Chapter 10

Louisa'sgrim determination lasted only as long as it took to reach the house. WhereGladys slammed the kitchen door shut, and rounded on her with narrow, incredulous eyes.

"With all due respect, missus," she hissed, "what in the gods' names are you doing, allowing those orcs on the property! Diggingtunnels in the well!"

Louisa'shead was already beginning to ache, and she drew in breath — but now here was Joan, stalking up out of the cellar, her face hard. "Don't like to whinge, Lou," she said. "ButGladys is right. It's not safe. Most of all with the little ones. Elise is overwrought, and won't come up. Won't let the little ones out, either."

Louisawinced toward the cellar door, and then shot a helpless glance around at the kitchen's empty shelves. "Look, I have full sympathy for your concerns," she replied woodenly, "but it's either this, or I sell. The orcs have committed to helping us, and —"

"Helping us," Gladys interrupted, her voice rising. "Helping themselves to us, you mean! Did you not notice that huge orc pawing at you earlier? Or what he was growing in his trousers as he did it?"

Louisa'sface flooded with heat, and she fought to shove away the vivid vision of Ulfarr's tented trousers. "He was very polite and respectful," she said firmly. "Much more than many humans I could name. Surely you can admit that tolerating a few orcs is still preferable to handing over the property to someone like Rikard?"

Hervoice sounded pleading, and she didn't miss Gladys and Joan's brief exchanged glance, or the sudden tightness on Joan's mouth. "Look, yeah, anything's better than Rikard," Joan finally replied, with a sigh. "It's just —"

Shebroke off at the sound of a knock at the nearby door, and strode over to open it — and then startled to stillness, because standing in the door was — Halthorr. The lean, friendly orc from the well, and he was carefully smiling at Joan's shocked face, and thrusting out a paper-wrapped package toward her.

"I ken you did not wish us at the house," he said, with a regretful glance toward Gladys, "but we wished you to know that the well is now fixed, and safe to drink again. Also" — his gaze dropped back to the package — "Killik wished me to bring you this cake. It is fresh from our own cook today, with fruit grown from our mountain's garden."

Therewas an instant's awkward silence, and Louisa belatedly drew in breath, and made to go collect the cake — when Joan nodded, and grasped the cake from Halthorr's outstretched hands. "Uh, thanks," she said stiffly. "For this, and fixing the well."

Halthorrwaved it away, though he'd shot a wry glance downwards, to where he was dripping wet, his bare torso gleaming, his trousers drenched tight to his lean, muscled form. "Ach, it was no trouble," he said, with a dismissive wave of his hand. "It is only fair, after all the great kindness you have granted us. If there is aught else you might ever need, only come and speak this to any of us, and we shall do our best to help, ach?"

Itwas another very pretty speech, though Louisa was still vaguely surprised to see Joan's curt nod. "Er, thanks," she said again. "We'll — keep that in mind."

Halthorrflashed Joan a broad, toothy smile, and gave another flourishing bow before turning and striding out again, quietly shutting the door behind him. LeavingJoan standing there warily eyeing the door, while Gladys loudly harrumphed into the silence. "Well," she said. "I suppose that one knows his manners, at least."

Joandidn't reply, so Louisa took a breath, and went to collect the cake from her unmoving hands. "Well, I could certainly use some cake," she said, into the stilted silence. "Joan, do you think Elise and the children would like some as well?"

Thisproved to be a productive distraction, thank the gods, and soon the frightened children were exclaiming delightedly over cake, a treat the household's limited budget had long ago prohibited. And though Elise kept leaning heavily against Joan, her colour slowly returned as she ate several slices of cake, and soon she was even wanly smiling at Gladys and Joan's banter. Including — once the children had run off — Gladys' florid tale of the huge orc who'd licked Louisa's hand, and grown a tree-trunk in his trousers.

Louisalaughed along with them, but her face was burning, and she was deeply relieved when they all dispersed to their tasks for the day, their concerns about orcs apparently forgotten beneath the comforts of clean water and fruitcake. It was one challenge dealt with, for the moment, and Louisa couldn't deny a grudging gratitude toward Killik for so deftly arranging it.

Butthat brought to mind the entire mess with Killik from earlier, and how they'd fought, and how he'd pinned her to that damned tree. And even as Louisa fought to shove it aside, to focus on her own day's work, the questions wouldn't stop scraping through her aching head. What had Killik been playing at, with all that? Was he truly that concerned about Ulfarr's wellbeing, about his life? And gods above, how much power did he have over Ulfarr, if he could promise to deliver him to a strange woman's bedroom at a specific date and time, without even bothering to inform him in advance?

And, even more disconcerting, if Ulfarr hadn't known about the plan, why had he still kissed Louisa's hand like that? Perhaps — perhaps that was something he did with every woman he met? Perhaps he often walked around growing tree-trunks in his trousers? Did he really want her? Would he really want her, when he came tonight? Tonight?

Itwas all so wretchedly unnerving, and it all kept shouting louder and louder as the day plodded on. And even a large list of tedious, time-consuming chores offered no relief, and by the time she finished for the day, Louisa was filthy, exhausted, and deeply, desperately anxious.

Shewas doing this, really doing this, for the first time since LordScall. She was welcoming a new partner — an orc — into her room, and her bed. Tonight. Soon.

Shescarcely tasted Elise's supper — served with more fruitcake on the side — and then she stomped about hauling hot water for a much-needed bath, which somehow turned tepid the instant she sank into it. And as she scrubbed herself all over, her heartbeat kept pounding faster, her hands trembling in the water.

Whyhad she ever agreed to this? What the hell was she supposed to say to Ulfarr? What was she supposed to wear? And why was she was so completely, utterly terrified?

Sheended up fully dressing again, in the most presentable clothes left in her wardrobe, before combing out her knotted hair as thoroughly as she could. And then she straightened the drapes, tidied her room, and neatened her bed — where she found that incriminating stone still hidden beneath her blanket, damn it. And once she'd hurriedly cleaned it at the washbasin, she shoved it deep into the wardrobe, and began pacing back and forth, as the sky beyond the window slowly sank into blackness. Killik had said he would come at nightfall, what if he'd changed his mind, what if Ulfarr had refused after all, what if —

Arap, quiet but brisk. At the door.

Louisarushed toward the door, flinging it open so hard it bounced off the wall beside her. And yes, no, no, revealing the pair of silent, staring orcs, hovering like two wraiths of doom in the dark hallway.

Theywere here.