11

The rebuilding work was exhausting and kept Jim, Staci and Ailsa really busy. Although Staci didn’t do as much of the manual work, there was plenty of carrying and cooking to do, to keep the men fed and watered.

Ailsa was only too keen to help. “It’s fun,” she told Staci on numerous occasions.

“How can getting covered in mud be fun? If there were horses involved then maybe, but otherwise?”

Ailsa shook her head in mock despair. “I spent the last few years being told women were to be seen and not heard. This is a welcome relief.”

“Then, go, enjoy. I’ll keep Deefer out of mischief.”

Jim had begun to pick up the language quickly. He’d done Spanish at school and he’d been right in originally thinking that what the natives spoke was a derivative of Spanish, with a little French throw in. And the odd English word, as well.

Despite the fact Lou’s fever had abated, and Mafuso insisted she was recovered enough to do so, Lou showed no signs of wanting to get out of bed. Nor did she make any attempt to integrate herself into village life.

That worried Jim. “Maybe Lou is still ill,” Jim commented over lunch. “I mean she’s not arguing over staying in bed. She only ever did that when she had a migraine.”

“Either that or its Mafuso’s influence,” Staci said.

“It’s Mafuso all right, but I don’t think it’s his influence,” Ailsa laughed. “I’m seriously considering being ill myself.”

Staci laughed. “Me, too. I mean, who wouldn’t want a really good looking bloke like that fussing over you all day long?”

Jim smiled. “Seriously, guys. It isn’t like her not to complain.”

“She’s not planning on staying behind again, is she?” Staci asked worriedly.

“I don’t suppose so. Why don’t you and Deefer go and see how she is?”

“Sure. C’mon Deefer, let’s go find Lou.”

Jim waited until Staci was out of earshot before filling Ailsa in on Lou’s desire to be left behind. “She was adamant that we didn’t need her and there was no way she would ever go home.”

“She may still not want to. In which case, we’ll just have to persuade her otherwise. C’mon, lunch over. Back to work.”

They had been assigned to the team involved in making a kind of mud slurry to daub over the new walls to make them waterproof.

As Jim said, “it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.”

They worked hard until dusk, with a short break midafternoon. They cleaned up in the river.

A fire had been lit and several of the women were preparing the evening meal.

While the rebuilding was going on, the meals were done communally and accommodation was cramped, but no one seemed to mind.

“It’s so different here,” Ailsa said to Jim. “The clothes may be the same, but the women here are respected. Honored even.”

Jim looked down at his clothes.

The villagers had given them new clothes as the fire had destroyed all of theirs.

Ailsa was used to floor length dresses and Staci was enamored with hers.

Jim was yet to be convinced by his outfit. The trousers were fine, but the sleeveless tunic, worn over nothing, which didn’t even fasten, left much to be desired. Not to mention very little to the imagination.

Staci offered to lend him a dress, but he refused.

He should be grateful he had anything to wear, he mused internally, not wanting Staci to know what he was thinking.

When Staci joined them she looked different

“You’ve changed,” he said. “What have you done?”

Staci beamed at him and did a twirl. “What do you think?” Her hair, which had been almost waist length, now fell to just below her neck.

“Nice,” Jim said.

“Nice?”

“OK. More than nice. Very nice. Super. Lovely. Great.”

Staci shot him a filthy look, and her face fell.

Ailsa said quickly, “It’s lovely. It really suits you like that.”

“Thank you. Keika did it for me.”

They walked across the clearing to the hut they were staying in. It belonged to Mafuso’s brother, Amilek and his wife, Keika.

Keika smiled as they came in. “Hello,” she said in English.

“I taught her a few English words this afty. She’s been teaching me Agrihan in return.” She smiled at Keika. “Shasti.”

Keika beamed and nodded.

Ailsa laughed. “I could’ve taught you if I’d known you were interested.”

“You could have taught me days ago,” Jim told her. “Instead of leaving it to the rest of the natives. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to pick up.” He winked at Staci. “Assuming you’ve already studied Spanish at school.”

Before Ailsa could answer Keika gave her a bowl of fruit. Ailsa took it outside and the others followed, Keika carrying a jug.

By the fire, the rest of the villagers were gathering for the evening meal.

Kelmac said a few words and then the meal began. Meat and bread with fruit to follow.

Mafuso picked up some food and took it across to the medical hut.

“Good luck with that, mate,” Jim muttered. He knew Lou wasn’t eating. She was also very good at hiding it.

Ailsa looked at him. “Jim?”

“Mafuso’s taken some food into Lou. She’ll wait until he leaves and then give it to Deefer. Same as she always does.”

~*~

Lou looked up as Mafuso came in with fruit and bread. It smelt good, but she wasn’t hungry. She wasn’t about to tell him that. Instead she took it and pushed the food around the plate.

“Eat,” Mafuso told her.

Lou shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”

“Eat or I will feed you.”

As tempting as the thought was, Lou decided to do as she was told.

Mafuso watched her eat a bit and then went out to join the others.

Lou immediately let Deefer eat the rest of the food, except one fruit.

When Mafuso returned she was nibbling on the fruit.

“I stay here tonight,” he said in English.

“I don’t need a bodyguard,” Lou said, making the meaning of her words obvious.

“Are you being awkward?” Jim asked.

Lou jumped, not having heard or seen him come in. She glared at him. “I don’t need a bodyguard. I can take care of myself.”

“You’ll do as they tell you. Did Deefer enjoy the dinner again tonight?” Jim asked and sat on the edge of the bed. “You have to eat, Lou.”

Lou turned her face away.

Jim sighed. “If you don’t eat, you won’t recover.”

“So?”

“We can’t stay here forever.”

“Well, you go then. Deefer and I will be fine on our own.”

“Don’t start that again,” Jim said crossly. “Think about someone else for a change. Staci misses you.”

“She’s got Ailsa. So have you.”

Jim looked at the ceiling. “For crying out loud, Lou. Is that it? Are you jealous?”

“I am not.” She turned and looked at him.

“Yes, you are. Listen, Ailsa will never replace you. She doesn’t have your twisted sense of humor, for a start. You are my best friend in the whole world—more like a sister, actually. I love you. I need you. I will never leave you here.”

“You may have no choice.” Lou winced as Jim’s arm brushed against her leg.

“That hurt?” he demanded. “I barely touched you. Show me.”

“No.”

Jim grabbed the hem and pulled Lou’s skirt up to expose her leg. He groaned and shook his head. “How could you let it get that bad? Let me get Ailsa and she can translate for us. I’ve picked up a fair chunk of the language, but she’s way better than I am.” Jim quickly returned with Ailsa.

“Mafuso says you are not a good patient and won’t let him treat you,” Ailsa translated.

“It hurts,” Lou replied sullenly.

“It’ll hurt more if it is not treated. The infection will grow and you will die.” Ailsa carried on translating. “Mafuso says he can only do so much. You have to want to get well otherwise there is no point in being here.”

Jim raised his voice. “You will never be able to take Deefer for a proper walk again. Is that what you want? Never to run or climb or dance or throw yourself off rope swings? If you won’t do it for us, do it for Deefer. He doesn’t understand at all. He wants his mistress back. He likes us, but no one can replace you. He’s a one woman dog, Lou.”

If she would stay without them Lou would need Deefer and she would need to be well. She also needed to buck her ideas up so they wouldn’t guess what she was planning. Besides, Mafuso was one good-looking man and maybe…just maybe if she was good, he’d feel the same way about her and let her stay with him when the others left.

She looked across at the tall, dark haired native and nodded. “OK, Mafuso. I won’t argue anymore.”

Ailsa translated and Mafuso smiled. Ailsa translated his reply. “He wants you to teach him a bit more English.” She laughed. “So that he can argue properly with you.”

“Only if he teaches me his language in return. So that I can argue back.”

Mafuso nodded.

Jim gave an audible sigh of obvious relief.

That night Lou didn’t sleep.

Instead she and Mafuso taught each other words and phrases, starting with parts of the body and then other things in the room.

When she finally fell asleep as the sun rose, not only had she learned a lot, she had fallen heavily for her new friend.