Chapter 18: Across The Sea 

The large ship that pulled into port that day did not gather much attention from the men and women working about the docks. It’s flags, somewhat bedraggled, hung limply in the slight breeze of the sunny April afternoon, a testament to the storms it had survived. The weatherworn wood of the deck, though clean and devoid of excrements, bespoke of years of service. Nevertheless, the ship quickly dropped anchor and tied up at a designated wooden dock, majestic in all it’s worn, wooden splendor.

As soon as all the ropes were tightly secured to the dock, the ship became alive with activity. Sailors moved upon the deck, in the rigging and on the docks, preparing the ship for a long stay. Crates, barrels, trunks and sacks were quickly unloaded and taken to a waiting train of wagons to be transported to their final destination, a grand castle that was visible in the distance.

Fulton Knox drew in a large breath of air as he removed his hat to allow the breeze to cool his scalp, somewhat glad that the journey back to France was over. He had had enough of Kalinna Davenport to last him a lifetime that was for sure. The chit had been nothing but trouble from the beginning, complaining nonstop, being stubborn as a mule, and refusing to relent even an inch. If she wasn’t the promised bride to his boss, one of the richer men in France, he would have seriously considered taking a fist to the back of her head.

Oh he was certainly glad to be rid of her; there was no doubt about that.

“Captain, everything is secure. The first of the wagons have left for Westgate Castle and the few remaining are being loaded and will soon depart for that destination as well,” Fulton’s second-in-command, Philip, stated as he approached the burly, tattooed man he called captain.

“Very good Philip. You and Jacob will help me transport Lady Davenport to Westgate Castle where her father and fiancé wait, and then you are free to enjoy yourselves in town tonight,” Fulton responded, placing his hat back upon his head, “I expect you and the rest of the crew to report to me at the agreed time tomorrow morning, is that understood?”

“Yes captain. Gives me a whole night to get reacquainted with the lady I left here at the beginning of our voyage,” Phillip stated before he left the captain to assist with the last of the crates and to find Jacob.

“Not everybody can be so lucky,” Fulton grumbled to himself as he glared at the closed cabin door behind which Kalinna Davenport sat.

Unaware of the unhappiness of her kidnapper, Kalinna sat glumly staring at a wall as she realized that there really was no escape for her this time. Justin was not here to save her, and she was without a sword, helpless to defend herself in any way. As much as she didn’t want to face the truth, she was trapped.

But was this how her life was supposed to turn out? Forced to marry a Frenchman she didn’t know or love, live life in a foreign country she knew nothing about, and lose the family she had just found after all these years? Would she have to try to forget about the one man she had fallen hopelessly and completely in love with?

Oh, she had had plenty of time during their three-week journey across the sea to think about her feelings toward Justin Timberlake and had come to the firm conclusion that she loved the man. It was plain and simple as that. He had become everything she wanted in a man, with his handsome features, caring disposition, stubbornness, knack with a sword and the more tender side she realized he showed very few people. He was her ideal.

But how was she to tell him?

When it came to matters of the heart, she was shy. Losing her mother at the tender age of fourteen had seen to that. Elizabeth Davenport had been gentle, caring, soft-spoken and the one person Kalinna had ever idolized; she had been the one to teach Kalinna how to be strong, yet listen to her other, more “feminine” emotions.

When Elizabeth had died, Kalinna had been beyond devastated. She had cried, not only for the loss of her mother, but for the loss of the lessons and wisdom that Elizabeth would never get to tell her. So in her new world, devoid of the caring mother she had shared fourteen years with, she had learned to bottle up emotions. Instead of becoming a soft-spoken young woman who would make the perfect wife, Kalinna found herself presenting a tough, somewhat unlady-like exterior to the world as she knew it – one which was ruled by her ever-frustrating, self-absorbed father.

Growing up and becoming a young woman without her mother to guide her, Kalinna had known that love existed, but she had never known its tender touch from her remaining parent. So being courted by a young man, being in love with a young man, was completely new territory to her. And it was territory that, quite frankly, scared her.

All that, though, she was willing to get past. She was willing to put her heart out on her sleeve, willing to give it into the hands of another all for the sake of that little thing known as love. Of course, unfortunately for her heart, she knew for a fact that love was not what the handsome duke felt for her.

Despite having made love with her, Kalinna knew without a doubt that Justin put duty to country and to his family before love. He was not ready to marry, much less marry a nothing in society like she. She had no title, no strong connection to the upper crust of society, only a good-sized dowry thanks to her grandmother. But that was not enough for Justin – who would have to marry somebody of his own station, with similar wealth and familial connections.

So in reality, she was kidding herself into believing that anything would come of her love to Justin Timberlake, Duke of Schellden, most eligible bachelor of London society.

And that realization is what had pushed her into the blackest of moods for the second half of the journey. She found herself snapping at the poor crewmen who brought her food and drink, fighting sleepless nights of restlessness and constantly pacing the wooden floor of the small cabin she had been locked into. She needed freedom, needed some way to forget about the man who had stolen her heart and would always be just out of her reach.

But no relief was in the near future, and so she suffered.

A knock on the cabin door interrupted Kalinna’s depressing flow of thoughts and with a start, she realized that they must have finally docked. A feeling of dread immediately took up residence in the pit of her stomach. Very soon she would be seeing her father again, and meeting the man that she was being forced to marry.

The thought sent a shudder through her body, and with a stubborn set of her chin, she ordered herself to be strong. She wasn’t some weak, twittering female who would get the vapors at the mention of the word marriage. No, she could take this latest turn of events with the grace and maturity of an adult, and maybe with a little bit of stubbornness thrown in on the side.

“Lady Davenport, are you ready to disembark? The carriage awaits us,” Fulton Knox announced, knocking a second time as he had received no answer from her.

“Yes,” she stiffly called back as she gathered the small reticule that had been provided for her by her kidnapper.

“I do hope you have changed your clothing, for it would not be proper to meet your future husband wearing boys’ breeches and a dirty tunic,” Fulton continued, still talking through the closed door, which was locked from the outside so she had no chance of escape.

“Since when do you care about being proper, you bloody pirate?” Kalinna spat, her green eyes shooting dangerous daggers at the closed wooden panel that stood between her and a freedom of sorts.

“Just following orders my lady, no need to be so stubborn and hard-headed,” Fulton tiredly responded.

“Stubborn and hard-headed? Why sir, you have not even seen all that I am capable of. But since we have landed in France, I fear I am saving the most severe tongue-lashings for my father. Count yourself lucky,” Kalinna angrily retorted.

“I already have,” Fulton grumbled to himself as he pulled the keys to the cabin from his pocket and proceeded to unlock the door.

The moment the door was opened, Kalinna wanted to bolt out into the fresh air and run as fast and as far away from this nightmare that she could. But she knew it would be a foolish thing to do and instead, resorted to biding her time for the right moment where she could, without a doubt, successfully gain her freedom. Thus, she walked out of the cabin without a fuss.

Fulton was not sure what more surprised him: the fact that the young woman had actually obeyed orders and changed her clothing, or that she did not try to run the moment the door had been opened. He knew without a doubt that the lady was not one to just ramble off at the mouth or issue idle threats; no, she always stayed true to what she said. So the fact that she did not try to act out the moment freedom was in sight caused him to become slightly wary and just a touch confused.

His attention, however, quickly left those thoughts as he became aware that the surprise of his crew was due solely to the fact that the lady was wearing a dress, which showed off her beauty to the fullest extent. A lithe, curving body, pert breasts, long, flowing hair, and those haughty green eyes gave the young woman a classic look. Her’s was a beauty which, in all of their minds, could certainly rival that of any other woman.

“Come along my lady, we mustn’t keep your father and your fiancé waiting. Your father has been most anxious to see you and I am quite positive that you will want a chance to get to know your fiancé before you marry him,” Fulton concluded as he sent a few warning glares into his crew.

“IF I marry him,” Kalinna quietly retorted, shrugging aside the arm that Fulton offered her and preparing to disembark the ship. She didn’t, however, count on her legs feeling so unsteady.

“You will marry him, my lady, just as your father wishes you to,” Fulton replied as he took a hold of her arm to keep her from falling on her face while her legs adjusted to dry land.

Kalinna didn’t say a word to that. Silently, she fumed, highly anticipating the moment where she would be reunited with her father so that she could finally say what was truly on her mind. She wanted to wound him just as much as he had wounded her for the better half of her life.

Fulton quickly guided the silent young lady to the waiting carriage and handed her up to Philip, who was waiting inside, before climbing in as well. He nodded to Jacob, who held the reins, and they were soon off in the direction of the castle that stood forebodingly in the distance.

The ride, at first, was a silent one. Fulton sat silently reading through some paperwork, while across from him, Philip was slouched into the seat, dozing, his head leaning against the window though quite oblivious to the passing scenery. Kalinna, on the other had, was trying to get the wild beating of her heart under control as what was happening was finally beginning to fully sink in.

Once they had gotten under way, however, the young woman immediately began to stare out the window, watching the castle as it grew larger and larger with each turn of the carriage wheels. Was this going to be her new home? There was no way on earth she was going to be able to handle running a place so enormous…

“Who owns that place?” Kalinna abruptly questioned as she realized that she was starting to resign herself to accepting what was happening to her. But she refused to give up without a fight.

“Your fiancé, Andre Carlson, Marquis of Westgate,” Fulton responded as he looked up from his paperwork and sent a quick glance in the young woman’s direction, “That is Westgate Castle, his primary residence, and where you shall live once you are married.”

If that happened.

“Does the Marquis have any family?” Kalinna continued. She would gather as much information as she could from Fulton so that once she was situated in Westgate Castle, escape would be all that much easier.

“He has a younger sister around your age and I believe her name is Adele. She is engaged to the Marquis’s best friend, Barnaby LaCroix, Marquis of Sussex,” Fulton explained, “Other than that, the Marquis has no family to speak of.”

“No family?” she prodded, now curious.

“The Marquis’s parents were both only children, hence the family becoming nearly extinct. Andre, therefore, carries the burden of producing an heir and continuing the family name,” Fulton stated, shrugging his shoulders, “The late Marquis and his wife died some years ago, of the flu of some sorts.”

Perfect. No annoying parents of her intended, only a betrothed sister, who, most likely was so wrapped up in her own engagement that she wouldn’t pay Kalinna the slightest amount of attention. Escape, therefore, would be easier than she thought.

“By chance, does the Marquis own a stable?” Kalinna questioned, careful to keep the calculating light from her eyes. No sense in alerting Fulton to the fact that she was already planning a way to escape this fate.

“Oh yes, a rather large one if I’m not mistaken. The Marquis takes pride in breeding only the finest of steeds,” Fulton responded as he began to put away his paperwork, fully intent on answering all of the questions she had, “Many of the steeds that come from the Westgate stable are racehorses or are bred to be excellent rides.”

“I do hope that the Marquis will let me ride sometime,” Kalinna commented, her gaze still trained to the window. She did not see Fulton’s confused frown.

Truth be told, Fulton Knox was beyond confused. The woman he was now talking to in no way resembled the stubborn spitfire that he had kidnapped and spent three weeks on a ship with. It seemed unbelievable that she had suddenly accepted her fate, especially without a fight.

Trouble was brewing, that he knew. And unfortunately, he would probably be around to see it come to a head.

“It appears we have arrived,” Fulton smoothly announced before the young lady could ask another question, “Philip, you and Jacob will take care of the horses and carriage before returning to help the rest of the crew unload everything in the wagons into the castle.”

“We’re here already?” Kalinna practically screeched, panicking.

“Yes,” Fulton confirmed before turning back to Philip, “Make sure that the groom is quite capable to handle my two blacks, for I will not have my horses treated poorly.”

“Everything will be done as you say captain. Is that all you will be needing?” Philip finally responded as he jerked to attention. It was as if he had not fallen asleep at all.

“For now, yes. You and the crew may return to town after everything is done, or you may stay here. I believe the Marquis intends on throwing a party tonight to honor his fiancée, and from what I understand, all are welcome,” Fulton responded as the carriage came to a halt in front of the vast stone steps that led up to the castle’s front door.

“Very good captain,” Philip said with a slight nod of his head before he disembarked from the carriage and let the steps down so that Kalinna could descend.

“Welcome to Westgate Castle, my lady,” Fulton announced as he stepped out of the carriage and held out his hand to her.

Kalinna begrudgingly took his hand and descended down the small steps of the carriage. Once her feet touched solid ground, she looked up to take in her surroundings. And immediately froze.

The place was beautiful.

The courtyard of the castle was paved in cobblestone, and was bordered on the edges by the homes and workplaces of the villagers. Cottages with thatched roofs and wooden walls dotted the landscape amidst stalls of wares that were being sold. The clank of a blacksmith rang through the air and Kalinna’s nostrils filled with the scents of cooked food, manure, sulfur and the faint aroma of seawater.

At the far end of the courtyard, a set of wide stone steps led up to the front door of the castle, which is where Kalinna presently stood. She quickly looked up, taking in the grey stone of the foundations as they rose to insurmountable heights. A numerous number of turrets and balconies gave the place a feeling of comfortable disarray, and the clean panes of the windows, glittered welcomingly in the light of the day.

But what had made Kalinna freeze was not the scenery nor architecture, but the entourage that stood waiting for her at the top of the stone steps.

The house servants stood in a straight line, waiting to be introduced to their new mistress, smiles of welcome on their faces. All were dressed in demure grays and earthy browns as was acceptable for their stations. Among the crowd were butlers, chambermaids, footmen, serving men, and a number of other individuals whose job she did not yet know.

Amidst them all, with a large, happy smile on his face, stood her father. For a moment, Kalinna stood rooted to her spot at the bottom of the stone steps, her eyes glaring daggers at the parent whom had so brutally betrayed her trust. But after a few moments, she was marching up the steps, ready to battle him head-0n.

“My dear, it is so good to see you, and looking as beautiful and healthy as ever,” Richard Davenport began, smiling as his brown eyes dared her to be anything less than civil to him.

“Father,” Kalinna stiffly responded as she reluctantly accepted a hug from him, “Is it too much to ask that I retire to my room right now? I fear I have a large headache from the journey.”

“Why of course dear daughter. The Marquis is throwing a ball tonight, and I am sure you will want to feel your best. Mrs. Heston?” Richard called, waving a hand to one of the elder women who stood with the rest of the servants.

“Yes Sir Davenport?” the lady, who stood regally, her silver her coiffed perfectly, her blue eyes sharp as she sank into a small curtsey for the man.

“Please escort my daughter to her room and assign her a few ladies-in-waiting. I fear she is not feeling her best and needs some rest before the ball tonight,” Richard instructed as he placed a hand under Kalinna’s elbow, “The servants shall have to be introduced to her later, if that suits you.”

“It does indeed sir, I will make sure everything is done as you instructed,” Mrs. Heston replied, quickly turning her attention to Kalinna, “Come my lady, I will see you to your room where you may lie down and collect yourself after such a long journey.”

“Thank you,” Kalinna softly replied as her father released her elbow and she followed the housekeeper through the front door.

The inside of the castle was much of a blur to Kalinna, who was still trying to get over the shock and anger of seeing her father. She noted that the housekeeper took her up a grand flight of stairs and down a long hallway, where she stopped before a closed door. After quickly opening it, the housekeeper ushered Kalinna inside where she jolted the young lady out of her thoughts.

“My lady, this is Tabitha, she will be your personal assistant,” Mrs. Heston began, motioning to a young woman who immediately dropped into a curtsey, “She shall see to any personal needs that you may have.”

“Pleased to meet you Tabitha,” Kalinna kindly stated. There was no sense in making enemies of the household staff if she was going to successfully escape.

“My lady,” the servant responded.

“And this is Jeffrey, he will be your footman. Any time you need transportation, or feel the need to go on an afternoon ride, please don’t hesitate to call for him,” Mrs. Heston continued.

“Pleased to meet you Jeffrey,” Kalinna responded, giving the flustered young man an encouraging smile. He flushed under her gaze.

“Ma’am,” he finally managed, adding a quick bow as an afterthought.

“There will be a few other servants who may be in and out of your room and at your disposal, but they are quite busy at the moment, what with your arrival this morning,” Mrs. Heston concluded, “So anything you need, please ask Jeffrey or Tabitha. And I will also be available, if you wish to seek me out.”

“Thank you Mrs. Heston, you have been most kind,” Kalinna concluded before the housekeeper, along with Jeffrey, the footman, took leave of the room.

“Shall I help you undress my lady? I know you shall be wanting a nap before the ball this evening,” Tabitha stated as she closed the bedroom doors and turned back to her new mistress.

“If you do not mind. I should like to catch a little bit of rest to get my legs back underneath me,” Kalinna responded.

“Very good my lady,” Tabitha agreed.

“Kalinna. Please call me Kalinna,” the young woman stated as she raised her arms and allowed the servant to begin unbuttoning her dress.

“Kalinna,” Tabitha shyly responded as she set about the task of helping her new mistress, whom she was taking an immediate liking to.

It was not ten minutes later that Kalinna was finally alone, clad in a nightgown, her long hair pulled down from its clips and pins. She sat on the large bed, lost in thought, unaware of all the splendor that surrounded her as her steely façade began to crumble. A lone tear traveled down her cheek, and she angrily wiped it away.

Now was not the time to get all weepy, not when she was about to be married of to a rich French marquis whom she had never met. No, she needed to come up with a plan, some infallible way to escape this horrid fate her father had condemned her to. She was not going to sit back and watch her life crumble to ruins, not when she could do something to prevent it.

With that settled, Kalinna rolled off the bed and began to pace around the room, her eyes unseeing to her surroundings. She was so lost in thought that she almost didn’t hear the soft knock on her bedroom door. But when she finally realized that the noise she was hearing was coming from outside her door, she immediately went to answer it.

Standing on the other side of the massive wooden doors stood a beautiful young woman with a tall, slim body, a head of long brown curls, freckles dotting her nose, and a pair of kind brown eyes. The moment she laid eyes on Kalinna, she graced the newcomer with a shy smile. Kalinna quickly returned the gesture and ushered the girl inside before shutting the door.

“I know it is awfully rude of me to interrupt your nap, but I fear I could not wait any longer to meet you,” the young woman gushed, her brown curls bouncing, “I am Adele, Andre’s younger sister, and the current mistress of this household.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you Adele, I’m Kalinna,” Kalinna responded as she offered her surprise guest a chair by the fireplace. Adele quickly sat down.

“I trust you find your chambers suitable and all the servants agreeable?” Adele asked as Kalinna sat in the chair opposite of hers.

“Oh I have indeed,” Kalinna confirmed.

“And the journey from the docks was not too unbearable?” Adele continued, sending a searching look in Kalinna’s direction.

“No, not at all. I found the journey rather comforting after being tossed about upon the sea in a ship that I feared would not hold together,” Kalinna retorted with a roll of her eyes. Adele laughed.

“Very good.”

“Now tell me, what is it that has made you seek me out, especially since you do not really know me. I had heard that you are engaged to be married, so I assumed you would be busy with preparations for that event,” Kalinna stated, curiosity getting the better of her.

“That is precisely what I came to talk to you about,” Adele deadpanned, a frown marring her features, “I fear, like you, I have fallen prey to the greedy ambitions of a man. Well, two men, to be exact.”

“I beg pardon?” Kalinna questioned, shocked.

“You see Kalinna…I may call you Kalinna?” Adele questioned, Kalinna quickly nodded her head in the affirmative, “I do not love, nor even remotely care for the man I am engaged to.”

“Is it an arranged marriage by your parents?” Kalinna responded, interested by the young woman’s tale, which so far, mirrored her own.

“Oh heavens no, my parents would be horrified if they were alive to see that my brother is trying to marry me off to his friend Barnaby,” Adele explained, her eyebrows furrowing in thought, “My parents were quite the extraordinary couple for they married for love, not a title, riches, or land. And I intend to do the same.”

“I know precisely how you feel,” Kalinna softly agreed, staring down at her hands as her thoughts turned to the handsome young duke across the sea.

“You are in love?” Adele questioned, her eyes sparkling.

“Very much so,” Kalinna replied, blushing, “But I fear he is not in love with me. Not to mention the fact that the marriage is an unsuitable match and would be frowned upon. He is a duke, whereas I have nothing but a small dowry from my grandmother.”

“Did you ask this duke of yours how he feels?” Adele demanded as she glanced in Kalinna’s direction.

“Well, no. I didn’t exactly get the chance to since I was so rudely taken from my homeland,” Kalinna grumbled, frowning.

“I have no doubt in my mind that he is in love with you, and just does not know how to tell you. Nor was ever given the opportunity to,” Adele confidently stated with a smile.

“How can you be sure?” Kalinna demanded, confused.

“Well, when you grow up with loving parents like mine were, and two brothers, it is easy to understand the workings of men and love,” Adele explained, her eyes twinkling.

“Two brothers? But I had thought Andre was your only living relative,” Kalinna commented.

“Not many know that Andre has a twin brother, Bastien,” Adele began, her eyes becoming sad and somewhat distant, “Bastien and I were so close during childhood, despite our age difference of eight years. I think Andre always resented that. One would have expected that Andre and Bastien would be close considering they are twins, but it was not to be.”

“Does your other brother still live?” Kalinna questioned, eyes wide with curiosity as she discovered more and more that she did not previously know about her betrothed.

“Oh yes, Bastien is very much alive and well, residing in London at this moment,” Adele explained, frowning, “The last time I saw him was right after my parents died, when he and Andre got into a rather heated quarrel. It was around four years ago.”

“What happened?” Kalinna asked as she got up to put on her dressing robe over her nightgown and quickly returned to her chair next to Adele.

“From what I understand, Andre stole the young woman Bastien cared for at the time and ruined her. Bastien, of course, was furious and demanded a duel for the travesty, which Andre bluntly refused,” Adele continued, “The next day, Andre ordered Bastien from the house and told him never to return, citing that is why my father stated in his will. And since Andre held a letter that said precisely that, Bastien had no choice but to flee Westgate Castle.”

“Well surely your father could not have favored one son over the other so much. That would be such a horrible thing to do to one’s child,” Kalinna commented, her eyes narrowing in disgust.

“Oh there was no doubt about it that Andre forged the letter. My father, if anything, favored Bastien a little more than Andre mainly because Bastien had such skill with a sword and riding a horse, while Andre had more of a knack for numbers and books. Andre always resented Bastien for that,” Adele stated with a sigh, “But since there was no way that Bastien could prove the letter a forgery, he decided to leave France and make a life for himself in London.”

“How awful for someone to do such a thing to flesh and blood,” Kalinna angrily spat, completely disgusted with the man she was supposedly going to marry, “And you have not heard from Bastien in all these years?”

“Not to my knowledge. I have not seen hide nor hair of a letter in the past four years, which, I have no doubt, Andre has something to do with it,” Adele concluded with a disgusted frown, “Now you understand why I have sought you out. I figured since you were being brought here against your will, you could help me escape my fate, just as I will try to help you escape yours.”

“I am very glad you did, for I had thought I would have to figure out a way to sneak out of here without anybody spotting me. And since I have no knowledge of this castle or the surrounding countryside, the task certainly seemed impossible,” Kalinna replied, smiling at her newfound friend.

“Well I have lived at Westgate all my life, so I know every secret passage and entranceway where we may leave the castle undetected,” Adele firmly announced, her eyes sparkling with excitement, “And I know the perfect place where we may go to lie low for some time while we think of how we shall travel to England.”

“Is that where you intend to go then?” Kalinna asked.

“Yes indeed. I hope to reunite with Bastien and make up for the past four years which were lost because of Andre,” Adele said.

“Then I shall help you with that. Justin, the man I am in love with, the duke, has many connections, and I’m sure will be more than happy to help us,” Kalinna stated as she finally began to relax for the first time in weeks.

“Oh, do tell me about your duke,” Adele begged as she grabbed one of Kalinna’s hand in her own, “What is he like? Is he handsome?” Kalinna giggled at the young woman’s eagerness.

Before she could reply, however, there was a firm knock on the door, announcing a visitor to her chambers. Both women immediately froze.

“My lady Kalinna?” a male voice questioned. Adele became quite pale.

“Who is it?” Kalinna politely asked, though knowing deep in her heart, that this was her dreaded fiancé.

“It is Andre my lady. I would like to have a few words with you and get better acquainted before the ball tonight,” the male voice continued. Adele quickly scrambled to her feet when she realized her brother’s intent.

“Hide me,” she practically screeched, though careful to keep her voice low, “If my brother discovers that I have visited you in your chambers, he will know something is up. We must not let that happen.”

The two women raced around the room, looking for a suitable hiding place as Andre waited patiently at the door for an answer to his request.

“Just a moment, I must make myself presentable,” Kalinna called, hoping her voice came out as steady as she thought.

“No need to rush my dear,” Andre assured her, making Kalinna want to roll her eyes and throw the nearest object at his head.

A few moments later, Kalinna finally managed to hide Adele in her dressing closet, just as the handle of the bedchamber door began to turn. Kalinna barely had time to belt her dressing robe close and put her long hair in a sloppy up-do before she found herself face to face with the last man she ever wanted to see.