delight.
"Here we go." Letty came out of the bathroom with a damp washcloth neatly folded into a compress. "Lie down and I
’ ll adjust it."
Xavier did as she directed and leaned back against the pillows. The folds of her brightly colored gown wafted around him as she bent to apply the compress to his bruised jaw. Surreptitiously he inhaled the delightful scent of her as he gazed at the expanse of skin exposed by the low neckline of her costume. Her hands were wonderfully gentle as she dealt with his wounds.
"Thank you, Letty," he murmured. "That feels much better."
She frowned. "You're sure a cold compress is enough? You don't want me to drive you into town to the emergency room?"
He shook his head and smiled faintly. "No. I'll be fine. I'm sorry I embarrassed you."
"I suppose it's not your fault that you aren't very familiar with the traditions of medieval poetry and songs."
"I overreacted."
"Yes, you did, but it's understandable." She smiled suddenly as she adjusted the compress. "Actually, now that I think about it, your reaction could be seen in a somewhat noble light. I mean, you did think you were defending my honor in a way, didn't you?"
He watched her from beneath half-lowered lids. "I'm glad you understand."
Her smile widened and her eyes warmed. "I'll let you in on a little secret, Xavier. It could have been worse. A lot of medieval verse is a great deal bawdier than what you heard tonight. Lots of sexual allusions to battering down castle gates and plucking roses from well-guarded towers. The poems were full of tales of knights inventing ways to sneak into ladies' bedchambers. They were an earthy bunch back in those days."
Xavier scowled. "I don't think I want to hear about it. If Peabody tries to sneak into your bedchamber, I really will throttle him. Ouch." He touched his sore lip.
"Sorry. Did I hurt you?"
He gave her a sharp glance and saw only innocence radiating from her concerned gaze. "No. It's my fault. I should have moved a little quicker when Peabody threw that punch."
Letty started to say something but broke off at the sound of high-spirited shouts out in the hall. They were followed by laughter, footsteps and a couple of distinctly feminine squeals. "Sounds like things are getting into high gear out there, doesn't it? Sheldon said this was a real party crowd."
Xavier experienced a moment of panic wondering if Letty was planning to join the others as soon as she had finished tending to his wounds. "I don't think I'll be up to any more fun and games this evening. I'd better keep the cold compress on this face of mine."
"Yes, I suppose so." She sounded uncertain. "Do you think you'll be all right up here by yourself?"
Xavier shook his head doubtfully and groaned. "You never know about the after-effects of a punch like the one Peabody landed. Takes a couple of hours to see if there's going to be any real problem."
"It does?"
He nodded. "Right. I
’ ll just sit up here and watch TV by myself. You go off and have fun. That's what you came for, isn't it?"
"Well, yes, but I feel bad about leaving you up here alone watching television while everyone else is having a great time."
"I've spent worse evenings, believe me. Run along and enjoy yourself, Letty. Don't worry about me. It wasn't your fault I got beaten up."
She stood up abruptly. "I will worry about you and that's all there is to it. And it is my fault you're hurt. At least, in a way it is. Sort of. Tell you what. I've got a deck of cards in my room. Why don't we play some gin or something?"
Xavier smiled slowly. "That's very kind of you, Letty."
"I'll get the cards."
Xavier waited until she had gone through the connecting door before he picked up the telephone and called room service.
"I want a bottle of your best champagne, no, not the California sparkling wine, the real thing. From France. What have you got?" He listened to the limited selection available in the inn's cellars as it was reeled off. Then he chose the best
"Here we go." Letty came out of the bathroom with a damp washcloth neatly folded into a compress. "Lie down and I
’ ll adjust it."
Xavier did as she directed and leaned back against the pillows. The folds of her brightly colored gown wafted around him as she bent to apply the compress to his bruised jaw. Surreptitiously he inhaled the delightful scent of her as he gazed at the expanse of skin exposed by the low neckline of her costume. Her hands were wonderfully gentle as she dealt with his wounds.
"Thank you, Letty," he murmured. "That feels much better."
She frowned. "You're sure a cold compress is enough? You don't want me to drive you into town to the emergency room?"
He shook his head and smiled faintly. "No. I'll be fine. I'm sorry I embarrassed you."
"I suppose it's not your fault that you aren't very familiar with the traditions of medieval poetry and songs."
"I overreacted."
"Yes, you did, but it's understandable." She smiled suddenly as she adjusted the compress. "Actually, now that I think about it, your reaction could be seen in a somewhat noble light. I mean, you did think you were defending my honor in a way, didn't you?"
He watched her from beneath half-lowered lids. "I'm glad you understand."
Her smile widened and her eyes warmed. "I'll let you in on a little secret, Xavier. It could have been worse. A lot of medieval verse is a great deal bawdier than what you heard tonight. Lots of sexual allusions to battering down castle gates and plucking roses from well-guarded towers. The poems were full of tales of knights inventing ways to sneak into ladies' bedchambers. They were an earthy bunch back in those days."
Xavier scowled. "I don't think I want to hear about it. If Peabody tries to sneak into your bedchamber, I really will throttle him. Ouch." He touched his sore lip.
"Sorry. Did I hurt you?"
He gave her a sharp glance and saw only innocence radiating from her concerned gaze. "No. It's my fault. I should have moved a little quicker when Peabody threw that punch."
Letty started to say something but broke off at the sound of high-spirited shouts out in the hall. They were followed by laughter, footsteps and a couple of distinctly feminine squeals. "Sounds like things are getting into high gear out there, doesn't it? Sheldon said this was a real party crowd."
Xavier experienced a moment of panic wondering if Letty was planning to join the others as soon as she had finished tending to his wounds. "I don't think I'll be up to any more fun and games this evening. I'd better keep the cold compress on this face of mine."
"Yes, I suppose so." She sounded uncertain. "Do you think you'll be all right up here by yourself?"
Xavier shook his head doubtfully and groaned. "You never know about the after-effects of a punch like the one Peabody landed. Takes a couple of hours to see if there's going to be any real problem."
"It does?"
He nodded. "Right. I
’ ll just sit up here and watch TV by myself. You go off and have fun. That's what you came for, isn't it?"
"Well, yes, but I feel bad about leaving you up here alone watching television while everyone else is having a great time."
"I've spent worse evenings, believe me. Run along and enjoy yourself, Letty. Don't worry about me. It wasn't your fault I got beaten up."
She stood up abruptly. "I will worry about you and that's all there is to it. And it is my fault you're hurt. At least, in a way it is. Sort of. Tell you what. I've got a deck of cards in my room. Why don't we play some gin or something?"
Xavier smiled slowly. "That's very kind of you, Letty."
"I'll get the cards."
Xavier waited until she had gone through the connecting door before he picked up the telephone and called room service.
"I want a bottle of your best champagne, no, not the California sparkling wine, the real thing. From France. What have you got?" He listened to the limited selection available in the inn's cellars as it was reeled off. Then he chose the best
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