Convergence (30 page)

And then the coach turned into the drive of one of those houses, a pleasant surprise Jowi hadn't been expecting. She'd been certain they would house her in a hovel somewhere, just to further exercise their authority. Those with authority
always
exercised it, and sometimes those without authority tried to pretend otherwise. It was usually possible to tell the difference, especially if you studied the matter the way she had.

The coach pulled up in front of a house that fit Jowi's mind picture perfectly, making her feel a good deal better. Her enforced stay here would not be a total waste of time after all, since living in a neighborhood let you look around quite easily for property on the market. But first she badly needed to refresh herself, not to mention spend a long, full night asleep in a real bed. If she'd been weary when she'd reached the testing center, now she was nearly done in completely.

A woman and two male servants came out of the house, but one of the men stopped to help Jowi from the coach before joining the other at the boot. The woman waited at the top of the steps with a sweet smile on her unfortunately plain face, and when Jowi reached her she gave a small curtsy.

"Welcome to the house, ma'am," she said, sounding as if she meant it. "I'm Warla, and as soon as the men have your trunk I'll show you to your room."

"Thank you, Warla," Jowi answered with automatic kindness, forcing herself to supply something of a matching smile. "I'm Jowi Hafford, and I'm delighted to finally be somewhere that has no wheels. The day has been rather more strenuous than I expected it to be, so please excuse me if I'm less than completely cordial."

"Oh, you poor thing, you look as spent as my mistress did,"
Warla
sympathized, reaching a hand out but withdrawing it again before actually touching Jowi. "She's an applicant too, and returned in the same condition. Oh, the men have your trunk now, so we'll go directly to your room."

Jowi had been about to mention taking care of the coach driver, but the coach was already on its way out and Warla had turned to lead the way into the house. That made one less thing to worry about, so Jowi simply followed the girl inside. Warla was obviously one of those sweet, innocent people the world sometimes produced, people whose sole purpose in life seemed to be helping others. Right now Jowi needed that help, and was grateful to find it so easily to hand.

The hall inside the entrance made Jowi blink,
as
it was decorated in the exact way she'd been taught
«0t
to decorate.

Too much of anything—including expensive things—made a clutter, and gave people the impression that you were trying to prove something.
And distracted visitors from really impressive things like that magnificent staircase.
Jowi examined it with pleasure as she followed Warla in climbing it, promising herself one just like it once that testing nonsense was behind her.

At the top of the stairs Warla led the way to the right,
then
stopped at the first door on the right. They'd passed a door on the left that probably opened into the master apartment, but the room behind the opened door was quite pleasant. It was about the same size as one of the ones in the suite she'd had in Allestine's residence, and should be perfectly suitable for the short length of time she would be in it.

She and Warla stood to one side while the men carried in her trunk, and once the servants were gone Warla turned to her with another of those shy smiles.

"If there's anything you need, just speak to one of the servants," she was told with true warmth. "Or, if you like, you can ask me. Is there anything you need right now?"

"At the moment I'd most enjoy knowing where the bath house is," Jowi answered, again trying to respond to the smile. "If I have to wait much longer before getting out of these clothes and into clean ones, I'll probably cry."

"Well, of course you would!" Warla agreed earnestly, again reaching out then drawing back before touching Jowi. "I'm sure I would do exactly the same. The bath house is not far out the back, along the path to the left and before the gardens. You really can't miss it."

Jowi thanked the girl, hoping it wouldn't be difficult to send her on her way, and it wasn't. Warla performed another small curtsy and left without even being asked, and Jowi was impressed. As she went to the trunk to find something clean to wear, she considered trying to hire Warla away to be her personal attendant once she was properly settled. A discreet attendant with a sweet, giving nature was a precious jewel, as Jowi knew from having had to put up with too many who weren't.

But that thought was for later, and getting clean again was for as soon as she could reach the bath house. There weren't many people about as she made her way through the house, just quiet servants going about their business. Did that mean she and Warla's mistress were the only two applicants in the house right now? That would be pleasant—or not, depending on what sort of woman Warla's mistress was. And was there a master as well? She'd have to remember to ask.

The gardens were lovely and inviting, but not as inviting as the path to the left leading to the bath house. Jowi moved as quickly as she was able and stepped inside—only to find the bath already occupied.
And by a man.
The lack of solitude was disappointing, but far from discouraging. She'd bathed many times in the company of men, but wouldn't have let his presence stop her even if she hadn't. Her need for that refreshing water was much too great, and besides— what she could see of the man was far from uninteresting.

Jowi lost no time in getting out of her clothes and into the water, and her companion did nothing to acknowledge her presence. He seemed far too involved with scrubbing his light hair, which probably meant he was another applicant. Her own hair felt twice its normal weight from having soaked up her sweat, but the delightfully warm water would soon take care of that—once she'd soaked a bit.

"I'm sorry to bother you," her companion said suddenly, "but I seem to have lost the edge of the bath. If you'll guide me back to it, I'll introduce myself in the proper way once I 'can see again."

He stood with his eyes closed tight against the soap he'd been using in his hair, which was clearly how he'd gotten turned around and moved too far from the edge. Jowi chuckled at the charming way he'd put his request for help and moved closer to do as he'd asked, but couldn't help being somewhat impressed. He was a beautifully large man with broad shoulders and rock-hard arms, a wide and well defined chest, narrow waist, and strong legs. He was impressively made in another way as well, finishing off a picture her patrons had rarely matched. Wealthy men were rarely beautifully made as well, which might be why they'd had the time to become wealthy.

Jowi carefully turned the stranger in the proper direction,
then
watched as he groped his way to the towel lying at the edge of the bath. He used it first on his eyes and then to interrupt the dripping from his stylishly long hair, and finally turned back to her to say, "Lorand Coll, Earth magic, at your—"

And that was as far as he got before his mouth dropped open and his lovely brown eyes widened. Obviously he hadn't been expecting someone like her, as his handsome face actually darkened with a blush. Jowi found that delightful, but wouldn't have laughed aloud for any amount. The poor man was already horribly embarrassed, which his next words more than proved.

"Naked!" he blurted, clearly the foremost thing bothering him. "We're both naked, and you're a woman!"

"How lovely of you to notice," Jowi couldn't help replying, tickled that he seemed to be worried about her virtue. She'd
never
met a man who'd worried about that before, at least not with her. "I'm a woman and you're a man, and we're both unclothed. Do people usually bathe
in
their clothes where you come from?"

She'd tried some gentle teasing to make him relax, and even moved away from him to help his distress. But he was such a lovely sight that she couldn't bring herself to look away from him, and so was able to see that her teasing hadn't helped.
Possibly a little flirting then, which most men usually appreciated and responded to.

"That was a silly question and I'm glad you're ignoring it," she said with her most attractive laugh as she bent her knees to let that deliciously warm water reach more of her. "Ummm, this feels marvelous, Lorand Coll. I'm Jowi Hafford, Spirit magic, and I have the feeling you've never bathed with a woman present before. I thought the custom of mixed bathing had spread everywhere."

"Not everywhere," he disagreed, his pleasant voice somewhat strained, and once again Jowi was impressed. Another man in his place might have tried to claim that he wasn't disturbed by the situation at all, but this man seemed more inclined to speak the truth. That was a rarity beyond price in her experience, since people—and especially men—never spoke the actual truth to her. Her first urge was to continue flirting the way she usually did, but this man deserved better.

"Then I really must apologize," she said instead, trying to give back the honesty she'd gotten. "If you're not used to
mixed
bathing, then you must be horribly embarrassed. I should have waited until you were through and gone, instead of barging in and intruding. I'll wrap up in a towel and wait outside, and you can—"

"No," the man interrupted, both her words and her exit, his tone firm and no longer uneven. "I won't hear of you waiting for what I know you need so badly, not just to soothe my backward beliefs. It so happens I was just about through anyway, so please let me be the one to allow
you
your privacy. It's the least I can do for being so rude."

Jowi was certain the man must be trying to impress her with false gallantry the way men usually did, but one look at Lorand Coll told her it wasn't so. The man was still being absolutely sincere, and there was no doubt that he really would leave.

"That must be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," she told him with her own honesty and the sort of smile her patrons had never gotten to see. "I'll accept your offer if you insist, but it would be perfectly all right if you stayed. I won't mind in the least."

Jowi realized her basic distrust of people had made her test Lorand's sincerity, but amazingly she didn't end up disappointed.

"I'd mind staying even less than that, but I think it will be better if I go," he said, flashing
her a
very handsome smile before turning to the steps. "I'll be out of your way in no time at all."

See, he really did mean it,
she gleefully told her suspicion, watching Lorand leave the bath. There were those who claimed that men like him could be found all over, but until today Jowi had considered the claim a fairy tale. Men had always been quick to do things for her, but always for what they expected—or hoped—to get in return. This man could have bartered the opportunity for privacy, asking for her use now or some time later, but he hadn't said a word about it.

But he also isn't gone yet, her suspicion pointed out in rebuttal, and you can't say you didn't notice how interesting he found you. Let's see what he says before he does leave.

Jowi was content to wait and see, especially since she had the back of Lorand to look at while he dried himself. And a lovely back it was, so broad and nicely muscled and leading down to hard, firm buttocks and those strong, well-shaped legs. He was a desirable man, all right, but Jowi didn't realize completely just how desirable he was until he was all dressed, had gathered up his dirty clothes, and was heading for the door.
Without
saying anything else, she smugly pointed out to her suspicion. But that didn't mean she had to stay equally as silent.

"It was nice to meet you, Lorand Coll," she said as he was almost out the door. "See you later at dinner."

"I certainly hope so," he responded without turning, and then he was gone just as he'd said he would be. His clothing was awful, not just out of style but never
in
style, but that meant nothing. Jowi was usually surrounded by sophistication, and knew better than most how quickly it became tiring.

But once dressed, Lorand had somehow looked familiar. Those two men who had arrived together at the same time she had; could he have been one of them? It didn't really matter, unless one looked at the coincidence as some sort of sign. She and Lorand might be meant for each other, especially since she'd need someone like him once she had her residence established. His presence would discourage patrons from trying to stay beyond their allotted time, and then she could find her own pleasure spending the night with him. She'd never actually had extreme pleasure from a man, but something told her Lorand was one who could supply it. . . .