Chapter Eighteen #3
“No harm done,” she said, looking at him rather flirtatiously. “Your name is Brody?”
“Aye, m’lady.”
“Where are you from?”
“The Highlands, m’lady.”
“You’re new here.”
“New enough, m’lady.”
As he stood there, Lady Currie walked a circle around him, inspecting him from every angle.
Brody kept his gaze straight ahead, staring at a wall in the distance, though he could see Lilia with his peripheral vision.
It took everything he had not to look at her, fearful that her expression might weaken his composure.
He knew this must be upsetting her greatly.
He could only imagine how he would feel were the roles reversed and it was she standing here, being looked over by another man.
He would kill the man.
Therefore, he simply stared straight ahead as Lady Currie finished her inspection.
“Clegg,” she finally said. “I would like to speak with Brody alone, if you please.”
That wasn’t the usual process when it came to Lady Currie and her lovers. Usually, she bargained with Clegg and he sent the man to her. Therefore, Clegg wasn’t certain why she wanted to speak to Brody alone.
“My lady, all business is conducted through me, as you know,” he said. “If you have something to say, then you will say it to me, as usual.”
Lady Currie’s gaze was on Brody. “I simply want to speak to him, not conduct business,” she said. “I will bargain with you when the time comes, but I wish to speak to him first. May I?”
Clegg shook his head. “Not alone,” he said. “If you wish, you may go to the other end of the chamber, but you will not go out of my sight. Everything stays right here until a bargain is struck.”
That wasn’t what Lady Currie wanted to hear but she didn’t argue.
With a grimace of displeasure, she moved to the other end of the chamber, crooking a finger at Brody for him to follow.
Brody did, but he kept a distance from her.
With Clegg and Cam and Lilia on the other end of the large chamber, Lady Currie and Brody came to a halt at the far end and faced one another.
Lady Currie smiled coyly at him.
“I wanted to speak to you first since you are new and since you seem to have a certain something that most others here do not,” she said. “You have not been here very long, have you?”
Brody shook his head. He also spoke loudly enough that the others could hear him. “A little over a month, m’lady.”
She smiled. “Have you had any encounters with rich women?”
“I dunna know what ye mean, m’lady.”
Lady Currie’s gaze moved over him in a most unnerving fashion.
“In ancient times, rich women paid handsomely to be serviced by the best gladiators,” she said.
“I know that because Clegg has told me and so has my husband. It was a way for the gladiators to make money and it was also viewed as a sign of prestige. You have not been aware of this?”
Brody was looking over her head, staring at the wall again because he didn’t want to look her in the face. “I am aware, m’lady.”
“Good. Because I shall make Clegg and offer for your company tonight.”
He did look at her, then. “I must respectfully decline, m’lady.”
Her smile vanished. “Why?”
“Because I have a wife.”
Her mouth popped open in outrage. “That means nothing to me, novicius. I am offering a good deal of money for you.”
“And I respectfully decline, m’lady.”
Lady Currie was more outraged by the second response. She abruptly turned away from him, marching straight to Clegg.
“You should tell this fool what his duties are, de Lave,” she snarled. “He has a duty to keep your well-paying patrons happy or is he too stupid to know that?”
Clegg had seen this coming. He knew what Lady Currie was going to offer and he knew what Brody was going to say because when he’d first come to the Ludus Caledonia, he’d made a point of asking if he could refuse to be bought by rich customers.
Therefore, he had been prepared for this moment.
“Lady Currie, our warriors are given a choice in matters such as this,” he said patiently. “I believe there have been one or two men who have refused you, so this is nothing new. If Brody does not choose to accept your money, then there are many others who will. You need not go away disappointed.”
Lady Currie was gearing up for a fight. “I do not want any others,” she said. “May I speak with you privately, Clegg?”
Clegg was already exhausted just looking at her. But he was a businessman and, above all, he had to be gracious. Even to spoiled tarts like Lady Currie. He nodded patiently.
“Of course,” he said, looking to Cam, who was still standing over by the door that led down into the staging area. “You and Brody will leave. Lady Currie and I have business to attend to.”
Cam nodded, motioning to Brody, who gladly followed him from the chamber.
Lilia, still standing over by the couch, also fled.
She didn’t even ask permission. In fact, she was close to tears and didn’t want Lady Currie to see her state, so leaving the situation was the best thing she could do. She knew Lady Currie wouldn’t miss her.
She had to find Brody.