Free Anne Barbour by Lady Hilarys Halloween Page B

want to know is how long you plan to keep me cooped up here.”
    “I certainly do not intend to keep you here at all,” replied James rather testily. “However, as Lady Hilary explained—”
    “The lady explained that I need a place to stay—and clothes, which is true, but I cannot be spending all my time here. I must get back to my own time, and it seems to me I should make my way back to the tower. That’s where I was snatched up, and that must be where the answer lies to getting me back home.”
    “Yes,” said James soothingly, “but you need not get back home right this minute, do you? You seem interested in the changes that have come about over the centuries. Have you no desire to see more? Does not the prospect of spending, say, a few weeks in another time period appeal to you?”
    “No, by the gods, it does not!” bellowed Rufus, rising from the table to throw down his napkin. “Do you think I have no life of my own? You seem to look at me as a—a portable history book. Well, let me tell you—I find this whole situation damned—unsettling— and inconvenient.”
    “My good fellow,” began James hastily, “of course, I have no wish to detain you against your will. I only meant—”
    “And don’t ‘my good fellow’ me.” Rufus began to pace the area just behind his chair. “Let me explain something to you. I’ve been in this man’s army for almost twenty years. I’ll be receiving my retirement certificate soon. Maia and I have it all planned out. I’ve been setting money aside for years now to buy my own business. I’m a good craftsman and there isn’t anything I can’t do with metal. I’ve got my sights on a little place just off the forum in Corinium. Folks there want silver for their tableware, and the ladies must have lamps of bronze or tin to light their homes and fine fibulae to pin their cloaks.
    “Even with my savings, though, I’ve had to borrow from Maia’s brother, Felix. I hated to do it, because just between you and me, Felix is a snake. Which is where my problem comes in. The final payment on the shop is due in a few days, and in a moment of weakness, I gave my portion to Felix so that he could pay the entire sum, just in case I couldn’t be there. Well, of course, I had every intention of showing up with my hair in a braid, but, if I don’t, it’s a dead cert that Felix will put something over. I don’t know what, exactly, but I suspect he’ll have the whole place put in his name. Or, worse yet, take the money and simply head for parts unknown.”
    “But that would be stealing!” exclaimed James, fascinated despite himself.
    Rufus laughed shortly. “Oh, would it now? Well, that wouldn’t bother Felix. He’s just the sort of man as would diddle his own sister.”
    “Well, old fell—that is, Rufus, I understand your problem, and you certainly have my sympathy, but I don’t see what I can do right at the moment. Frankly, I have no idea how you got here—aside from the Druid curse,” he added hastily. “And I have no idea how to get you back where you belong. I’ll certainly do my best to help you, though, and if it’s possible to somehow whisk you back to your own century, we’ll bring you about. In the meantime, perhaps you could see your way clear to helping me. That is, I’ve devoted a good bit of my life to unearthing the details of your time. There is much I could learn from you, if you would let me.” James eyed the legionary shrewdly. “And the Lady Hilary, too. She shares my interest and I know she would also be glad of your, er, tutelage.”
    “Mmp. She’s a nice little thing.” Rufus’ voice softened. “Are you and she betrothed?”
    “What?” James paled. “I hardly know the chit! Why would you say-?”
    “Oh, I don’t know,” Rufus replied vaguely. “She reminds me of my oldest daughter,” he added, apropos of nothing.
    “You have children?” James began breathing again.
    “None of my own, but Maia was a widow when I married