Read Online The Claiming by Kaitlyn O'Connor - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kaitlyn O'Connor
Tags: Science-Fiction, Romance
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“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
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
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