Dagon and Sebastian intended to roam the castle grounds. They were prepared for the brisk November weather dressed adequately and casually in heavy wool sweaters, turtlenecks, jeans, and boots. They both decided early that morning, after very little sleep, that exercise would do their bodies and minds good, and besides Sebastian made it known that he would love to explore the castle grounds. The extensive gardens were too magnificent to ignore, and the surrounding woods held a hint of mystery and myth.

"We'll be back for lunch," Sebastian informed his wife, who stood at the front door hugging her arms against the chill that crept through her tan knit sweater and anklelength skirt. He reached out and hugged her to him, running his hands up and down her back to chase away the chills.

She sighed her disappointment. "You could have slept a little longer."

Sebastian kissed her pouting lips. "We weren't sleeping."

"We would have"-she paused and returned his kiss with a little more fervor before

adding-"eventually."

Dagon grinned. "Leave him be, Ali, the man needs his rest."

"Then he should be in bed," she insisted.

"He'll get no rest there." Dagon laughed and yanked Sebastian away from her. "Besides I have

decided that your visit calls for a small dinner party. Be a dear and take care of the arrangements for me."

"A dinner party, how delightful," Ali said. "I'll take care of everything."

The two men were almost out the door when they both turned around and in unison said, "Stay out of the kitchen."

Ali did not take orders well; she went directly to the kitchen.

She was surprised to find Sydney there sitting at the table with Margaret, having tea.

"Good morning, dear," Sydney greeted her. "Do join us."

Ali sat and Margaret filled another cup with Earl Grey tea for her. Banana bread and apple spice loaf

tempted Ali, and she decided on trying a small slice of each.

"Margaret is going to the market, and I have decided to join her. There are a few items I cannot get in the States, and besides it has been too many years since I've enjoyed the chaos of market shopping." "Sounds delightful," Ali said. "Dagon just informed me that he intends to have a small dinner party while we are here, and he asked me to see to the arrangements."

"Oh, do invite the MacTavishes and the McEwans," Sydney said. "It has been too long since I've seen them, and Teresa McEwan and I share much history together." "Bridie and William Douglas as well," Ali said, making mental notes of the names. "She and I tormented Dagon mercilessly when we were very young, not that we succeeded, though we had fun trying."

"Shall I see to the menu?" Margaret asked.

"Of course," Ali said. "Sebastian and Dagon have already warned me to stay out of the kitchen."

Sydney agreed. "Good advice."

"You can't be that bad," Margaret argued.

Sydney shook her head. "Even with her magical skills she cannot produce a decent meal."

"All right, so I am inept in the kitchen," Ali said and smiled. "I make up for it in other ways."

Both women laughed.

"Well, I think anyone can learn to cook," Margaret said. "And I have a favor to ask of you, Ali."

Ali beamed with pleasure. "Does it entail cooking?"

"A step toward learning to cook," Margaret corrected and stood. She retrieved a large ceramic bowl

from the counter nearest the wall oven and returned to the table with it. "This is bread dough and in an hours' time it will need to be punched, reshaped, and set to rise again. Do you think you can do that for me?"

Ali peered at the lump of dough. "It doesn't sound like a difficult task. I just punch it once, shape it nicely into a ball, cover it, and that's it?"

"That's it, really quite a simple procedure," Margaret a.s.sured her.

Ali looked to Sydney. "I can do that."

"Are you sure? The preparation of food has never been your forte."

"If you have any problems, you can ask Sarina for help," Margaret said. "She has been helping me with the kitchen duties and has been doing quite well."

"A helping hand," Ali said with a smile. "How can I go wrong?"

Sydney grinned. "I don't know, my dear, but somehow you'll manage to."

The castle was quiet, the servants off busy with their ch.o.r.es, and Ali busy making her list for the dinner

party when she recalled her task in the kitchen. With a squeal of delight she hurried into the kitchen and yanked the towel off the bowl filled with the ball of dough.

She pushed up her long sleeves and with a gleeful smile sent a stunning punch into the soft dough.

Sarina finished dusting. She had changed the sheets, made the bed, seen to the bathroom, and decided to dust, though the ch.o.r.e wasn't necessary. She actually looked for things to do in Dagon's quarters that would extend her daily ch.o.r.es. The man simply did not make a mess; he was neat and clean and there was hardly a thing for her to do.

And try as she might to be a.s.signed other duties, Bernard absolutely refused her repeated requests. She was accustomed to keeping herself busy whether it was seeing to her own place, tending her expensive garden, having friends visit or visiting with friends, or simply enjoying the silence. She had always kept herself comfortably occupied.

Activity always helped her with her thoughts. While her hands were busy, her mind was focused, and she could reach many understandings in the process. Like now with her thoughts settled on what she had learned from Sydney the previous evening.

The brief conversation had helped her to realize that she could not control the situation, she had to allow the situation to proceed without interference. She had to trust herself and her beliefs even if some appeared foreign to her sensibilities.

The spell was quite specific, and if she had focused more on the casting of the spell, she would have been more prepared to deal with the consequences, but it was never too late. She would look with much wiser eyes now and see with much wider eyes, and she would allow the universe to work its magic.

"All finished, Lily," Sarina said to the kitten, who was as usual in the middle of the bed sleeping. She turned around to gather her cleaning bucket before reaching for Lily and stopped abruptly, her eyes stunned by the sight in the doorway.

"I have a problem I thought you could help me with," Ali said calmly. Gobs of dough were stuck to her face, hair, neck, and shoulders.

Sarina smiled, feeling she had finally met a kindred spirit. "Whatever happened to you?"

Ali held up a fist. "A small punch."

Sarina understood. "A delicate punch."

"Margaret never mentioned delicate , and I'm afraid I have simply ruined her bread dough, and try as I might my powers refuse to re-create the ball of dough."

Sarina completely understood. Margaret had requested her help this morning with baking the bread. It was her dough that Ali worked with, therefore rendering her powers useless. "Let's see what I can do to help."

"Oh, thank you," Ali said relieved. "I was so worried Margaret would return to a disaster, or heaven forbid, my husband and Dagon would return and see the mess I made. And after they ordered me to stay out of the kitchen." She shook her head.

"We'll have another batch of dough made in no time," Sarina rea.s.sured her and left a slumbering Lady Lily on the bed while she and Ali took off for the kitchen.

Dagon and Sebastian sat on a felled tree sipping hot cider from the thermos they had brought along with them.

"This is beautiful country," Sebastian said, relishing the breath-catching view of the mist-capped hills rising up behind Rasmus Castle. They had explored a good portion of the castle grounds when Dagon invited him to view his home in all its splendor. He had then brought him to a small rise that wound its way through the woods to a clearing. It was here the castle could be viewed in its entirety, and it was a magical sight to behold.

"It has been in your family for many years?" Sebastian asked.

"My family laid the first stone and a Rasmus has seen to its care ever since, but it has been no burden, rather a pleasure."

"You have modernized it over the years."

"A necessity, I a.s.sure you," Dagon said with a laugh.

"Modern amenities do come in handy, and I imagine a full staff is one of them," Sebastian said and poured Dagon more cider before refilling his own plastic mug.

"The castle's upkeep requires full attention."

"You only employ those of your kind?"

"A safety measure," Dagon confirmed, "and of course it serves well for those young witches who require extra training and or life experience."

"How did Sarina happen your way?"

Dagon admired, respected, and trusted Sebastian and felt comfortable discussing Sarina with him. "It's the d.a.m.nedest thing. Bernard said she appeared at the door looking for a position and one had just become available. Her references were excellent, her skills adequate, so he hired her."

"I take it her skills are less than adequate?"

Dagon rubbed at the back of his neck. "The incident last night made that obvious."

"You didn't even attempt to use your powers to save that teacup; you reacted as a mortal would."

Dagon cringed. "Please don't remind me."

"I thought your actions rather telling."

"How so?"

"You obviously understand Sarina well and reacted accordingly. You appear remarkably attuned to her."

Dagon glared at him as if he had just sprouted two heads. "Attuned?" His obvious surprise brought a grin to Sebastian's face. "You react to each other as if you are intimate mates. She thinks nothing of resting her feet against you. You think nothing of rubbing her feet. She drops her cup, you retrieve it without thought. And most of all," he said with a gleeful rub of his hands against his mug, "you're jealous." Dagon took exception to that remark. "I most certainly am not." "You most certainly are. You looked about to kill me when I hugged her shivering body to me,"

Sebastian said with a nod. "d.a.m.n but it feels good to nod. It's your turn to shake your head, and might I add you are doing a good job at it."

"You're crazy," Dagon declared and held his head firm as he grabbed for the thermos of cider from Sebastian, wishing it was whiskey.

"I thought I was, though Ali does continue to drive me insane at times. But you'll see for yourself that it's a wonderful kind of insanity."

"Are you suggesting that I love Sarina?" Dagon asked incredulously.

"I am suggesting you open your eyes and discover for yourself whether you do or not."

"She possesses none of the qualities I would look for in a mate," Dagon argued.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't have chosen a witch for a wife, but when love finds you, it contains no rhyme or reason. It arrives without fanfare or notice, creates chaos in your life, and then delivers a punch that knocks you senseless and from which you never recover."

"I have received no such punch," Dagon insisted and downed the last of his cider.

Sebastian leaned over to him. "Then a word of warning, pal, be prepared, it's on its way."

Dagon grew indignant. "I'm always prepared."

"Not for love," Sebastian warned.