his face.
“I got him on a trip to Polius. He was a fuzzy yellow tube-toy with big purple eyes. He looked kind of like a giant caterpillar. Researchers had found that tubularshaped stuffed toys comforted children more than any of our advanced play designs. The discovery sparked a craze for retro-toys. Every child wanted an old-fashioned stuffed toy exactly like her ancestors played with.” Fortune laughed and shook her head. “I had educational toys that could probably build a space port in a pinch, but I only loved Skirky. I slept with him until I was seven.”
“What happened to him?”
Her smile faded, and she stared beyond Leith into the past. “Mom came home unexpectedly and found me talking to him. She threw him away. Said I was too old to be talking to a mangy-looking toy.” Fortune shrugged.
“She shouldna have done that.” His voice turned soft, understanding. “ ’Twas a friend, someone to ease yer loneliness.”
Lonely? Yes, she could admit it now. An only child, she’d wished with a child’s intensity for her mother—someone to talk to, to touch. Forget it. Think about now. Mom had probably been right. Life was real, and she shouldn’t waste it on nonsense. “Skirky doesn’t matter. He’s been gone a long time. Let’s get back to you and your conversation with that knife.”
He held it up. “ ’Tis a beauty. When I showed Lily how I could throw a knife, she said I shouldna be wi’out one. I canna believe she gave this to me.”
His smile would melt ice on Pluto, and she understood exactly why Lily had given him the knife. Lily had better watch it. Her sudden stab of fierce possessiveness surprised Fortune.
Before she could investigate that disturbing emotion, Blade entered the room. “Go take a look in the hall closet. Friends left a few clothes behind. You might find some stuff to wear.”
Leith was confused. They both wore the garments called jeans with shirts and “sneakers.” What a strange society where men and women dressed alike. But he had to admit the jeans showed Fortune’s form even better than the gown. He allowed his gaze to follow her slender legs up to her nicely rounded bottom, then gave himself permission to continue his journey to the swell of her breasts. Their spectacular peaks reminded him of home. Thank heavens women’s forms hadn’t changed in six hundred years.
He could not allow lustful thoughts to distract him, though. There would be time enough later to consider his penance.
Survival. He turned to Blade. “Before we leave to find food and clothing, ye must tell me how much this dwelling will cost.”
Blade ran his hand along the side of his face. “Well, itain’t fancy, but it’s got a good location. Since this is paying my debt to Hugh Campbell, I’ll let it go for two hundred a month.”
Leith glanced at Fortune, and she nodded. He watched as she pulled the pieces of paper she’d gotten in exchange for her cross from her pocket and offered them to Blade. “Take what you need.”
Leith closed his eyes. He couldn’t watch. Her complete trust in everyone’s honesty would be the death of them. But the pieces of paper were hers to lose, so he’d not say anything.
“Not smart carrying around a bundle like that. You might want to put some of it in a checking account.” Blade waved away the offered money. “Pay me when you get on your feet. I can wait.”
Leith opened his eyes. Count Checkin ? He reached out, snatched the paper from Fortune’s hand, then glared at Blade. Fortune stood with a dazed expression, staring at her empty hand. “I dinna know this Count Checkin, and I dinna trust my dough to anyone but myself. I willna answer for the fate of anyone who tries to take it from me.”
Blade shook his head. “Hey, don’t look at me. I wouldn’t touch your money. I heard the Scottish were careful with dough, and now I’m a believer.” He turned away. “I’ll wait outside.”
Leith felt his head would explode from all the new
“I got him on a trip to Polius. He was a fuzzy yellow tube-toy with big purple eyes. He looked kind of like a giant caterpillar. Researchers had found that tubularshaped stuffed toys comforted children more than any of our advanced play designs. The discovery sparked a craze for retro-toys. Every child wanted an old-fashioned stuffed toy exactly like her ancestors played with.” Fortune laughed and shook her head. “I had educational toys that could probably build a space port in a pinch, but I only loved Skirky. I slept with him until I was seven.”
“What happened to him?”
Her smile faded, and she stared beyond Leith into the past. “Mom came home unexpectedly and found me talking to him. She threw him away. Said I was too old to be talking to a mangy-looking toy.” Fortune shrugged.
“She shouldna have done that.” His voice turned soft, understanding. “ ’Twas a friend, someone to ease yer loneliness.”
Lonely? Yes, she could admit it now. An only child, she’d wished with a child’s intensity for her mother—someone to talk to, to touch. Forget it. Think about now. Mom had probably been right. Life was real, and she shouldn’t waste it on nonsense. “Skirky doesn’t matter. He’s been gone a long time. Let’s get back to you and your conversation with that knife.”
He held it up. “ ’Tis a beauty. When I showed Lily how I could throw a knife, she said I shouldna be wi’out one. I canna believe she gave this to me.”
His smile would melt ice on Pluto, and she understood exactly why Lily had given him the knife. Lily had better watch it. Her sudden stab of fierce possessiveness surprised Fortune.
Before she could investigate that disturbing emotion, Blade entered the room. “Go take a look in the hall closet. Friends left a few clothes behind. You might find some stuff to wear.”
Leith was confused. They both wore the garments called jeans with shirts and “sneakers.” What a strange society where men and women dressed alike. But he had to admit the jeans showed Fortune’s form even better than the gown. He allowed his gaze to follow her slender legs up to her nicely rounded bottom, then gave himself permission to continue his journey to the swell of her breasts. Their spectacular peaks reminded him of home. Thank heavens women’s forms hadn’t changed in six hundred years.
He could not allow lustful thoughts to distract him, though. There would be time enough later to consider his penance.
Survival. He turned to Blade. “Before we leave to find food and clothing, ye must tell me how much this dwelling will cost.”
Blade ran his hand along the side of his face. “Well, itain’t fancy, but it’s got a good location. Since this is paying my debt to Hugh Campbell, I’ll let it go for two hundred a month.”
Leith glanced at Fortune, and she nodded. He watched as she pulled the pieces of paper she’d gotten in exchange for her cross from her pocket and offered them to Blade. “Take what you need.”
Leith closed his eyes. He couldn’t watch. Her complete trust in everyone’s honesty would be the death of them. But the pieces of paper were hers to lose, so he’d not say anything.
“Not smart carrying around a bundle like that. You might want to put some of it in a checking account.” Blade waved away the offered money. “Pay me when you get on your feet. I can wait.”
Leith opened his eyes. Count Checkin ? He reached out, snatched the paper from Fortune’s hand, then glared at Blade. Fortune stood with a dazed expression, staring at her empty hand. “I dinna know this Count Checkin, and I dinna trust my dough to anyone but myself. I willna answer for the fate of anyone who tries to take it from me.”
Blade shook his head. “Hey, don’t look at me. I wouldn’t touch your money. I heard the Scottish were careful with dough, and now I’m a believer.” He turned away. “I’ll wait outside.”
Leith felt his head would explode from all the new
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