said, the word coming out in jerky syllables. "You may not like the consequences of shaking me."
71
The Pendulum
by Tarah Scott
He pulled her into his arms so that he carried her. Airin buried her face in his chest. His shirt smelled of fresh soap.
He had been allowed at least a clean shirt. She nuzzled him.
His jaw brushed the top of her head and she realized he was looking at her. She tilted her head back and stared at him.
"Beware," he said, taking the stairs two at a time. "We may not get past the salon if you keep rubbing me in that fashion."
Airin frowned. "Rubbing you?" She looked at his chest and nuzzled him with her nose. He groaned. She looked up again.
"You mean that?"
"By God, Airin, you toy with me. Is this what I can expect?"
She sighed and rested her head on his chest. "You do have a warm chest and my cold is nose." She giggled. "My nose is cold."
They arrived at her room. Deryll opened the door, then stopped short. Airin looked up and saw Cerdwin lighting a candle on the bedside table. A fire crackled in the hearth, new sheets and fresh plaide covered the bed, and rose petals littered the blanket.
"Cerdwin,'tis beautiful." Airin shoved at Deryll and he set her feet on the floor. She started forward, swayed, but righted herself and continued to the maid's side. Airin hugged her. "You should not tax yourself so."
"I have waited twenty years for this day," Cerdwin said. "I will do as I please." She looked at Deryll. "Sir Deryll, a moment."
72
The Pendulum
by Tarah Scott
He bowed, then backed from the room, closing the door behind him.
"Now," the maid said, "make haste. We canna' keep your new husband waiting. Get out of that dress and into this shift." She turned Airin around, then grasped her skirt and tugged it over her head. She tossed the dress on the bed, then pulled the chemise over her head. The brooch hung between Airin's breasts as if a last piece of armor. Cerdwin ran a critical eye down her body. "When was the last time ye bathed?"
Airin wrinkled her nose. "I do not smell."
"Nay," Cerdwin agreed, "but you do have some grime."
She hurried to the table beside the wardrobe where a bowl and pitcher of water sat alongside fresh washcloths. She dipped a cloth in water. "Now," she wrung out the cloth, then turned back to Airin, "just a little on your face and arms."
Airin complied and closed her eyes while Cerdwin cleaned her face, then arms. The maid tossed the cloth aside and slipped the shift over Airin's head. She tugged Airin to her feet and the fabric fell to her calves.
"A little rose water." The old woman retrieved a bottle from the chest at the foot of the bed. She dabbed a little of its contents behind Airin's ears, then pulled the shift's collar forward and sprinkled a few drops between her breasts just above the brooch.
Airin shook herself.
Cerdwin turned her around, then began to loosen her braid.
73
The Pendulum
by Tarah Scott
"Nay," Airin protested. "'Tis early, I will only have to plait it again later."
"Hush," Cerdwin commanded, and finished freeing her hair of the braid. She exchanged the rose water for a brush, then brushed through Airin's long tresses. The maid stepped back and ran a critical eye over her. "You will do well." She drew back the sheets and Airin climbed in. Sweet rose scent wafted up around her as Cerdwin pulled the sheet and blanket to her waist. Cerdwin glanced around as if expecting someone to leap from some obscure hiding place, then reached into her apron pocket and produced a small, silver vial. "Here." She pressed the vial into Airin's hand. "Keep this under your pillow for the right moment."
Airin squinted at the vial. "The right moment?"
"'Tis tricky business, but at that moment a man is not quite in his right mind. Ye have only two or three drops, so ye must be sure to get it in about the right place."
Airin frowned. "The right place?"
Cerdwin touched the middle of the bed. "You should be about here."
Airin leaned forward,
71
The Pendulum
by Tarah Scott
He pulled her into his arms so that he carried her. Airin buried her face in his chest. His shirt smelled of fresh soap.
He had been allowed at least a clean shirt. She nuzzled him.
His jaw brushed the top of her head and she realized he was looking at her. She tilted her head back and stared at him.
"Beware," he said, taking the stairs two at a time. "We may not get past the salon if you keep rubbing me in that fashion."
Airin frowned. "Rubbing you?" She looked at his chest and nuzzled him with her nose. He groaned. She looked up again.
"You mean that?"
"By God, Airin, you toy with me. Is this what I can expect?"
She sighed and rested her head on his chest. "You do have a warm chest and my cold is nose." She giggled. "My nose is cold."
They arrived at her room. Deryll opened the door, then stopped short. Airin looked up and saw Cerdwin lighting a candle on the bedside table. A fire crackled in the hearth, new sheets and fresh plaide covered the bed, and rose petals littered the blanket.
"Cerdwin,'tis beautiful." Airin shoved at Deryll and he set her feet on the floor. She started forward, swayed, but righted herself and continued to the maid's side. Airin hugged her. "You should not tax yourself so."
"I have waited twenty years for this day," Cerdwin said. "I will do as I please." She looked at Deryll. "Sir Deryll, a moment."
72
The Pendulum
by Tarah Scott
He bowed, then backed from the room, closing the door behind him.
"Now," the maid said, "make haste. We canna' keep your new husband waiting. Get out of that dress and into this shift." She turned Airin around, then grasped her skirt and tugged it over her head. She tossed the dress on the bed, then pulled the chemise over her head. The brooch hung between Airin's breasts as if a last piece of armor. Cerdwin ran a critical eye down her body. "When was the last time ye bathed?"
Airin wrinkled her nose. "I do not smell."
"Nay," Cerdwin agreed, "but you do have some grime."
She hurried to the table beside the wardrobe where a bowl and pitcher of water sat alongside fresh washcloths. She dipped a cloth in water. "Now," she wrung out the cloth, then turned back to Airin, "just a little on your face and arms."
Airin complied and closed her eyes while Cerdwin cleaned her face, then arms. The maid tossed the cloth aside and slipped the shift over Airin's head. She tugged Airin to her feet and the fabric fell to her calves.
"A little rose water." The old woman retrieved a bottle from the chest at the foot of the bed. She dabbed a little of its contents behind Airin's ears, then pulled the shift's collar forward and sprinkled a few drops between her breasts just above the brooch.
Airin shook herself.
Cerdwin turned her around, then began to loosen her braid.
73
The Pendulum
by Tarah Scott
"Nay," Airin protested. "'Tis early, I will only have to plait it again later."
"Hush," Cerdwin commanded, and finished freeing her hair of the braid. She exchanged the rose water for a brush, then brushed through Airin's long tresses. The maid stepped back and ran a critical eye over her. "You will do well." She drew back the sheets and Airin climbed in. Sweet rose scent wafted up around her as Cerdwin pulled the sheet and blanket to her waist. Cerdwin glanced around as if expecting someone to leap from some obscure hiding place, then reached into her apron pocket and produced a small, silver vial. "Here." She pressed the vial into Airin's hand. "Keep this under your pillow for the right moment."
Airin squinted at the vial. "The right moment?"
"'Tis tricky business, but at that moment a man is not quite in his right mind. Ye have only two or three drops, so ye must be sure to get it in about the right place."
Airin frowned. "The right place?"
Cerdwin touched the middle of the bed. "You should be about here."
Airin leaned forward,
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