An Inconvenient Arrangement

Chapter 56: The Viper and The Phantom

Sebastian sighed as he assessed the damage to the roof of his stable. It had been in need of repairs for several years, but the heavy rain and sleet from the night before had taken out a whole section of the roof. A sheet would have to do for now, and he'd ask his neighbor if they could host his two steeds for the time being.

He looked at the two horses, as different as night and day. Orion, tall, strong with a thick mane and coat as dark as midnight. A warrior's horse. One that had ridden through battlefields, among the sounds of firing canons and shooting bullets. And then there was Daisy, much smaller than Orion, prone to fits of stubbornness, and entirely too fond of sugar cubes. And yet the two were entirely inseparable.

An apt analogy it seemed.

"My life would be easier if I could just make you into stew," he muttered as he saddled Daisy. She gave an annoyed snort and kicked her hind legs in protest. "You'll do me no good frozen, Daisy."

A few drops of ice-cold water fell on his head through the leaking roof and he sighed.

He'd have to send someone into town to get supplies, he didn't want to go himself yet, the townspeople were still wary of the outsider with his honey-hued skin and scars marring his face. Though now that he had perpetuated the tale of being a war veteran, he had found himself much more warmly greeted. Some of his neighbors had even come over to say hello and make his acquaintance, but the rest of the town needed more time to acclimate. To see that he was not a terrifying stranger, rather just a man trying to make his home in their isolated little town.

Rough, rapid barking jerked him from his assessment of the roof, and a second later the large bodies of two of his wolfhounds entered through the door. Their bodies were stiff with anger, they were barking to get his attention. Sebastian felt his heartbeat fasten, his body going into what he referred to as his battle state. He felt twitchy with restless energy, his blood pumping through his veins urging him to do something. His awareness of every sight and sound felt heightened and he felt like ten times the fool for leaving his guns back at the fucking cottage.

Oh, God. Please let her be safe.

As he approached his home, he noticed another horse tied near the well, grazing on the still-wet grass. He forced himself to take a deep breath. He had to remain calm and in control of the situation. He knew that there was a chance that someone from his old life might find him, he knew that the Widow's help could only extend so far, but he had hoped he'd have some more time to make arrangements.

He entered through the kitchen door, and his heart froze in his chest when he saw The Phantom sitting at the table in the kitchen, talking casually to a young woman.

"Who do we have here?" He asked her, striving for calmness as she beamed at him in greeting. The warmth of her smile did nothing to melt the icy shards of terror that were piercing his heart. "And where is Hades?"

His other two dogs trotted in, diligently putting themselves between The Phantom and the woman.

"Ah, this is Mr. Carlisle, a lawyer from Edinburgh. He's passing through town in order to meet with a client further east. His steed took a stumble in the mud down the road and he hurt himself- a small sprain nothing more, but we're waiting for the Physician to come by and check. Isn't it fortunate that I was on my walk with Mum and I found him! Mr. Carlisle, this is my husband- Sebastian. And as for Hades, he was barking up such a racket that I had to lock him upstairs!"

The Phantom's eyebrow went up in surprise, an expression that his sweet little wife caught, coming to his defense immediately.

"Sebastian served on The Continent, he is a veteran," she said in her typical sweet manner, but there was no mistaking the reproach there. She thought The Phantom was making a face at his scars and the color of his skin.