The Pirate and the Amber Cat 27

Chapter 27

A moment of lowered defenses.

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The Lita Nysse left the Brimshire harbor that night and headed north again to Cold Rock. Suili relinquished all thoughts of escape and resolved to waiting sedately for Juriz's appearance in the northern port. She was exhausted from justifying and rationalizing, doubting and moralizing, and waiting. She felt as if she and Cortleno had somehow called a truce since her flight in Brimshire. She wanted the whole thing to be over, however the outcome.

The Nysse reached Cold Rock late a few days later as a thick fog rolled into port. The crew was not happy with Cortleno's order to remain dock side of the town's liberties, but contented themselves to what conveniences were available.

Cortleno allowed Suili time on deck a they were docked the next day, knowing she understood too well the slave industry that bloomed in the port. He was confident she was not foolish enough to chance an escape where she would run the high risk of being abducted by slave traders.

With a day before Juriz could possibly meet them at the port, Cortleno took Suili to a bathhouse and requested a private room, not trusting the public pools. She stayed close to his arm as they entered one of the nicer bathhouses and followed the short, heavy-set hostess up the corridor well lit by colored glass candle lamps. They continued down a hall on the second floor and halted halfway down. The woman gestured to a door beside a bench, smiling, and spoke in a language Suili didn't understand. Cortleno answered her and then escorted Suili into the room as the woman departed.

The interior consisted of a small room divided from the more spacious private pool room by a series of sheer and lace panels. They passed through these and Suili stood nervously in the larger room as Cortleno looked out the balcony window. He nodded with satisfaction at the two-story drop to the lane below, and then pulled out the rattan changing screen attached to the wall. She watched him light the floor candelabras in the semi-dark room, her fingers tensing on the expansive towel the hostess had given her.

"Have everything you need?" he asked.

"Yes."

He gestured to the screen. "I'll take your clothes now."

She stepped back. "That's really unnecessary, Cortleno."

His eyes fell over her slowly. "What confidence do I have that you will not try to escape?"

She held his stare with a frown. "You think I would go unclothed out the window?"

He smiled at her pout. "I put nothing past you, Dai Brijholn."

She began to feel the heat from the floor lamps. "If you leave," she decided, fingers twisting the towel, "my clothes will be by the door. If you leave."

A tap came to the door and the hostess set two glazed jars and a sponge inside on the floor, then shut the door again.

Cortleno retrieved the items and put them in Suili's hands. "By the door," he relented, "or I come in and get them."

She clutched the sponge tightly. "There will be no need for that, Captain."

When he left, she put the jars that smelled of heliotrope and sandalwood with willow by the pool waters and took solace behind the screen.

Pirate, she thought in spite. Not even a decent bath in peace.

She undressed and tossed her chemise and skirt to the door, succeeding only in tangling them in the dividing curtains. She groaned and crossed the room to quickly disengage the material from the lace and sheers and scooted them to the door, then hurried back to the pool and waded deep into its waters. A moment later she heard a knock at the door. Cortleno opened it to see the clothing.