Once And Always

Chapter 33

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"Here, now, my dear," the Mom Luang Warattaya Nilkuha said, patting her great-grandson's shoulder. "It breaks my heart to see you looking so wretched."

Tee bit his lip, staring out of the window at the manicured lawns stretching out before him, and said nothing.

"I can scarcely believe your husband hasn't come here yet to apologize for the outrageous deceit he and Prama practiced on you," the the mom luang declared irritably. "Perhaps he didn't arrive home the that night, after all." Restlessly, she walked about the room, leaning on her cane, her lively eyes darting toward the windows as if she, too, expected to see Tae Kreepolrerk arriving at any moment. "When he does put in an appearance, it will afford me great satisfaction if you force him to get down on his knees!"

A wry, mirthless smile touched Tee's soft lips. "Then you are bound to be disappointed, Grandmae, for I can assure you beyond any doubt that Tae will not do that. He's more likely to walk in here and try to kiss me and, and—"

"—and seduce you into coming home?" the old lady finished bluntly.

"Exactly."

"And could he accomplish that?" she asked, tipping her white head to the side, her eyes momentarily amused despite her frown.

Tee sighed and turned around, leaning his head against the window frame and folding his arms across his chest, it has been three days since he ran away from the mansion, and he's missing his husband. "Probably."

"Well, he's certainly taking his time about it. Do you truly believe he knew about Mr. Thanit's letters? I mean, if he did know about them, it was utterly unprincipled of him not to tell you."

"Tae has no principles," Tee said with weary anger. "He doesn't believe in them."

The mom luang resumed her thoughtful pacing but she stopped short when she came to Hades, who was lying in front of the fireplace. She shuddered and changed direction. "What sin I've committed to deserve having this ferocious beast as a house guest, I don't know."

A sad giggle emitted from Tee. "Shall I chain him outside?"

"Good God, no! He tore the seat of Michaelson's breeches when he tried to feed him this morning."

"He doesn't trust other men."

"A wise animal. Ugly though."

"I think he's beautiful in a wild, predatory way—" like Tae, Tee thought, and hastily cast the debilitating recollection aside.

"Before I sent Bas off to France, he had already adopted a puppy, two cats, and a sparrow with a broken wing. I didn't like them either, but at least they didn't watch me like this animal does. I tell you, he has every happy expectation of eating me. Even now, he's wondering how I'll taste."

"He's watching you because he thinks he's guarding you," Tee explained, smiling.

"He thinks he's guarding his next meal! No, no," she said, raising her hand when Tee started toward Hades, intending to put him outside. "Don't, I beg you, endanger any more of my servants. Besides," she relented enough to admit, "I haven't felt this safe in my house since your great-grandfather was alive."

"You don't have to worry about prowlers sneaking in," Tee agreed, returning to his vigil at the window.

"Sneaking in? My dear, you couldn't bribe a prowler to enter this room."