Page 119 of The Ranger
“Here, put this on,” Maida said, handing her one. “We can change here and dry in the sun after swimming.”
“Sounds good to me. Thank you.” She headed for the changing screen. “Would you like to change first?”
“No. I’ll use the screen in my mother’s room. I’ll be right back.” She disappeared into the hall.
Makama changed quickly, her heart picking up. She should’ve slipped away to swim yesterday, but they were so overwhelmed with trying to convince the Cookes about Markhel’s origins, she never got the chance.
It wasn’t long before Maida returned, wearing her makeshift bathing outfit. She spun a full circle to show it off. “I know my ankles and calves are showing but it can’t be helped.” She studied Makama. “You look lovely in that. The prince will like it.”
Makama blushed. She didn’t know why. She was married for crying out loud. But they did marry fast by her time’s standards, so she supposed she’d be blushing for quite a while. “We better go downstairs.”
By the time they did, Markhel was bringing the wagon around.
“Oh, dear,” Maida said. “Vale and Markhel don’t have anything to swim in.”
“They’ll manage.” She headed for the wagon. Vale was outside with Honoria. Probably trying to convince her the two of them were good enough to act as chaperones.
“Vale, Honoria,” Makama greeted and pointed to her outfit. “Well, babe, what do you think?”
Vale’s eyes raked over her. “Splendid! What a clever idea.”
He looked at Maida’s swimming outfit. “Who thought of it?”
“Shona MacDonald showed my mother years ago what to do with old dresses,” Maida said. She shot Honoria a nervous look then fidgeted with a loose button on her dress.
“I see,” Vale said. “Seems the MacDonalds have had a hand in your family’s lives for a long time. They’re good people.”
Honoria took a deep breath. “I can’t argue with that. They’ve never done us any harm.”
“Nor us,” he said.
Makama tried to hide a smile.Touché, Vale.
Everyone climbed into the wagon, except Honoria. She stood, arms crossed, glaring at Markhel. “I want you back here by dinnertime. All of you.”
He gave her a single nod. “As you wish.” Markhel turned the wagon around and they were off.
Maida sat on the seat with him, while she and Vale sat in the back. Part of her thought this was going to be fun. The other part was worried something might happen. If the pain hit the bonding couple and incapacitated them, what were they going to do? Kwaku, Zara, and the others were gone. They were on their own for the rest of the day.
When they reached the trail that led down into the canyon, she noticed Markhel’s shoulders were less tense. Good. He’d probably thought Honoria was going to tag along. But so far, he’d been doing fine, and she hoped he stayed relaxed, and enjoyed Maida’s company.
When they reached the meadow below, she sighed in relief at the sound of the nearby creek.
Vale nudged her with an elbow. “You need this, don’t you?”
“I do. More than I thought I would.”
“Forgive me for slacking in my husbandly duties. I should have brought you here yesterday. Nothing like a midnight swim.”
She looped her arm through his and kissed him on the cheek. “Especially with you.”
“Temptress.” He put a hand behind her head and kissed her.
Maida giggled, but she ignored it. She’d find out what it was like to be kissed and Makama hoped it was sooner than later. She had no idea how Markhel was going to pull this off as stoic as he was. But the more she got to know Maida, the more she saw how she would balance him and his inner heart. Thank Heaven for that.
* * *
Maida couldn’t waitto get in the water. Getting to see Markhel swim, had her counting the seconds. The more time she spent with him, the more she liked him. And he was so strikingly handsome, she couldn’t stand it. Yes, he was tall, but the Bergs told her about Vale’s father, who was also tall in comparison to his mother. Apparently, when his mother and father were courting, she had to stand on a step or a rock just to kiss him!