The Claiming (7 page)

It took her several moments to realize the harshness of his features at the moment denoted carefully leashed anger, a fact supported by the fire in his strange, golden eyes. Her breathless tumult was replaced by a tiny quiver of fear as she was snared in their spell. She looked away from him with an effort, frowning as she tried to recall what he’d asked her. “No.”

"No?"

Unable to resist, she glanced at him when he spoke again. A black brow rose questioningly, a faintly mocking light in his eyes now.

Too unnerved even to consider responding to the challenge in his eyes, she turned to Blane. "Do you think you could help me to the house, Blane? I’ve twisted my ankle."

The stranger scooped her into his arms so quickly that she gasped, instinctively throwing her arms around his neck to keep from falling. She looked up at him in stunned surprise, glancing back at Blane in consternation as the stranger strode toward the house with her. But Blane, after returning her look of mute appeal with a slight shrug, started back towards the wrecked bicycle, leaving her to her own devices.

Stunned and more than a little confused that Blane would let the stranger carry her off without even attempting to stop him, Jana returned her attention to the man holding her.

Oddly enough, he seemed familiar. She couldn’t quite figure out why, but there was something about him that teased at her memory. "I'm sure I don't know you," she said finally.

"No?" he said coolly, but then he seemed to find something about the conversation amusing. "You're quite certain? I did identify myself. But then you were rather preoccupied amusing yourself with Blane, weren't you?"

Jana felt a surge of indignation. He was accusing her of improper behavior. Blane had warned her that learning proper behavior was crucial. If she behaved in a way considered improper, then everyone would tell everyone else and no one would treat her kindly or even speak to her. She would be ostracized from society, whatever that meant.

She wondered if this was what Blane had meant when he’d explained that improper behavior on her part would lead men to behave in a way she would not like.

"I was not behaving improperly. Blane said it would be acceptable for me to ride the … uh … thing.” He ignored her and after a moment she gave up trying to reason with him, closing her eyes and leaning her throbbing head on his shoulder as he entered the house and made his way to the main staircase. “I did not find it at all amusing, especially when Blane landed on top of me. And there was noise in my ears. I could not hear anything.”

He didn’t seem to have a response for that and she fell silent, preoccupied with the throbbing in her head and ankle. It wasn't until she realized he’d begun to ascend the stairs that she thought to protest. This she knew positively was not something she should allow. "This is not at all proper."

He gave no indication of even having heard her. On reaching the second floor, he made his way unerringly to her room. He placed her gently on her bed. Then, without saying a word, he unceremoniously flipped her skirts up over her knees.

Jana was so stunned it took her several moments to remember what Blane had told her was a proper response to an improper advance. She slapped his hand and jerked her skirts down, covering her feet. He not only ignored her efforts to behave modestly, he placed one large hand in the middle of her stomach and shoved her flat, tossing her skirts over her head.

Jana bounced back up and jerked her skirts down again. That time she got a definite reaction. He turned and gave her a narrow-eyed glare that sent a chill zigzagging down her spine.

Her eyes widened, panic scattering her thoughts as it occurred to her to wonder if the man was under the impression that she would share herself. Was she supposed to allow it? Blane had spent a great deal of time explaining how she must dress, how she must behave, how she should talk and what was forbidden. He had not once said that she would be expected to share herself with men as had been expected of her before. He had, in fact, specifically said that it was absolutely forbidden for any man to expect her to share herself, unless he was her companion. He had not, however, explained to her how she was supposed to prevent it if a man carried her off with that apparent purpose in mind.

She had slapped his hand. She had firmly placed her skirts down over her ankles in compliance with ‘modesty’. What was she to do now? “This is forbidden,” she said in a voice that sounded far more shaky with fright than firm.

“Not, from what I just witnessed, to my brother.”

She frowned, searching her memory for the meaning of that word. She found it, but like much of the other useful information the data banks had supplied her with, the definition was almost as confusing. She didn’t know what sibling was either. “Who are you?” she asked finally.

For a long moment, he merely stared at her, his lips drawn into a tight line of annoyance, his eyes narrowed dangerously. Slowly, the amusement of before crept back into them, displacing much of the hard, angry glitter. Some of the tightness left his hard mouth. It twitched with amusement. "Alain Camar. By Orleans law, your husband," he replied coolly.

***

“I wonder if I might have a word with you.”

Blane, who’d been on the point of making good his escape, froze. Bracing himself, he turned with a look of purest innocence on his features, or as nearly as he could hope to approximate such an expression. “Actually, I was on the point of riding over to Makis Plantation. Jon-el and I had arranged to go shooting this afternoon.”

“As it is only half past ten, and no more than a twenty minute ride, I believe you can spare me a moment or two.”

Blane grinned. “That early? Well, I suppose….”

“In my study, if you please.”

It was dim in the barn, which made it difficult to judge Alain’s expression, but Blane didn’t particularly care for his tone. He might have objected, therefore, except for the fact that Alain, apparently expecting that he would follow, had already turned and strode from the barn.

When he entered the study, he saw that Alain was standing by the window, his back to the room.

Blane was certain his brother could not have failed to hear him enter, and yet he said nothing. The silence unnerved him. He shifted several times and finally moved to the chair before his brother’s desk and sprawled in it.

Alain turned from the window as if only just aware of Blane’s presence. “I’m curious….”

Blane felt the blood rush guiltily to his cheeks, almost certain he knew what would come next.

“I stopped by Dees’ office on my way through Savana—just to make certain the papers were all in order, you understand. I was relieved to see that they were—everything settled quite tidily.

But … imagine my surprise upon my arrival home, to discover my brother and my … newly contracted companion, rolling about on the ground—in plain view of anyone who chanced by.”

“I explained that! It was an accident. Only someone with a low mind would make anything of it!”

Alain’s eyes narrowed. “I collect you mean me, it not having occurred to you, apparently, that nine tenths of the county, and particularly the servants, take absolute glee in spreading rumors, unfounded or not. Did it not occur to you that scandal could make life rather more than a little uncomfortable for my companion?”

“I can only say that it was done in innocence. I hadn’t expected that there would be a problem and I certainly hadn’t expected what happened when I had to rescue Jana from harm. We fell.”

Alain studied him a full minute before he spoke again. “Speaking of Jana … I wonder…. Do you by any chance know who the hell that female--whom I find to my surprise is now legally bound to me--is?”

Chapter Four

Blane feigned a look of complete incomprehension. “Jana?”

Alain favored him with a look of patent disbelief.

It was do or die now, however, and Blane steadfastly maintained a look of stupidity. He had practiced this interview mentally for weeks. He was certain he could pull it off if he stuck to his guns. “You think she’s not who she’s supposed to be? An ... uh … impostor?”

“It occurred to me, yes,” Alain said sardonically. “Is it at all possible that I only imagined you were with me when we went to Earth to check out the woman I had under consideration?”

“Oh, well. You know very well I went with you, but it’s not like we actually saw her in person. The images in the data bank were at least five or six years old. She could look like anything now. Anyway, I wasn’t really interested. I can’t say I was paying that much attention.” He shrugged. “I was more interested in seeing the sights. It was my first trip to Earth, after all.”

Alain eyed him skeptically. “But you did see the images—dated or not.”

Blane shrugged. “Well, it never occurred to me that she might be anyone else. She fits the description Dees gave us.”

“In what way?” Alain asked politely.

Blane could not prevent a blush. “She’s fair.”

Alain moved around his desk and sat in his chair. Pulling open a drawer, he removed a file and opened it. “Jana WVTF366- designation Warrior Virtuous Terre-Farm Female—Age - Twenty Five- Height 5’ 9” - Weight 130 - Skills- proficient in a wide range of weaponry, archaic to modern - experienced in hand-to-hand combat - educated in agricultural studies and animal husbandry under a wide range of climate conditions. Trained in maintenance and management of self-sufficient agricultural colonies. Conditioned in the womanly arts of virtue, modesty and nurturing.” Alain dropped the report to his desk.

He seemed to be waiting for some response. “Impressive!” Blane acknowledged.

“Does it strike you that none of these attributes are readily apparent in the woman above stairs?”

Blane frowned, apparently thinking it over. “Actually, I’d think any woman it was apparent in would look far more like a man than a woman—just my opinion—but she was supposed to be handsome, so….”

“But you’ll admit she appears to fall somewhat shy of 5’9”?--by approximately a foot?”

“I hadn’t really thought about it,” Blane said stiffly.

“But you did think she was handsome?”

Blane frowned. “You don’t?” he asked incredulously.

“She’s a great deal more than that, I’d say. In fact, there wasn’t a single male over the age of ten and under the age of eighty who didn’t stop me to extol her beauty.”

Blane reddened. “Actually, I meant to tell you about that. We’ve done just a bit of entertaining—I thought it would be a good idea to introduce her to society. She’s adapted to our local speech and customs amazingly well and it seems pretty much everyone knew of her arrival anyway—and I thought you wouldn’t like for the alliance to look suspicious.”

“Then again, there is the little social blunder regarding the fact that I’m supposedly still in mourning over the death of my former spouse.”

“You surely didn’t expect to keep her hidden for three months!”

“No. But neither did I intend to offend the locals by flaunting the fact that I’d flown in the face of local traditions either.”

“Sorry,” Blane muttered, trying to look repentant.

Alain studied him in silence for several moments. “Do you think it at all possible that I might have had very good reasons for choosing a woman capable of handling herself in any given situation?” he asked pensively. “This is … a dangerous and difficult world, particularly so for outworlders. You and I have the advantage of having been born here, grown up with the conditions. There is always the possibility of a slave uprising or yet another battle between the primitive natives and the ruling race. Do you perceive the difficulty here? Can you, in your wildest imaginings, believe that that fragile creature would be able to defend herself, let alone protect my off-spring in the event I was away at the time and unable to reach Briar Hill?”

Blane stood, pacing the floor before his brother’s desk. “So … supposing she is not who we think she is … you’re implying that this is my doing?” he finally said, assuming a demeanor of affront, though he cringed inwardly when he realized, the moment the words were out, that he’d very effectively pinned the blame entirely on Jana. He wished then that he could recall the poorly considered comment, but the truth was the interview had gone nothing like he’d anticipated. He’d been certain that Alain would be so smitten with Jana the moment he laid eyes on her that he would not be able to consider anything else.

Alain sat back in his chair, studying his younger brother. “You’re saying it is not?”

It took more of an effort than Blane had ever thought it would to look his brother dead in the eyes and lie through his teeth, but he realized it was the only hope he had of stalling for time, and he felt certain, given time, Jana would wrap Alain around her finger and banish any thoughts of having been duped. “Certainly not!

***

"I see you've recovered from your headache," Alain drawled in an amused voice.

His voice sent a shock wave through Jana. She jerked involuntarily, bumping her head and spine on the underside of the crib.

She had found that she was far too unnerved by her first encounter with the man she’d come to deceive to remain cooped up in her room once her aches and pains had subsided. On the other hand, neither had she been willing to chance another confrontation so quickly on the heels of the first.

Finally, she had decided that she would visit the nursery. The toddlers, when they weren’t screaming, generally amused her and their easy acceptance and inability to question her was bound to be more soothing to her nerves than risking a trip downstairs.

She was fortunate in her timing. They had only lately risen from their nap, had been fed and bathed and were in a sunny mood. She had decided that she felt up to the challenge of tending to them alone and, after settling the babies on a thick rug on the floor, had sent their nurse, Lill, away.

They were at a stage in development where they were relatively easy to amuse and slow to escape. She had piled colorful blocks and balls in the middle of the rug and sat back to watch as they tumbled them around, tried to force various pieces into their mouths—which were fortunately too large to fit—and alternated between crawling off in different directions and repeated attempts to get to their feet and walk.