satisfaction, for her mortal graced the room as beautiful as an exotic flower. Bal’s shining hair fell over her shoulders in a silken dark waterfall, and as she moved the dozen or so gold bangles on her wrist clinked together. The turquoise sari sparkled butterfly bright where the fabric shimmered in a cascade to the floor.
“I’d love to see yer wear something like that,” Cedar said wrapping his hand in her hair.
“Do yer think it would start a new fashion?”
“Ah well, fashions come and go don’t they? But we’ll talk about them later.”
“Oh, there’s the door.” She gave him a swift hug.
“Are yer ready to do this or do yer want me to do it?” he asked.
“I’ll do it but ye can help me if yer like.”
“All right.”
Surjan walked into the room behind Bal, his concentration seemed fixed on the sway of her slender hips.
“Here’s your wallet. It was in the garden.” Bal handed it to him.
“Thanks.” He slid the wallet into the back pocket of his jeans. “I’ve been worried about it all day until Jez phoned. Where is he? I thought he’d be here.”
“Oh, he’s taken Keri down to the waterfront, some jazz club,” Bal murmured.
“I see, well, I’ll be going then.”
“Cedar, do something he mustn’t go yet,” Poppy squeaked.
“He’s not going anywhere wait and see.” Cedar squeezed her against him.
“Would you like some tea or coffee?” Bal asked, a hint of desperation in her tone.
“Are you sure you want to go to the trouble of making it?”
“See, told ye so,” Cedar whispered.
“How did yer know?”
“‘Tis a male thing, my flower, he knows he made a fool of himself last night and he don’t like it.”
“Hmmm,” she murmured and turned her attention back to Bal.
“Yes, I’m quite happy to make coffee. I don’t think us sharing a coffee will enrage the family sensibilities. Do you take sugar?”
“No, it’s bad for the—”
“Teeth,” Bal said and smiled.
“Yes. I’ll sit here shall I?” He sat down and his gaze didn’t leave Bal as she walked toward the kitchen, graceful as a leaf swirling on the water.
“Now what?” Poppy murmured.
“Give them a little time.” Cedar hugged her close.
Poppy watched as Surjan got up and wandered around the room, and then stood to stare out of the window into the darkened garden.
“Coffee,” Bal said and handed a mug to him.
“Thanks.”
“Did you have a rough time of it at your parents’ house?” Bal asked, she gave a small gulp and her face flushed scarlet. “Oh, I am sorry I shouldn’t have asked. It’s none of my business.”
Surjan peered into his cup and sipped at the coffee. “Don’t worry. I am sure you’ll get to hear about it all. I didn’t explain in detail to them, only said our first meeting might not have been exactly what they had in mind.”
“Oh.” Bal sat down.
“Listen, I want to say sorry about the whole thing. I’m certain you must be annoyed about last night and I can only apologize.” He sat in the chair opposite. “Your friends must think I’m quite something. I want you to know what happened wasn’t because of the punch, I barely touched it. Generally I don’t drink anyway and last night…” His voice trailed away.
“Last night turned out to be very strange, and I don’t think you saw any of us at our best. I don’t drink either, as a rule,” Bal said.
“Well, whatever the cause, I’m sorry. Perhaps we should have let the folks organize the meeting the way they wanted.”
Bal shook her head. “No, I’ve always promised them I’d look if they asked, but the final decision has to be mine. I’m not being pressured into anything.”
“I agree, I’ve said the same thing. Endless discussions about it. If it weren’t for my grandfather they’d have had me married off as soon as I finished university.”
“I understand; same kind of thing here. Anyway, I have a suggestion. Why don’t we make them happy and say for a while we’ll see
“I’d love to see yer wear something like that,” Cedar said wrapping his hand in her hair.
“Do yer think it would start a new fashion?”
“Ah well, fashions come and go don’t they? But we’ll talk about them later.”
“Oh, there’s the door.” She gave him a swift hug.
“Are yer ready to do this or do yer want me to do it?” he asked.
“I’ll do it but ye can help me if yer like.”
“All right.”
Surjan walked into the room behind Bal, his concentration seemed fixed on the sway of her slender hips.
“Here’s your wallet. It was in the garden.” Bal handed it to him.
“Thanks.” He slid the wallet into the back pocket of his jeans. “I’ve been worried about it all day until Jez phoned. Where is he? I thought he’d be here.”
“Oh, he’s taken Keri down to the waterfront, some jazz club,” Bal murmured.
“I see, well, I’ll be going then.”
“Cedar, do something he mustn’t go yet,” Poppy squeaked.
“He’s not going anywhere wait and see.” Cedar squeezed her against him.
“Would you like some tea or coffee?” Bal asked, a hint of desperation in her tone.
“Are you sure you want to go to the trouble of making it?”
“See, told ye so,” Cedar whispered.
“How did yer know?”
“‘Tis a male thing, my flower, he knows he made a fool of himself last night and he don’t like it.”
“Hmmm,” she murmured and turned her attention back to Bal.
“Yes, I’m quite happy to make coffee. I don’t think us sharing a coffee will enrage the family sensibilities. Do you take sugar?”
“No, it’s bad for the—”
“Teeth,” Bal said and smiled.
“Yes. I’ll sit here shall I?” He sat down and his gaze didn’t leave Bal as she walked toward the kitchen, graceful as a leaf swirling on the water.
“Now what?” Poppy murmured.
“Give them a little time.” Cedar hugged her close.
Poppy watched as Surjan got up and wandered around the room, and then stood to stare out of the window into the darkened garden.
“Coffee,” Bal said and handed a mug to him.
“Thanks.”
“Did you have a rough time of it at your parents’ house?” Bal asked, she gave a small gulp and her face flushed scarlet. “Oh, I am sorry I shouldn’t have asked. It’s none of my business.”
Surjan peered into his cup and sipped at the coffee. “Don’t worry. I am sure you’ll get to hear about it all. I didn’t explain in detail to them, only said our first meeting might not have been exactly what they had in mind.”
“Oh.” Bal sat down.
“Listen, I want to say sorry about the whole thing. I’m certain you must be annoyed about last night and I can only apologize.” He sat in the chair opposite. “Your friends must think I’m quite something. I want you to know what happened wasn’t because of the punch, I barely touched it. Generally I don’t drink anyway and last night…” His voice trailed away.
“Last night turned out to be very strange, and I don’t think you saw any of us at our best. I don’t drink either, as a rule,” Bal said.
“Well, whatever the cause, I’m sorry. Perhaps we should have let the folks organize the meeting the way they wanted.”
Bal shook her head. “No, I’ve always promised them I’d look if they asked, but the final decision has to be mine. I’m not being pressured into anything.”
“I agree, I’ve said the same thing. Endless discussions about it. If it weren’t for my grandfather they’d have had me married off as soon as I finished university.”
“I understand; same kind of thing here. Anyway, I have a suggestion. Why don’t we make them happy and say for a while we’ll see
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