Thank you to all for your
comments. J
Tell me
Why
Rebecca woke to a throbbing
headache. She groaned, burying her head
under the pillow to block the rays of the sun. She kicked free of the blankets, preferring the feel of the silk
nightgown she wore…
She sat bolt upright as she
realized she wore a nightgown. She
never wore a nightgown in the field. A
scowl crossed her face as she realized she was back in Ardeth's house. The night before came rushing back in her
mind, and her temper along with it. She
forgot her state of dress as she stormed out of the room, careening into
Jonathan as she did so.
"Whoa, luv!" Jonathan laughed, grabbing her shoulders to
steady her "What's the rush?"
"Are Rick and Evy
here?" Rebecca demanded.
"They arrived when you did,
though they were awake." He told
her. " Evy's mad enough to spit nails. She didn't calm down until she saw you were alright."
"I'm madder." Rebecca warned, her eyes flashing with
anger. "Where's Ardeth?"
"He's downstairs. Rebecca!" Jonathan called when she rushed off. "You're not dressed!"
Rebecca paid him no heed as she
hurried down the stairs. She didn't
find him in the kitchen, nor the sitting area. She found him when she heard his voice coming from the study. Not bothering to knock, she opened the door
to find him in deep conversation with Rick. Both men looked up when she stepped inside. Both men noticed what she wore, but only one was affected by it.
"You bastard." She
said furiously, "You had no right!"
"Rebecca, listen to him for
a minute." Rick cautioned, coming to take her hands in his. "There is
good reason for what he did."
"I don't care what his
reasons are." She said, her voice softer when she spoke to Rick, for it
wasn't him she was angry with. "He put you and Evy in danger-"
"We weren't in
danger." Rick told her. "Not
from the Medjai. You forget I am one of
them."
"Is that why you defend
him?"
"There is nothing to
defend." Ardeth broke in, his own
temper short. "I told you at the
start to leave Hamuntaptra. You chose
to stay."
"If you'd waited one more
day we were leaving on our own!" Rebecca fired back. "We
were leaving at first light. We only
stayed so long because I was waiting for you!"
Silence filled the room as her
and Ardeth's gazes locked. Rick
squeezed her hands and left, knowing he was not part of this conversation any
longer. He shut the door behind him,
then went in search of his own angry wife.
"You waited for
me?" Ardeth asked softly, taking a
step forward. He halted when she took a
step backwards, away from him.
"A mistake." She replied, keeping her voice low.
"Not the first one I've made regarding you. It'll definitely be the last."
"There are things you do
not know. If you had only listened last
night-"
"You weren't exactly giving
explanations last night." She
interrupted. "You rode in like an avenging god, giving orders without a
by-your-leave. When I didn't follow
those orders, you used force."
"You were going for your
gun." He pointed out.
"It wasn't pointed at
you."
"You would have pulled it
on my men. Is it so wrong for me to
protect them?" He asked
reasonably.
Rebecca bit her lip. She hadn't thought of that.
"I guess not." She admitted, looking at the floor. "I trusted you. You have ruined that."
She heard his footsteps as he
approached, she didn't look up until his finger slipped under her chin, raising
her face until her gaze met his. One
tear escaped; he brushed it away with his thumb, framing her face in his hands
as his mouth came down on hers.
"You trust me. You would not let me near you if you did
not." He whispered against her
cheek. "There is much to
discuss."
"About what?"
"Hamunaptra. Seti." He answered, kissing her once more. "Us. Get dressed. When you are
finished, I will tell you all I know."