papers?” He nodded politely. “I
take it they are Lord Bahru’s employment papers?”
Kaelin’s brows drew together and he seemed puzzled.
“Employment papers?” She looked closely at the lawgiver for the gentleman
seemed not to be hearing her. “Lord Kaelin?”
“Just Kaelin,” the lawgiver corrected absently, turning his head to look past her.
Just as Holly’s eyes had done earlier, McGregor’s pale blue orbs glazed over for a
moment. He blinked and then looked at her before snapping his fingers as though he
had just remembered why he was there.
“Ah, employment papers! Aye!” he agreed. “Where is my mind this morning?”
Catherine watched him bend forward and take up his battered satchel, open it and
rummage through the papers within until he found what he was looking for.
36
Shades of the Wind
“Let’s see.” He pulled up a folder, glanced at it and then opened it. He scanned it—
appearing as though he were seeing it for the first time. “Well, here it is then. There is a
contract for the duration of two years for Lord Bahru. Room and board and necessities
provided by the Ben-Alkazar estate, a small salary of two hundred gold sovereigns to
be paid at the end of Lord Bahru’s employment.”
“You said there was a paper for me to sign?”
Kaelin looked up at her expectantly then shuffled the papers until he found one that
had her name on it. He perused it—his face turning a bit pale—then extended it toward
her. “It is an offer for you to teach the children of Anubeion if you would be so inclined.
There is a small annual stipend, of course.”
“I would indeed!” Catherine exclaimed. “With or without a stipend! I really was
wondering how I would spend my time here.”
“Does that meet with your approval then, Kate?”
“Yes, it certainly does.” Catherine wondered why he seemed relieved at her
answer.
Once more McGregor’s brows clashed over his hawkish nose. One blond brow
crooked upward. “There is another clause that offers you the chance to assist the prince.
Would you be amenable to that as well?”
For a reason she was unable to understand, Catherine felt a shiver of reluctance go
down her spine at his words. Just exactly what did “to assist the prince” mean? She
certainly hoped her employment was not meant to be along the lines of what the
housekeeper’s was to the prince.
“I have had nursing training,” she said. “Is that what you mean?”
“That might be of help, but this employment refers to the position of being his
personal assistant,” Kaelin was quick to say as though he had sensed her unease. “There
is a lot of correspondence between the prince and his homeland, and he hates writing.”
Catherine relaxed. “Oh I understand that only too well. Both my father and Lord
Bahru are the same way.”
He gathered the papers together and took them over to the desk, placed them on
the top and took up a quill pen. “If you’ll just sign at the Xs…”
How eager he is to have me put my signature to those , she thought as she stood and
walked to the desk. Her uneasiness was increasing as she allowed him to pull out a
chair for her to sit. Once seated, she looked up at him.
“May I read the paper first?” she asked, taking the pen from him. She watched as
his face first went deathly pale then became quickly infused with high color.
“You don’t trust me?” he queried, his gaze too sharp and a touch on the frosty side.
“I have always been taught that before I put my name to any legal document, I
should first read it thoroughly and understand it,” she replied. “I mean no offense to
you or His Grace, but I am a very cautious person, Milord McGregor.”
37
Charlotte Boyett-Compo
“Kaelin,” he corrected again, this time with clenched teeth. He started to say
something else then stopped, his head going up as though someone had called his name
sharply to get his attention.
What do these people hear that I
take it they are Lord Bahru’s employment papers?”
Kaelin’s brows drew together and he seemed puzzled.
“Employment papers?” She looked closely at the lawgiver for the gentleman
seemed not to be hearing her. “Lord Kaelin?”
“Just Kaelin,” the lawgiver corrected absently, turning his head to look past her.
Just as Holly’s eyes had done earlier, McGregor’s pale blue orbs glazed over for a
moment. He blinked and then looked at her before snapping his fingers as though he
had just remembered why he was there.
“Ah, employment papers! Aye!” he agreed. “Where is my mind this morning?”
Catherine watched him bend forward and take up his battered satchel, open it and
rummage through the papers within until he found what he was looking for.
36
Shades of the Wind
“Let’s see.” He pulled up a folder, glanced at it and then opened it. He scanned it—
appearing as though he were seeing it for the first time. “Well, here it is then. There is a
contract for the duration of two years for Lord Bahru. Room and board and necessities
provided by the Ben-Alkazar estate, a small salary of two hundred gold sovereigns to
be paid at the end of Lord Bahru’s employment.”
“You said there was a paper for me to sign?”
Kaelin looked up at her expectantly then shuffled the papers until he found one that
had her name on it. He perused it—his face turning a bit pale—then extended it toward
her. “It is an offer for you to teach the children of Anubeion if you would be so inclined.
There is a small annual stipend, of course.”
“I would indeed!” Catherine exclaimed. “With or without a stipend! I really was
wondering how I would spend my time here.”
“Does that meet with your approval then, Kate?”
“Yes, it certainly does.” Catherine wondered why he seemed relieved at her
answer.
Once more McGregor’s brows clashed over his hawkish nose. One blond brow
crooked upward. “There is another clause that offers you the chance to assist the prince.
Would you be amenable to that as well?”
For a reason she was unable to understand, Catherine felt a shiver of reluctance go
down her spine at his words. Just exactly what did “to assist the prince” mean? She
certainly hoped her employment was not meant to be along the lines of what the
housekeeper’s was to the prince.
“I have had nursing training,” she said. “Is that what you mean?”
“That might be of help, but this employment refers to the position of being his
personal assistant,” Kaelin was quick to say as though he had sensed her unease. “There
is a lot of correspondence between the prince and his homeland, and he hates writing.”
Catherine relaxed. “Oh I understand that only too well. Both my father and Lord
Bahru are the same way.”
He gathered the papers together and took them over to the desk, placed them on
the top and took up a quill pen. “If you’ll just sign at the Xs…”
How eager he is to have me put my signature to those , she thought as she stood and
walked to the desk. Her uneasiness was increasing as she allowed him to pull out a
chair for her to sit. Once seated, she looked up at him.
“May I read the paper first?” she asked, taking the pen from him. She watched as
his face first went deathly pale then became quickly infused with high color.
“You don’t trust me?” he queried, his gaze too sharp and a touch on the frosty side.
“I have always been taught that before I put my name to any legal document, I
should first read it thoroughly and understand it,” she replied. “I mean no offense to
you or His Grace, but I am a very cautious person, Milord McGregor.”
37
Charlotte Boyett-Compo
“Kaelin,” he corrected again, this time with clenched teeth. He started to say
something else then stopped, his head going up as though someone had called his name
sharply to get his attention.
What do these people hear that I
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