over three years ago.”
Rand gritted his teeth. Talking to her was like trying to hold water in your hands. “I am not impotent,” he said, wondering why he was even bothering.
She patted him gently, as if he were a child. “Don’t you worry, young man. By the day of the wedding, you will be just fine.” Clasping her wrists together, she twirled slowly around the room, fluttering her fingers in that weird manner he had first noticed.
Nutty as a fruitcake! He wished Haley would hurry up with the damn dog. Phyllis was making him very nervous.
On that thought, Haley appeared in the doorway, followed by Delphine and Carrie. As soon as the dog spotted Phyllis, she uttered an almost human moan and then sank to the floor, her paws covering her face. She continued to moan piteously for several minutes.
The dog deserved an academy award, Rand thought. He wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it himself. Phyllis rushed to Delphine’s side and fell to the floor next to her, crooning and stroking her head. The topknot on the older woman’s head loosened and a clump of silver hair fell down on one side of her face.
“There, there, Duchess. Everything will be fine. Your bambinos will be rescued, and you can be happy again.” Phyllis looked up and announced in a soft voice, “Her children were stolen by their father in 1630 and never found.”
Rand felt as if he were caught in some weird episode on the SYFY channel. Phyllis, while evidently bonkers, did not seem dangerous. Still he would feel more comfortable if she left and took the duchess with her. Delphine’s piteous moans were getting to him. He tried to catch Haley’s eye. She was watching the small tableau with a resigned expression on her face.
Carrie finally piped up, her voice tremulous. “Why is Delphine crying like that? She was all right when we were in the back yard.”
“It’s okay, honey.” Haley walked over to the child and wrapped her arms around her. “Delphine and Phyllis have a special relationship. This is what they do when they see each other.”
Relief poured through Rand. At least Haley didn’t believe in this reincarnation mumbo jumbo. “Haley, the Blakelys will be down in a few minutes. Do you think...?”
She nodded and knelt beside Phyllis, gently touching her shoulder. “I’ll help you get her to the car. She’ll be better off at home.” She then turned to Carrie. “Honey, would you get the bag of dog food from the kitchen and bring it to the car for Phyllis?”
Carrie ran off, and Phyllis slowly stood. As her gaze traveled from Haley to Rand, a smile of such sweetness filled her face that Rand blinked.
“Your auras are the same color. That’s very rare. Moving close to Rand, she patted his hand and her eyes twinkled up into his. “Don’t you worry, young man, my potion will fix you right up. However, I don’t want you too virile before the wedding, or you’ll become very frustrated.”
Turning, she caught Haley’s amazed look. “I know about his problem, dear. It’s nothing he has to be ashamed of. I believe the x-rays from computers often make a man impotent.”
Haley’s face contorted as she tried to keep from laughing. “Im-impotent? You think he’s impotent?” Her voice cracked, and she pressed a hand to her mouth trying to muffle the laugh. Suddenly a giggle escaped, followed by a loud snort of laughter. “I’m sorry, Rand,” she gestured helplessly then bent over, holding her sides, trying unsuccessfully to repress her mirth.
Phyllis frowned. “It’s not like you to be insensitive, Haley. I’m sure Andrew is embarrassed enough.”
Haley nodded, wiped her eyes, and tried to look penitent. “Please forgive me,” she said, staring into his face with mock solemnity. As his eyes narrowed, she ruined the apology with another fit of laughter. Rand fought the smile threatening to curve his lips. Haley’s laughter was contagious, even if it was at his expense.
Rand forced the smile away.
Rand gritted his teeth. Talking to her was like trying to hold water in your hands. “I am not impotent,” he said, wondering why he was even bothering.
She patted him gently, as if he were a child. “Don’t you worry, young man. By the day of the wedding, you will be just fine.” Clasping her wrists together, she twirled slowly around the room, fluttering her fingers in that weird manner he had first noticed.
Nutty as a fruitcake! He wished Haley would hurry up with the damn dog. Phyllis was making him very nervous.
On that thought, Haley appeared in the doorway, followed by Delphine and Carrie. As soon as the dog spotted Phyllis, she uttered an almost human moan and then sank to the floor, her paws covering her face. She continued to moan piteously for several minutes.
The dog deserved an academy award, Rand thought. He wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it himself. Phyllis rushed to Delphine’s side and fell to the floor next to her, crooning and stroking her head. The topknot on the older woman’s head loosened and a clump of silver hair fell down on one side of her face.
“There, there, Duchess. Everything will be fine. Your bambinos will be rescued, and you can be happy again.” Phyllis looked up and announced in a soft voice, “Her children were stolen by their father in 1630 and never found.”
Rand felt as if he were caught in some weird episode on the SYFY channel. Phyllis, while evidently bonkers, did not seem dangerous. Still he would feel more comfortable if she left and took the duchess with her. Delphine’s piteous moans were getting to him. He tried to catch Haley’s eye. She was watching the small tableau with a resigned expression on her face.
Carrie finally piped up, her voice tremulous. “Why is Delphine crying like that? She was all right when we were in the back yard.”
“It’s okay, honey.” Haley walked over to the child and wrapped her arms around her. “Delphine and Phyllis have a special relationship. This is what they do when they see each other.”
Relief poured through Rand. At least Haley didn’t believe in this reincarnation mumbo jumbo. “Haley, the Blakelys will be down in a few minutes. Do you think...?”
She nodded and knelt beside Phyllis, gently touching her shoulder. “I’ll help you get her to the car. She’ll be better off at home.” She then turned to Carrie. “Honey, would you get the bag of dog food from the kitchen and bring it to the car for Phyllis?”
Carrie ran off, and Phyllis slowly stood. As her gaze traveled from Haley to Rand, a smile of such sweetness filled her face that Rand blinked.
“Your auras are the same color. That’s very rare. Moving close to Rand, she patted his hand and her eyes twinkled up into his. “Don’t you worry, young man, my potion will fix you right up. However, I don’t want you too virile before the wedding, or you’ll become very frustrated.”
Turning, she caught Haley’s amazed look. “I know about his problem, dear. It’s nothing he has to be ashamed of. I believe the x-rays from computers often make a man impotent.”
Haley’s face contorted as she tried to keep from laughing. “Im-impotent? You think he’s impotent?” Her voice cracked, and she pressed a hand to her mouth trying to muffle the laugh. Suddenly a giggle escaped, followed by a loud snort of laughter. “I’m sorry, Rand,” she gestured helplessly then bent over, holding her sides, trying unsuccessfully to repress her mirth.
Phyllis frowned. “It’s not like you to be insensitive, Haley. I’m sure Andrew is embarrassed enough.”
Haley nodded, wiped her eyes, and tried to look penitent. “Please forgive me,” she said, staring into his face with mock solemnity. As his eyes narrowed, she ruined the apology with another fit of laughter. Rand fought the smile threatening to curve his lips. Haley’s laughter was contagious, even if it was at his expense.
Rand forced the smile away.
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