Flavor exploded in her mouth. This was good. She munched happily, taking the occasional sip of the cider as she ordered her thoughts. She had no idea where Marc was or when he’d left her. Part of her was glad for a few moments to herself but another part of her was disappointed he hadn’t been beside her when she woke.
Finishing off the slice of bread and cheese, she licked her fingers and stared longingly at the table. She’d take another slice with her. Right now, she needed to find her clothing and to check on Tienan and Logan. Then they needed to figure out what the heck they were going to do about their situation. If the information in the book was correct, the tapestry should reappear sometime tomorrow to take them home.
Taking a final sip of the sweet cider, she put the glass aside and padded toward the door in the corner. She hoped her clothing was still in the bathing room. The tub was empty but there was a basin of water on a stand in the corner and the water was still warm. Dropping her fur, she washed and dried her body quickly, using the soap and cloth she found next to the basin.
Her bra and panties were draped across a wooden rod. They were damp to the touch but not too bad. Someone had obviously washed them and hung them to dry. She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of some stranger touching her underwear but she was too glad for clean clothing to worry about it. She slipped them on, shivering slightly at the cold dampness. It was better than running around half naked.
Her shoes were there but her socks were missing. There was also no sign of her pants but there was a robe on a hook by the door. She slipped it on. The dark green fabric was soft against her skin but the hem pooled around her feet. It was obviously meant for a much taller and bigger person. Marc?
She ignored the warm glow that started low in her stomach as she knotted the belt around her waist. It would do for now. She thought about slipping on her shoes but didn’t want to wear them without her socks. Glancing around, she found a wooden comb and worked the tangles out of her hair before braiding it. She looked around for something to tie the ends but came up empty handed.
Shuffling back to the bedroom, she figured she’d look there. Maybe there was something in the trunk that would do. The first thing she noticed was her purse tucked away by the head of the bed. She’d missed it when she’d rolled out of bed. Hurrying forward, she picked it up, upending everything onto the bed. Several elastics tumbled out and she grabbed one and twisted it around the end of her hair to hold her braid together.
Her sewing kit and small makeup bag were there, along with her wallet, a pack of tissues, her key cards, work ID card, a half eaten chocolate bar and some loose change.
Unzipping the makeup bag, she ignored the tweezers, which had been cleaned, and pulled out her small bottle of moisturizer and her lip balm. That was the extent of her makeup.
Pouring some of the lotion onto her fingers, she rubbed it over her face before capping the bottle and shoving everything back into her bag. Nothing there for her to wear. Tucking the bag back where she’d found it, she then went to the trunk at the end of the bed and opened it. She’d barely started rummaging around when a knock came on the door.
Holding the lapels of the robe together, she walked slowly to the door. “Yes?” The handle turned and the door opened and Christina stuck her head in through the opening. “Are you up for a visitor?”
Kathryn knew she had to deal with the reality of the situation. Seemed as if her reprieve was over. Besides, she was interested in the woman who’d left her life behind to stay and make a life in this strange world. “Come in.” Christina entered, closing the door behind her. She was wearing a floor-length blue dress that matched her eyes. In her hands, she had a bundle of clothing, which she offered to Kathryn. “I figured you’d be looking for something to wear right about now.”
“Thank you.” Gratitude flowed through her. “I couldn’t find my pants this morning and my blouse is a total write-off.” And she was babbling because she was nervous.
It suddenly occurred to her that she’d slept with a man who was emotionally and physically tied to this woman. Marc might not be Christina’s husband, but they had been intimate. Very intimate.
Her stomach was suddenly queasy and the food she’d eaten threatened to come back up. She’d slept with another woman’s man! When it was happening, it had felt so natural and right that she hadn’t even questioned it. In her mind, Marc was hers.
What had she done? Maybe Christina didn’t know what had happened between her and Marc last night. Not that it made the situation any better, but Kathryn didn’t want to hurt the other woman.
To hide her trepidation, she started to sort through the garments, stopping when she found a pair of loose trousers.
“I thought you’d like those.” Christina smiled but Kathryn could see the strain around her eyes and mouth.
“I’m sorry if we’ve brought trouble to your home.” She could only imagine how the other woman must have felt with three complete strangers invading her home, delivered by a magical tapestry, no less.
Christina shook her head, making her long, white-blonde hair shimmer. “It’s not that.” She walked over to the bed and sat on the end as Kathryn tugged on the pants.
They were a bit large but there was a drawstring belt, which tightened nicely.
“What then?” Kathryn paused, pants on and robe open.
“Javara is different…” Christina trailed off, as if not quite sure what to say next.
Kathryn wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her hands over her suddenly chilled flesh. “Women here are scarce and brothers compete sexually for a woman. She can only marry one but she has relations with the other. You chose Jarek but Marc feels left out.”
Christina looked as if all the blood had drained from her face, she was so pale.
“How…how do you know?”
“So, I’m right?”
Christina nodded.
Sighing, Kathryn rubbed her temples. She had the beginnings of one heck of a tension headache brewing. “I read it in a book.” Christina’s mouth dropped open. “A book?”
“Yeah. It was written about a hundred years before my time. I found it in the attic in my family home and read it.”
“That’s impossible.”
Kathryn gave the other woman a wry smile. “That’s what I’m thinking about all of this.”
“What did the book say?” Christina bit her bottom lip, her cheeks turning a bright shade of red.
“Ah…” she began and then broke off. How did you tell a woman that her entire sex life had been put down on paper? “It was pretty explicit.” Christina buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. Kathryn didn’t know what to do. How did you comfort a woman at a time like this? When the other woman raised her head, tears rolled down her cheeks. But she was laughing.
“Oh my God,” she gasped. “I had such a boring life back on Earth before the tapestry came. Whoever would have thought I’d be the subject of a book. How?” Kathryn grinned, glad to see that Christina seemed to be taking it so well. “I have no idea. All I know is that a book exists and it tells all about your journey to Javara and the sexual exploits that ensued. I particularly liked the scene with you and Jarek on the horse.”
Christina’s jaw dropped and then she began to laugh again, swiping at the tears on her cheeks with the back of her hand. “This is unbelievable.”
“It was quite educational, I assure you,” she added dryly, before joining in the laughter. Christina’s sense of humor was infectious. Rather than being upset, as most women would be, she was finding the humor in the situation.