kept her from hearing the rest of the conversation between Gavin and Neva.
Within minutes a small bowl of piping hot stew was before her.
A loaf of bread that smelled as if it was fresh from the oven was placed between her bowl and Gavin’s, easily three times its size.
She raised her eyebrows. “You’re not really going to eat all of that.”
He took another bite and then took a large gulp of his own water. “As good as this is, I’ll go back and ask for more.”
Gavin cut off a piece of bread and placed it on the rim of her bowl. “Try to eat something,” he said more quietly.
She took a tentative bite and the spice caught her off guard, only a quick nibble of the bread was enough to quell the fire on her tongue.
Then she took another bite, slower this time.
She was hungry, hungrier than she’d been since he had brought her back from the dead.
“It’s good,” she admitted. “But what about the girl in the camp? We can’t just--”
Gavin grabbed her hand, bringing it to his face, brushing her fingertips with his lips.
Every bit of air left her, as sparks flew through her veins. She couldn’t look away from his gaze, something deep inside her answering his every touch.
“Now that’s what I like to see from newlyweds,” Mistress Neve appeared from behind her. “I wanted to make sure that everything was good, but from the way you’re wrapped up in each other, I doubt if you’d notice if I gave you burnt toast!”
Gavin lowered Esme’s hand, but didn’t release it. “Now that I’ve eaten your cooking, I’d certainly notice. The meal is excellent, and I’m sure we’ll do justice to it.”
Right.
Of course.
Esme took another bite of stew, and kicked herself. She’d been about to blurt out about the man who’d threatened the girl back at the caravan, and she had no idea what the attacker looked like.
He could be here, in this room.
He could be anywhere.
“The stew is lovely, really. And the bread is just as good,” she managed.
Neve smiled brightly. “I’ve got an apple cake coming out of the oven in just a few moments. It’ll be cool enough to cut by the time you’re done. Would you like me to bring you over a slice?”
“Could we bring it to our room?” Gavin answered with a roguish grin. “We’re heading to bed early, I’m tired.”
Neve smiled knowingly and Esme blushed again.
But once he’d closed the door to their room behind them, he was all business.
“I need to check with Jormoi,” Gavin said. “See what he’s found. You should have a slice of that cake.”
Esme moved the cover from the dish and laughed. “It’s not some slices- she sent us up with the whole thing!”
“Must have thought we’d be working up an appetite.” Gavin reached over her shoulder and broke off a piece. “If it’s anything like her stew, I’ll be glad she sent us with extra. I wonder if we can get her recipes loaded into Ship’s replicators.”
He was silly, but he was right.
If anything, the cake was even better than the stew, the moist pieces of apple blending with the spices perfectly.
Esme finished her slice faster than she expected, her hand hovering over the rest of the platter.
Maybe she should leave it for Gavin.
But it was tasty.
Gavin paced the length of the room, his voice pitched so low she could barely hear it.
It wasn’t until he passed closer to her that she was able to make out a few phrases.
“No, I’ll be there in a minute.”
He circled away, then back.
“We’ll finish the search together.”
Well, that settled things.
She left the slice alone and moved towards the bag Gavin had brought up from the wagon on their arrival.
Digging through it, she pulled out what she needed just as he came up behind her.
“What are you doing?”
“Help me get this stupid thing off,” she answered, hands flying down her side to loosen the laces.
“What?” he nearly shouted.
Looking over her shoulder she laughed.
Gavin’s eyes were wide, startled, a second hunk of the apple cake halfway to his mouth, frozen in place.
“Finish the apple cake, and then help me with this,” she explained. “I need help getting out of this pile of fabric.”
“Right.” He put the cake down, brushing his hands off the edge of his tunic. “So how does this work, exactly?”
“The laces are down the side,” she said. “I can get those easily. It’s just that the skirts are so full, I’d have to crawl out of it