grouped around the large globe that stood near the window. They did not look up as Olympia crept into the schoolroom. Their entire attention was riveted on the globe.
Jared was with them. He had one hand on the globe. In his other hand he gripped his dagger. The point of the blade rested in the region of the West Indies.
Olympia frowned at the sight of the dagger. She had not noticed it during the past two days. Jared no longer wore it strapped to his thigh as he had when he arrived. She had presumed he had packed it away in one of his trunks. But this morning he had obviously brought it into the classroom and there was no doubt but that he held the old blade with a certain casual ease.
He looks altogether dangerous, as usual, Olympia thought as she studied his grim features in the morning light. If one did not know him better, one might be rather wary. But she was getting to know him very well indeed because he had taken to joining her in the library after dinner in the evenings.
Jared had immediately established a pleasant habit of sharing a glass of brandy with her before retiring to the old gamekeeper’s cottage. Last night he had read for a while and then talked at some length about his travels. Olympia had hung on every word.
“Are all tutors as widely traveled as yourself, sir?” she had asked.
Jared had given her an unreadable look. “Ah, no. I have been rather fortunate in that regard. I have worked for some people whose business ventures frequently took them abroad. My employers chose to travel with their families.”
Olympia nodded sagely. “Naturally they would wish their children’s tutor to accompany them on an extended journey. What a wonderful career you selected for yourself.”
“It is only lately that I have come to fully appreciate it.” Jared rose from his chair, picked up the brandy decanter, and poured more of the amber liquid into her glass. “I see you have a rather nice chart depicting the South Seas on your wall.”
“I have done a great deal of research on legends that originate in that part of the world.” What with the combined effects of the fire and the brandy, Olympia was feeling pleasantly warm and quite relaxed. A woman of the world conversing with a man of the world, she thought with satisfaction.
Jared poured a bit more brandy into his own glass and replaced the decanter on the table. “One of my more interesting trips took me to a number of islands in that region,” he said thoughtfully. He sank back into the depths of his chair.
“Really?” Olympia gazed at him in wonder. “That must have been thrilling.”
“Oh, it was.” Jared touched his fingertips together. “There are a variety of interesting legends from that part of the world, as you are no doubt well aware. One in particular rather intrigued me.”
“I should love to hear about it,” Olympia whispered. The library seemed to be filled with a dreamlike quality, as if the entire room, complete with Jared and herself inside, had been transported to another place and another time.
“It has to do with a pair of lovers who were not allowed to marry because the young woman’s father was opposed to the match.”
Olympia took another sip of brandy. “How very sad. What became of the lovers?”
“Their passion was such that they were determined to be together,” Jared said. “So they arranged to meet secretly at night on the beach of a hidden cove.”
“I suppose they talked until dawn.” Olympia said wistfully. “No doubt they whispered words of poetry to each other. Confided their most intimate secrets. Dreamed of a future together.”
Jared looked at her. “Actually, they spent the time making passionate love.”
Olympia blinked. “On a beach?”
“Yes.”
Olympia cleared her throat. “But wouldn’t that have been somewhat uncomfortable? I mean what with the sand and all?”
Jared smiled slightly. “What is a little sand to a pair of lovers who are desperate for each
Jared was with them. He had one hand on the globe. In his other hand he gripped his dagger. The point of the blade rested in the region of the West Indies.
Olympia frowned at the sight of the dagger. She had not noticed it during the past two days. Jared no longer wore it strapped to his thigh as he had when he arrived. She had presumed he had packed it away in one of his trunks. But this morning he had obviously brought it into the classroom and there was no doubt but that he held the old blade with a certain casual ease.
He looks altogether dangerous, as usual, Olympia thought as she studied his grim features in the morning light. If one did not know him better, one might be rather wary. But she was getting to know him very well indeed because he had taken to joining her in the library after dinner in the evenings.
Jared had immediately established a pleasant habit of sharing a glass of brandy with her before retiring to the old gamekeeper’s cottage. Last night he had read for a while and then talked at some length about his travels. Olympia had hung on every word.
“Are all tutors as widely traveled as yourself, sir?” she had asked.
Jared had given her an unreadable look. “Ah, no. I have been rather fortunate in that regard. I have worked for some people whose business ventures frequently took them abroad. My employers chose to travel with their families.”
Olympia nodded sagely. “Naturally they would wish their children’s tutor to accompany them on an extended journey. What a wonderful career you selected for yourself.”
“It is only lately that I have come to fully appreciate it.” Jared rose from his chair, picked up the brandy decanter, and poured more of the amber liquid into her glass. “I see you have a rather nice chart depicting the South Seas on your wall.”
“I have done a great deal of research on legends that originate in that part of the world.” What with the combined effects of the fire and the brandy, Olympia was feeling pleasantly warm and quite relaxed. A woman of the world conversing with a man of the world, she thought with satisfaction.
Jared poured a bit more brandy into his own glass and replaced the decanter on the table. “One of my more interesting trips took me to a number of islands in that region,” he said thoughtfully. He sank back into the depths of his chair.
“Really?” Olympia gazed at him in wonder. “That must have been thrilling.”
“Oh, it was.” Jared touched his fingertips together. “There are a variety of interesting legends from that part of the world, as you are no doubt well aware. One in particular rather intrigued me.”
“I should love to hear about it,” Olympia whispered. The library seemed to be filled with a dreamlike quality, as if the entire room, complete with Jared and herself inside, had been transported to another place and another time.
“It has to do with a pair of lovers who were not allowed to marry because the young woman’s father was opposed to the match.”
Olympia took another sip of brandy. “How very sad. What became of the lovers?”
“Their passion was such that they were determined to be together,” Jared said. “So they arranged to meet secretly at night on the beach of a hidden cove.”
“I suppose they talked until dawn.” Olympia said wistfully. “No doubt they whispered words of poetry to each other. Confided their most intimate secrets. Dreamed of a future together.”
Jared looked at her. “Actually, they spent the time making passionate love.”
Olympia blinked. “On a beach?”
“Yes.”
Olympia cleared her throat. “But wouldn’t that have been somewhat uncomfortable? I mean what with the sand and all?”
Jared smiled slightly. “What is a little sand to a pair of lovers who are desperate for each
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