I woke in a distant place, a dreamy plain known to travelers who rarely settle down, who rouse in foreign lands and see through blurry slow-waking eyes details in a room that conjure a memory of the past. I was, for a moment, lost. Nothing seemed familiar.
The fire had nearly gone out and the room was chilly. I was alone in the large bed, piecing together odd details of the night before. There was a soft knock at the door, then the rugged blond who had been playing the piano entered with a tray. At the same moment, Tad came out of the adjoined bathroom, nude. The blond did not seem to notice, depositing the tray of coffee and scones on a table.
“I’ll bring you gentlemen riding flannels. Did you want to have a bath before the hunt?”
Tad sauntered over and took up a coffee cup.
“We’re fi
