Soul Dancing with the Brass Band (The Brass Band Series) (32 page)

“What do you say, Ruth, want to move to the shade?” I asked after noticing she was also a little crisp around the edges.

She poked a finger into her arm to check her color. “Yep, I think I’m well-done. Let’s move to the patio.”

Bennett, not giving up, picked up Ruth’s stuff, too. Deciding on a table near the bar, he dropped our things into a chair.

“What can I get you ladies to drink?” he asked cheerfully.

I deci
ded to have a Dr. Pepper, I hadn’t had one for months and, after all, this was a vacation! We weren’t twenty-one yet, but Ruth was closer than me and it was her club, so she ordered a white wine spritzer.

The other sunbathers stayed at bay, so for the first time we found ourselves alone.

“Is it fun seeing all of your friends again?” I asked her.

“It’s more fun thinking about George,” she said with a mischievous smile. “I’ve told a few people that I have a boyfriend, but where do I go from there? They want to know his major! What do I say,
Elevated Spiritual Studies
? They just wouldn’t understand,” she laughed and turned to take her drink from Bennett.

“Understand what?” he asked and that only made Ruth laugh harder.

“About my big hottie of a boyfriend,” she chuckled.

To Bennett’s credit, he didn’t ask any stupid questions. In fact, he was such a gentleman, that he sat and talked to us for hours, not glancing once at all of the scantily clad female sunbathers. I started to think I might have misjudged him.

“Would you ladies honor me with the pleasure of your company tonight? I know you’ve spent all day in your suits, but if you can put up with this summer scene for a few more hours, the Johnsons are having a pool party this evening.” Bennett looked at Ruth first. Apparently
the Johnsons
were old family friends.

“We’d love to,” Ruth exclaimed. “I haven’t seen Jen since we graduated from high school and it will be great to catch up.”

“Well then, what time should I pick you up?” he asked, blown over by Ruth’s enthusiastic answer.

“How about eight? We’re having dinner with my parents, but can be ready by then.”

Once our plans were finalized, we picked up our belongings and Ruth started the long process of saying good-bye to everyone. I lagged behind, wanting to give Ruth some space and then noticed Bennett hanging back with me.

“I’ve often wondered how you’ve been doing,” he said moving up to walk beside me.

Happy that all of my animosity was gone, I answered, “I’ve had a great year. Ruth and I have become really close friends and it’s a wonderful thing to have someone you can always count on.” I looked up to see his reaction.

“I have a friend like that back at school,” Bennett agreed, nodding. “Sometimes we even talk about going into practice together. Our relationship is a lot like yours and Ruth’s. I’d like him to be the best man at my wedding someday and godfather to my kids. Most of the guys at school are pretty unmemorable, but for some reason Jake and I just hit it off.”

In my mind, I heard Gilbert launching into one of his
previous lives together
lectures. I could finally actually relate to all those concepts, but didn’t think Bennett would, so I just said, “Funny how that happens, isn’t it?”

I strolled along quietly daydreaming and waiting as Ruth wrapped up her good-byes. It was a kick watching her; she had so many more friends in K.C. compared to college and I liked the idea that I didn’t have to share her wit
h such a large crowd at school.

Ruth caught sight of me standing with Bennett and waved us over to where she stood at the curb. “Come on kids! If we’re going to make that party tonight, we have to move it along.” Bennett had the valet bring Ruth’s car round and he waved good-bye as we sped away.

During dinner, Ruth caught her parents up on her college life by telling them absolutely nothing. She mentioned George in passing, leading her folks to think it wasn’t serious. I decided it was best to keep my mouth shut and not blow Ruth’s cover, because the information she was dishing out seemed to completely satisfy her parents.

After dessert, we ran upstairs to don our swimsuits once more. We had sundress cover-ups, summer sandals and newly pedicured toes, complete with purple polish. Bennett arrived at eight sharp and once again, charmed Mrs. Witherspoon.

We got into the car and minutes after we left the Witherspoon estate, we entered another gated residence with an equally long driveway. Bennett parked at the end of a long line of luxury automobiles and offered me his arm as I marveled at the amazing architecture.

The sidewalk wound lazily around to the back of the house. Following Bennett and Ruth to a bar at the far end of the pool, I waved at Ruth’s sister, the only other person I knew. Bennett
handed me a glass of wine, unaware that I seldom drank, but I figured one wouldn’t put me over the edge.

Before long, Ruth wandered away to find Jen, leaving Bennett and me to do a slow stroll around the pool in search of a table. It was nice to have someone to hang with while Ruth got reacquainted with old friends. George would just be amazed at the sheer number of people she knew and I was looking forward to seeing the expression on his face.

Bennett and I kept it light, visiting with people as they passed by. I adored not being
in love
with him. The pressure was off and I could enjoy the company. He always introduced me and politely carried on a conversation, leaving me baffled by the fact that he never left my side.

We eventually spotted Ruth sitting in a very large hot tub adorned with a beautiful cascading waterfall.

“Do you want to join her?” Bennett asked motioning to the billowing steam. Evidently, Bennett had no idea about my affinity with warm water; I absolutely wanted to go for a soak and gave an audible sigh of pleasure as I slipped in next to Ruth.

“Boy, what I wouldn’t give to have that effect on women,” Bennett laughed.

“Oh, don’t give us that. Your reputation precedes you,” Ruth smirked, inviting him to join us.

“Ouch!” he said, acting a little hurt. He looked at me as if he wished I hadn’t heard that remark and I got the idea he might be trying to impress me.

It wasn’t long before a half dozen of Ruth’s friends joined us in the hot tub. I scooted around, so that the last person could fit. She was a cute little thing, clearly dying to cozy up with Bennett, but as I moved he moved with me, preventing her from sitting between us.

Beginning to overheat, I lifted myself out of the water to sit on the side of the hot tub. Romantically, I looked up at the stars and thought of Will and the possibility of him gazing up at them, too
, thinking of me. Leaning back even further to take full advantage of a cool breeze, I put my hands behind me for more support. A searing pain instantly shot through my palm as if I had just been cut. I pulled it tight to my chest, gasping and trying not to be sick.

Bennett’s arm was around me in an instant and Ruth quickly moved to my side. Slowly, Bennett pulled my hand free to see what had happened. Turning it palm up, there were a thousand small cylindrical brown stickers covering my palm. I must have placed my hand on a plant and my immediate instinct was to brush them off to relieve the pain, but Ruth stopped me.

“We need to get you inside and pull those out without breaking them off,” she said.

Holding my wrist, Bennett pulled me to my feet while Ruth cleared a path to the kitchen.

“What can I do to help? Oh, I see,” Mrs. Johnson moaned, looking at my hand. “Take her upstairs to my bedroom, the light is better and I have a nice set of tweezers in the bathroom drawer!”

“They are awfully small to hurt so badly,” I mumbled, feeling dizzy. I sat down on the closed toilet in the master bath and wondered if I was having an allergic reaction. I leaned my head against the edge of the cool sink hoping to stem the beads of sweat forming on my forehead. Ruth held my swollen hand while Bennett began the long process of pulling the stickers out, one-by-one. She finished doctoring me up by rubbing in an antihistamine before Bennett moved me to the bed and I felt my eyes close …

APRIL
23, 38 A.D.

I’m startled to find myself standing beside a river with a rope in hand and a familiar smell of horse sweat in my nostrils. I instinctively turn to stroke my mare’s neck. She’s been running and we are here on the riverbank for a drink of cool water. Hearing a branch snap, her ears perk and I feel my skin prickle.

“I demand you stand down,” an authoritative voice orders, as I hear the sound of approaching Roman armor. It’s General Marcus Flavius in the flesh, standing across the river looking directly at me. My heart stops. I see the men under his command back away as he motions for them to lower their weapons and to give him room. “You are alone now, Hilsbeth,” he yells loud enough for all to hear.

“No, you’re mistaken General, I am never alone!”

“Let me detail what I speak of,” Flavius’s booming voice replies. “The army which you are raising has already been defeated. To the east on the road to Coritani, you will find bodies who have relinquished their heads to give a clear warning to others who may be foolish enough to think of coming to your aid. The heads now find themselves atop spikes, which line the road. The first head is one of a beautiful young lady; her long hair is loose and blows in the wind. She was a masterful fighter, but no match for my army… and all this time I thought she was merely your handmaid.

The second head is that of her man, who was a mighty warrior indeed. The heavens darkened when he was unable to come to terms with the pleasures the soldiers took with his woman before her very slow and tortuous death. He was driven to the edge of madness when my men used his female for such entertainment.”

I feel myself falter as I realize he is speaking of Rutiah and Georog.

He seems pleased with himself as he continues while walking closer to the water’s edge. “If you go to the road which heads west you will find a similar feature. Only this road is decorated with the head of a small creature with a tuft of white hair. His dark skinned companion seemed to have some remarkable talents, but once subdued, was sent to Rome to entertain Caesar at the Coliseum.”

I fall to my knees, unable to draw a full breath.

“I also have to inform you that we have found your stronghold and there was nary a survivor.” Kneeling, he scoops up a drink of water. His eyes lock on mine and his voice softens to a whisper that only I can hear, “My men are crossing the river two miles to the north. You must ride south, now… with great speed.”

I’m consumed by grief when I hear him say, “Please Hilsbeth, you only have minutes to escape.”

In one movement I swing my leg over the back of my mare and am in the wind before the foot soldiers have time to draw their bows.

With nothing to live for beyond honoring my friends, I spend three cycles of the moon searching until I find all of them. Placing each of their bodies on a pyre, I fall to my knees and pray to the Gods for their safe passage home.

The wind whips the stench of decay around me and ignites the fury within me… and for the rest of my life this will drive me to find the monsters responsible for the horrific death of the ones I love.