There's No Place Like Rhodes (Book 2)

Sipping Homemade Wine

Charlotte gingerly removed Arthur's arm and eased off the bed. She stood and watched over him a moment. As she did so, he adjusted the arm she'd laid under to drape across his eyes and block the rising dawn streaming in from the window, without waking. A few buttons at his chest were open and he'd tucked his hand inside the opening at some point in the night.

The visual reminded her suddenly and starkly of the fretful weeks she'd endured months ago, when she'd been desperately trying to keep him alive after she'd found him on the cliffs. As she watched him sleep now, she swore his chest stopped moving. She looked away and listened with closed eyes for his light snoring to reassure herself it was all in her mind. That first week in her care, she'd had to do the same thing several times a day, holding her breath to hear the whispering of his.

All that time she'd spent hadn't been squandered. In the end, her gamble had paid off and his life had been saved. His condition had improved since then. Today, his breathing was wheezy, but audible and consistent. It was only her fear that had her hearing silence.

Although, who could blame her? It'd been...well, it'd been an unsettling past few days, to put in mildly. Between her partner being jailed, getting involved in another shootout and seeing her brother being jumped by wolves, this had been the most trying holiday of her life.

Charlotte left the room quietly and went into the main room. She glanced in the direction of her brother and smiled. He was sleeping in a haphazardly fashion, blanket strewn across half his body and his arms flailed out as if he had slipped backward onto the floor and fallen asleep in that position.

She went to the stove and put the coffee pot on. She thought on how brave Benji had been coming out here on his own. It was more than likely without Father's knowledge, let alone his permission. She was happy to have him all the same, even though a part of her suspected he came more to visit with Arthur than on her behalf.

While she let her coffee cool some, she dressed for cold weather. Arthur's gruff warning, Make sure you take that rifle was a reminder always living on the edge of her mind. She put on her coat and made sure to sling the rifle over her shoulder as a precaution.

"Where are you off to?"

The voice startled her as it cut abruptly into the quiet of the morning. She spun to find Benji sitting up and stretching.

She buttoned her coat and didn't meet his eye. "Sleep a little more, brother. I won't be long."

Instead, Benji stood. "But what are you doing?"

Charlotte sighed and glanced at the door. There would be no getting past him and she didn't want to cause a ruckus this early in the morning. "I'm taking a short walk."

He peered around the room, obviously noticing Arthur's absence. "By yourself?"

"Would you like to join me?" she challenged.

She honestly hadn't thought he'd take her up so was surprised when he went for his shoes and coat, replying. "I'll join you."

Together, the two siblings left the house, opening the door to a blindingly white morning. She led him through the silence of the outside, boots crunching on the glittering snow. The sun had only just started lighting up the sky.

She'd already questioned Benji last night all about how everything was going for him so now she asked, "How's Clark?"

He said glumly, "Annoyingly blissful."

Bemused, she queried, "Aren't we supposed to be happy for our dear brother?"

Benji shook his head and complained, "You thought he was insufferable before. Now that he has everything he wanted, he's ten times worse in his pomposity."