Free The Libertine by Saskia Walker

fanciful tale woven by one of the
servants.”
    He did not seem surprised. “Oftentimes we are called upon when
there is no real reason for our intervention.”
    The way he said it—with careful emphasis—made her wonder.
    “Superstition, hearsay, fear, mistaken assumptions...all of
these things bring troubled ones to us.” He gave a wry smile. He had drawn to a
halt an arm’s length away from her. “And the very same things are often turned
and used against us.” There was a bitter undercurrent to his tone, but he
quickly gestured with his hands, breaking the tension. “So, you have given
thought to our discussion?”
    Questions still flitted through her mind. Making haste was
imperative, though. The threat of discovery made her uncomfortable. Especially
now that she knew the real reason for Jean’s concern. Jean had kept a secret
from Tamhas all these years, and his mood at dinner was some indication why. “I
have made my decision. I want you to undertake the ritual tonight.”
    He cocked his head on one side, considering her. “I’m
surprised. I wasn’t expecting you to agree so soon.”
    For a moment she felt he was disappointed by her eagerness.
Every time he spoke, he surprised her.
    “I thought I might have to convince you,” he added. He looked
her over with an appreciative glance.
    The way he studied her made her feel unsteady. The man was a
force of nature, to be sure. “I considered your words carefully, and although I
am somewhat nervous about the ritual itself, I want to proceed.”
    He quirked an eyebrow.
    Apparently it was necessary to give him just cause. Her gaze
lowered. “I would not have come to you if I had not been convinced of my need
for help. I have long since known that I am flawed, as a woman.”
    She paused in order to swallow down the shame she felt. It was
not in her nature to discuss her problems openly with a man, let alone a
stranger. She was a proud woman and this had taken some effort on her behalf.
“If you can help me I would be most grateful.”
    “No one is perfect, Mistress Chloris. Keep that in mind.” His
mouth twitched in amusement. “We each strive to be more able and useful. It was
brave of you to come to us, under the circumstances.”
    She lifted her chin, meeting his gaze directly. “And it was
brave of you to come here to this house.”
    Once the comment was out, the exchange affected her oddly. Was
it because they considered each other silently? A moment of mutual respect, she
assumed. Chloris wasn’t used to a man like him, one who could so easily control
a situation—either by mastery, seductive magic or surprising moments of respect.
As a woman, she rarely encountered any of those things in her husband, who was
an altogether different type of man.
    Why am I even thinking like this,
comparing them ? It was wrong of her and she clutched her fisted hand
to her breastbone, ashamed of her wayward thoughts.
    She turned away and picked up the pouch of coins she had
readied, offering it to him. “Please, tell me if this is enough for your
fee.”
    He weighed the pouch in his hand and then set it back down on
the table without looking inside or counting the coins. “I suggest you determine
how much the fee should be when we complete our endeavor. If you are pleased
with the results, you can decide the amount.”
    Was that because he was so sure of his magic? “If that is what
you would prefer.”
    He nodded.
    His poise was breathtaking. The way he stood, so still yet so
apparently ready to pounce into action, made her feel restless. “And now we
begin?”
    She asked the question and yet she did not know what she was
doing.
    His mouth lifted at one corner. “The ideal situation would be
to perform the ritual in nature’s bower, at first dawn or shortly afterward,
when we could engage with the ebb and flow of the natural world more readily.
But we can initiate it here, now.”
    Her level of concern rose. “Initiate?”
    “It may need more than one