Leif knew he was a lucky man as he looked over the companions before him. Sir Glen, his host tonight, allowed him first selection for his evening companion. Initially he narrowed the choices down to three. He didn't have to question their abilities; Sir Glen was renown in his circles for his training. All the women waited patiently as they waited to hear from Leif's lips which among them would be selected by him to serve as his companion tonight. They had brought in, asked to kneel in front of Sir Glen's chair illuminated by the fireplace. From the shadows, Leif had come forward, to avoid their curious gazes.
Here in the library lit only by the room's fire, heavy evening shadows were cast over the room. Only Sir Glen's finest would be available tonight. He had seen most of the companions that had come to Sir Glen or had been brought to him for training. They knew him, and of his history.
All but one raven-haired vision who Leif had never met before. She stole a glimpse of Mr. Leif, against all she had been taught. Her conscious prayed that Sir Glen might have missed her slight in fraction. A casual thump of Sir Glen's cane on the floor told her she had been spotted. Internally she cringed.
Leif ignored the reprimand that Sir Glen issued and then approached the daring woman and lifted her chin so that he could read her name on the gold necklace she wore. She chose the moment to look up at him, but could not make out his features because he blocked the light from the fireplace.
"If I may Sir Glen, I believe I would like to select the company of..." he looked into her hazel eyes with a roguish grin, "this siren." He turned to look at the formidable, aging man who he had known in great detail so many years ago. Leif fought the training he had to go and wait by the man's side and help him with his robes.
Sir Glen nodded, his eyes narrowing to her in warning to her. He was fair, but she should remember all he had taught her.
"Yes, Taylor should be a good foil for your skills Mr. Leif." He spoke to Leif motioning with a slight wave of his hand commanding the remaining two to withdraw and rejoin the others, awaiting the other guests of the evening, leaving Taylor at Leif's feet. Hearing the name of the mysterious guest, undoubtedly it would be common knowledge in the entire household in the matter of minutes the identity of the protected guest of Sir Glen. But when his eyes fell back on Leif, Sir Glen's eyes sparkled in a private joke between them.
Sir Glen beckoned his favorite, Laurie, to his side and whispered a few instructions and then motioned for Leif to join him to return to the majority of the gathering. Before Taylor followed silently behind Leif, Laurie slipped Taylor a small package and tucked it in her gown.
Sir Glen and Leif entered the entrance hall, Master and apprentice. In the entrance hall to Sir Glen's home, Leif was nearly blinded after being in the dark quiet room for nearly fifteen minutes. The other guests took note of Sir Glen and nodded and shook his hand as he mingled. They watched Mr. Leif warily.
"You're new here." Lief spoke as he drew Taylor into the shadows of the grand hall behind a large marble column. Taylor shook having been addressed for the first time. She studied his boots, an unusual cut as they were stitched on the outside and not high gloss as many of the other boots she had studied from Sir Glen's collection.
"It is the first time Sir Glen has allowed me to join his evening functions." She dared to allow her gaze to travel up. He was dressed unusually casual for tonight although his blue jeans were new. However, his black cloth robes were starched and crisp for the evening. She was surprised that he didn't wear a belt, but black suspenders with brass fittings engraved with what she decided were his initials.
A derisive chuckle rose from his lips. "A daring one."
"I am sorry." She swallowed hard wondering what Mr. Leif must think of her horrible memory of all she had been taught.
"Oh, to the contrary, I do not mind a little boldness. You must be curious. Step back and look your fill for now."
As she did as she was told, she wondered what he was thinking of her. But her gaze continued as her eyes rose over him. His white shirt was worn, but like his robes were crisp and well starched. But looking into his pale blue eyes, Taylor found he was amused at her curiosity.
Three chimes echoed over the murmur of gossip and laughter that had risen in the grand hall and the entry. The guests seemed to part as Sir Glen and his favorite began to head to the dining room, hand in hand. Most guests had already met their companions for the evening, having previously agreed to the conditions that Sir Glen set. Those that hadn't would meet their companion at dinner. Then a select few wouldn't have a companion at all: the collars marked total commitment, and had been brought as guests of Sir Glen.
Taylor reached into her gown feeling the small package she had been given. She pulled it out and looked at it, realizing it was a pair of dinner gloves for Mr. Leif. She presented them to him.
Again, he chuckled. Taylor found herself attracted to the sultry deep resonance in his voice. "Laurie knows me all too well." He took the gloves, giving Taylor a chance to see his hands. To her surprise, the back of his left hand was marked with a tattoo that only belonged Sir Glen's order. Taylor had not ever met another in Sir Glen's order, and as the hair on the back of her neck stood on end in warning, she undoubtedly was intrigued by the man who had chosen her as his companion for the evening.
Sir Glen's order was men who had come to him at one time or another to be companions. Clearly, though, Mr. Leif was not a companion, at least not anymore. In some ways, the companions of the order were another class unto themselves in the house. All bore the distinctive tattoo of a triangle inscribed of a circle, which in itself was inscribed in a square.
"Now we just need to endure the formalities for at least an hour and then we'll be off on our own." He reluctantly zipped up his own robes, looking as formal as the rest of the guests of Sir Glen.
"Mr. Leif, you cannot tell me that you find amusement in allowing your companion to watch you as you dress." A woman in her own flowing robes and dinner gloves approached Leif as if she was walking on a cloud. "I admire your skill Mr. Leif, taking her already in a public hall. Perhaps you should join the group later in the dungeons?"
"Ah Lady Marie." Leif greeted her warmly with a false smile.
"Now Mr. Leif, I did see you exit Sir Glen's private rooms with this enchanting companion. I hope that you, I, and she might meet up again later tonight?" her perfume surrounded them, and Taylor fought off the urge to fan the air.
Leif turned back to look at Taylor. "I'll see what I can do Lady Marie. But I do believe my companion is only for my eyes tonight." Taylor did not need to look to Mr. Leif to know that his words were genuine.
"Ah well, I'll see you a dinner then." And with a seductive wink she floated away.
"If you'll humor me for one more thing my companion." Taylor's eyes lit up as Mr. Leif addressed her. He hung a silver pendant around her neck.
"This will keep people like Lady Marie at bay." He kissed her shoulder allowing the cold clasp to fall against her pale neck. Taylor stole a moment of inspection of the pendant. On the plain silver disk, three block letters were stamped out: his initials.
In a moment of introspection, she wondered if there was nothing he didn't put his initials on. Obediently, she followed Mr. Leif wondering what lay ahead in the evening.
In the dining room, it seemed as if the guests had thinned out considerably. Or perhaps now that they were lining up around the table instead of the haphazard cliques that dominated the friends of Sir Glen, that there seemed to be less of them. Every high back wooden chair had an accompanying cushion on the floor for companions, except for Sir Glen's, which Taylor marked with fascination. When all the guests had located their seats, Sir Glen entered, with Laurie. She also noted that Mr. Leif was seated at Sir Glen's left hand.
