Always Darkest (10 page)

“Good morning Tori.”

“Good morning Mason.”
 
She sat up and pulled the covers as high as she could around her chin.

“I brought some coffee for you.”
 
He said and indicated the cup on the nightstand. The smell was irresistible and she reached a tentative hand from beneath the covers to retrieve it, the need for caffeine temporarily overpowering any embarrassment.
 
“How did you sleep?”

“Very well, thank you, and for the coffee.” She took a sip and oh god it was the most amazing coffee ever.
 
“How long have you been sitting there?”

“Just a little while, you looked so peaceful I couldn’t stand to wake you.”
 
He smiled.
 
“The others are downstairs having breakfast.
 
I brought yours up for you.
 
It is on the table over there.” He indicated a small café style table sitting by the large window. I have to make some arrangements before we leave, so I’ll leave you to eat and get ready.”
 
He got up and walked to the door.
 
Before he walked out he turned back.
 
“Oh and you look even more beautiful in the morning.”
 
Then he was gone before she could give any kind of reply.

Once she was alone in his room she pulled back the crimson covers and walked over to the table.
 
She sat down her coffee cup on the table and looked at the tray that had been prepared for her.
 
There was an apple and two slices of thick toasted wheat bread, almond butter and honey.
 
There was also a single red rose.
 
She had never gotten breakfast in bed or treatment like this before.
 
It made her want to cry.
 
Why was everyone being so nice to her?
 
She was just Tori.

After she ate the delicious meal and drank the coffee she felt more awake.
 
She went to the washroom and then went to the room she was supposed to be sharing with Willa.
 
She was there already sitting on the bed beside a dress she had laid out for Tori.

“So you spent the night in my grandson’s bed?”
 
She knew the old woman was teasing by the way she smiled.

“I did, but he spent the night on the couch, thank you very much.
 
I just had a hard time getting to sleep last night.”
 

“I know dear.
 
I wouldn’t expect anything less from my Mason and I know I snore a little.”

Tori laughed, “a little?”

Willa laughed with her.
 
“I got an outfit laid out for you.
 
You get freshened up and I’ll see you downstairs.”
 
She got up and walked out the door.

Tori bathed and dressed as quickly as she could.
 
She didn’t want to hold everyone else up.
 
She did take a few moments to smooth her hair and apply the make up Willa had thoughtfully laid out for her on the dressing table.
 
The dress Willa had selected for her today was very pretty.
 
It was a red sleeveless shirtdress with a brown leather belt.
 
The outfit was completed by an ivory cardigan.
 
It accentuated her curves perfectly and she was pleased when she looked in the mirror.

When she went downstairs to the kitchen she found Margie doing the breakfast dishes.
 
“Good morning, Tori.
 
Did you enjoy the ball?”

“Good morning to you too and yes I did.
 
It was amazing!
 
Thanks again!”

“I thought you would have fun!
 
I remember my first ball like it was yesterday.”
 
She paused while she was drying a plate and looked wistfully at Tori.
 
“Oh, by the way, everyone just stepped outside into the carriage house.
 
You can get there quicker if you use the door at the back of the pantry.”
 
Margie said as she pointed the way.

Tori walked through the well stocked pantry and sure enough there was a door at the end that led into what she would call a garage.
 
There was the nice carriage they had ridden in last night.
 
Mason was stroking one of the two absolutely gorgeous black horses and Justin, Willa, and Thomas were standing by the carriage door chatting amicably.

“You have great timing.”
 
Mason said walking over to her.
 
He had on a leather belt slung low around his hips and it made him look all the more scrumptious.
 
Hanging from the belt was a sword and she wondered if he really used a sword.

“I tried to hurry.” Tori said thinking she had taken too much time.

“No really we just finished breakfast.
 
You are fine.
 
Okay this is how we are going to do this.
 
Justin, you are to ride up front with me in the driver’s seat.
 
Granny and Tori will sit in the back.
 
Thomas, you will be under Tori’s seat until we get out of Nathis.”

Mason stepped into the carriage and fiddled with the rear bench seat of the carriage until it lifted.
 
“It’s not exactly the most comfortable, but it should do until we get out of the city.
 
I will let you know when you can come out as soon as is prudent.
 
Will this work for you?”

“Yes, I’m not as flexible as I used to be but I think I can manage.”
 
Thomas got into the bench seat and Mason lowered the bench.

“Ladies, your carriage waits.”
 
Mason helped his granny into the carriage and then he took Tori’s hand to assist her up as well.
 
She was going to miss those hands, but she had a little worry in the back of her mind.
 
What kind of man had a hidden compartment in his carriage?

Mason and Justin got into the driver’s seat and Mason gave a yell to the horses and they were once again navigating the streets of Nathis.
 
Tori was
struck once again at the beauty of the buildings and the resemblance to an older
New York City
.
 
Within minutes they were at the gate.

The carriage stopped and Tori took in Mason’s ease as the guard approached.

“Good morning Ernie.”
 
Mason said.

“Good morning,” the guard said.
 
“I hate to give you any trouble, but did you hear about what happened at the castle last night.’

“No, what happened?”

“You know old Thomas, the king’s tinker. Well he overpowered the guards and escaped.”

“Really, I thought he was an old man?”

“Yeah, the guards were still drunk as hell this morning and that’s all anyone knows. The king is furious, says we got to check every single soul going out of the city.
 
Pain in the ass is what it is.”
 
He turned his head and spat something on the ground.
 
“I know you and your granny well enough, but who is it you got beside you, and who is that lovely creature in back with your granny?’

“This is Justin Bushwhacker and that is his sister Victoria.”

“What business do they have in Nathis?”

Mason recounted the cover story he had given them about him courting Tori and Justin being along to chaperone.

“You old dog,” the guard said shaking his head.
 
“I still need to see their marks.”

Justin rolled up his sleeve and showed the mark Mason had put their last night.
 
Tori looked quickly down at her arm, hoping she hadn’t scrubbed too hard this morning.
 
Thankfully, it was still there.
 
The guard nodded his approval at Justin and then came around the back of the carriage to see Tori’s arm.
 
He nodded that she was okay as well.
 
“You know if you don’t take to Mason here, I’m single, at this very gate most days.”
 
He winked at her.
 

“I’ll take it under advisement.”
 
Tori said as nonchalantly as possible.

“Ernie, you better quit harassing my fiancé.” Mason said laughing.

“Fine, fine,” the guard said and stepped away motioning that they could go on.

The river was amazing in the light of the suns.
 
It sparkled and gleamed far beneath the bridge.
 
Tori let he mind wander as she looked down at the water.
 
He had said fiancé. Tori knew it was just the cover up story, but hearing him call her his fiancé sounded so nice.
 
If only she could just stay here and get to know him…
 
If only she didn’t have to go back to Earth and her real life…
 
She stopped herself. Thinking like this was useless and harmful.
 
She had to go back.
 
Her sister was probably worried sick.
 
So what if she was attracted to him, and he was kind and handsome?
 
So what if she felt amazing at his slightest touch?
 
It just didn’t matter.
 
She had a life and she was going to be back to it soon.
 
He was probably just being nice to her because his granny wanted him to be courteous.
 
As far as the comments and the soft touches, well, he was a man and she was a moderately attractive woman that he wouldn’t have to ever see again.
 
Talk about the ultimate freebie!

“Whoa girlie, you must be thinking about something pretty hard.
 
You are giving me a headache over here.”
 
Willa said.

“Oh, I’m sorry.
 
I was just thinking about how I was going to explain all this to my sister.”
 
It wasn’t an out right lie.

“I see.
 
Did you come up with anything?”

“No.”

“Well, if it’s your family you should just tell her the truth.”

“She would have me committed!”

“Ah, family is a lot more understanding than you think.
 
You should give her some credit.”

“Maybe,” Tori said.
 
“But this is all kind of hard for me to believe, and I’m here.”

Willa laughed.

When they were about a mile out of the city Mason stopped the carriage and came around to the back. “Tori, if you wouldn’t mind moving over beside Granny, I can free Thomas now.”

Tori complied and Mason fiddle beneath the seat again.
 
Soon the top of the seat was raised and he helped Thomas out.

“That wasn’t so bad.” The old man said stretching his arms.
 

“Tori would you like to switch places with Justin?
 
He’s good company and all, but I prefer yours.”
 
Mason said winking at her.

“Sure I would love to be with you.
 
I mean ride you.
 
Shit!
 
I mean ride up front with you.”
 
Damn it, Tori thought, she just sounded like an idiot. She knew her face was ten shades of red now.

Mason laughed heartily and so did Willa.
 
Thomas just looked between the two of them.
 
Mason assisted Tori out of the carriage and into the seat beside him.
 
He got the carriage moving again and Tori stared straight ahead at the lush green landscape of the countryside, trying her best not look at him.

“So, you would love to be with me?” Mason asked.

“You know what I meant!”

“I do. We have a term for when you mean to say something and say something else instead. I read somewhere that there is a term for it in your land as well. What was it called?”

“It’s called a Freudian slip.”

“We call it speaking the truth.”

Chapter Fourteen

Tori was
so embarrassed by Mason’s comment she stared directly ahead.
 
What could she say?
 
She could lie and say that none of those things were true.
 
But she wasn’t raised to lie.
 
Mason was driving the horses and each time she tried to sneak a glance at him, he was looking directly at her.
 
Finally, she turned to him.

“Maybe it is the truth, but it doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me.”

“Why?”

Mason looked directly into her eyes. “It matters because I want you. I have fallen in love with you.”
 

Tori’s heart sped up and she felt like she couldn’t breathe.
 
“You can’t possibly love me.
 
You barely know me. You wouldn’t even have ever met me if I hadn’t landed in your granny’s geraniums.”

“Everything happens for a reason.”

“Mason, you really should just drop it.”

“If that is truly what you want,” he said still staring into her eyes.