you?” Catherine signed.
Olabishi replied she was well and to her companion’s query of how she had slept,
the diminutive woman answered she had slept soundly. “May I have a moment of your
time?” Ola signed.
“Yes.”
Coming into Catherine’s room, Ola did not close the door but walked to the bed
and stood there for a moment as though gathering her thoughts.
“Is something wrong?” Catherine asked.
Olabishi lifted her chin. “Lord Bahru is sending me back to Asaraba with Mr.
Beasely,” Ola replied with her hands. “I am to leave later this afternoon.”
“Why?” Catherine asked, her eyes full of concern.
“Lord Bahru says my services are no longer needed and that I am a burden to him.”
Catherine’s mouth tightened. “Well, we’ll see about that!” she promised, and tried
to rise only to find she was still dizzy. She lay back down, flinging out a hand in
frustration. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Olabishi placed a hand to her companion’s forehead and frowned. “You have a
slight fever,” she signed.
“Nyria said the same thing,” Catherine told her. She touched her neck. “I believe
something bit me in the night.”
57
Charlotte Boyett-Compo
Olabishi’s eyes widened and she took a step back from the bed. She signed, “I will
seek out the master and—”
“He was here earlier,” Catherine interrupted her. “He says I have a touch of
something or other and that it will pass in a short while.”
Ola nodded then cast her eyes downward. She stood there for a moment then
looked up, her hands moving quickly as she spoke.
“I wish to go home, milady. Please do not speak with Lord Bahru. I do not like it
here.”
Catherine’s brows drew together. “Has someone made you feel this way, Ola?” she
asked.
The small woman shook her head then signed that she wanted to be among her
people in a land she knew. She had performed her duty to Catherine by escorting her to
this land and now she was ready to go back to her people.
Sighing deeply for she had grown very fond of Ola, Catherine assured the woman
she would not interfere if it was Ola’s wish to return to Rysalia. “I will miss you
though,” she added.
Ola’s smile was hesitant then seemed sad. She bowed slightly then turned away.
She quietly left the room, closing the door gently behind
call in the plantation women and they will begin giving the place a thorough cleaning
this afternoon.”
“It is so dark in the rooms,” she said, and winced at the remark. She eased her hand
from his. She couldn’t think straight with him touching her.
56
Shades of the Wind
“Yes well, that too will be remedied. Open all the drapes if you are of a mind to,” he
said. “Of necessity, my work is done mostly at night and I tend to sleep through the
daylight hours but hopefully now that you are here to help me with my work, things
can get back to a more manageable schedule.”
She was looking into his handsome face and feeling the effect of it on her womanly
parts. “Thank you, Your—”
“Khenty,” he said firmly.
“Khenty,” she repeated. She felt as though she were falling into his eyes and had to
look away.
He smiled—very slowly—and the warmth of his smile settled deep in her belly
where it stirred her womb and sent a wave of heat between her legs. She squirmed
beneath his sultry look.
“Have a good day, milady,” he said, getting up from the bed. The white of his
kameez was striking against his dark skin and the trousers fit his lean flanks as though
he had been poured into them. As he moved away from her bed, she became aware that
he was barefoot, and for some reason that made heat pool once more in her loins.
And then he was gone—taking the warmth of the morning with him. She was still
staring at the door when Olabishi came to stand at the entrance of her room, her hands
clasped together at her waist.
“How are you?” Catherine signed.
Olabishi replied she was well and to her companion’s query of how she had slept,
the diminutive woman answered she had slept soundly. “May I have a moment of your
time?” Ola signed.
“Yes.”
Coming into Catherine’s room, Ola did not close the door but walked to the bed
and stood there for a moment as though gathering her thoughts.
“Is something wrong?” Catherine asked.
Olabishi lifted her chin. “Lord Bahru is sending me back to Asaraba with Mr.
Beasely,” Ola replied with her hands. “I am to leave later this afternoon.”
“Why?” Catherine asked, her eyes full of concern.
“Lord Bahru says my services are no longer needed and that I am a burden to him.”
Catherine’s mouth tightened. “Well, we’ll see about that!” she promised, and tried
to rise only to find she was still dizzy. She lay back down, flinging out a hand in
frustration. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Olabishi placed a hand to her companion’s forehead and frowned. “You have a
slight fever,” she signed.
“Nyria said the same thing,” Catherine told her. She touched her neck. “I believe
something bit me in the night.”
57
Charlotte Boyett-Compo
Olabishi’s eyes widened and she took a step back from the bed. She signed, “I will
seek out the master and—”
“He was here earlier,” Catherine interrupted her. “He says I have a touch of
something or other and that it will pass in a short while.”
Ola nodded then cast her eyes downward. She stood there for a moment then
looked up, her hands moving quickly as she spoke.
“I wish to go home, milady. Please do not speak with Lord Bahru. I do not like it
here.”
Catherine’s brows drew together. “Has someone made you feel this way, Ola?” she
asked.
The small woman shook her head then signed that she wanted to be among her
people in a land she knew. She had performed her duty to Catherine by escorting her to
this land and now she was ready to go back to her people.
Sighing deeply for she had grown very fond of Ola, Catherine assured the woman
she would not interfere if it was Ola’s wish to return to Rysalia. “I will miss you
though,” she added.
Ola’s smile was hesitant then seemed sad. She bowed slightly then turned away.
She quietly left the room, closing the door gently behind
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