Read Any Price for Free Online Page B

responses.
    Kenna didn’t have the strength to fight what she’d just seen in him. But more than that, she didn’t want to. What she did want was unclear, hard to untangle in any coherent way.
    She smiled and knew it was a little sad. He wanted her trust, had to have it for this to work. What would he want when he figured out who she was? There was no time to explain why she was afraid. “Go get dressed. Julianna and I will be finished in a minute. I understand we have to get out there on time. So go,” she repeated as he bent to kiss her.
    The kiss was brief, a show of control. Lore let go reluctantly. Her smile was fragile but he felt her sincerity, and if he didn’t get his hands off her, that control he was trying to comfort her with would evaporate. Leaving her was fucking difficult, he drew away quickly.
    As he disappeared around the curtain, Julianna made a snappish sound. It was a cross between a tsk and an exclamation. It sounded quite final as if things were settled. Kenna eyed her warily, not sure what to expect from the witness to this strange scene.
    Julianna swept into motion. Kenna’s bra was swiftly removed and a filmy, white cotton underdress pulled on. A loose tie gathered the wide neck that draped over her shoulders and form-fitting sleeves ended in a point at the back of Kenna’s hands. Her middle finger slid through a little loop to keep the points in place.
    A buttercup-yellow overdress was next. Its bodice came up in a wide square neckline to just cover her nipples, which would have been visible through the thin cotton of the underdress. The lovely raw silk laced up tightly in back from hips to shoulder blades. It outlined her willowy figure as it emphasized a tempting glimpse of tightly constrained breasts through the gauzy cover. The laced-up bodice presented alluring cleavage.
    Julianna worked in silence. Pulling the bodice tight, lacing up the fastenings, she tsked several times and grabbed a needle and thread to do something quick and magical that adjusted the dress to fit as if it’d been made for Kenna. Kenna’s long hair was brushed out and a filmy wimple settled over her head to flow down her back. Julianna then pressed a golden circlet onto the crown of Kenna’s head. Its graceful point settled in the center of her forehead as it held the period headdress in place.
    Hose and flat shoes in the correct size appeared. Kenna’s estimation of Julianna’s magic touch increased with that. A full skirt flared around Kenna’s legs. The raw silk was adorned with a thick band of gold-threaded embroidery at both hemline and neckline. A golden belt of braided metallic strands settled around Kenna’s hips to knot just above her pubic mound. The remaining lengths of belt hung down to almost touch the ground.
    This temporary dressing room lacked a mirror so Kenna watched Julianna as she stepped back and looked Kenna over critically then curtseyed deeply.
    “You look lovely, my lady,” Julianna said in accented English.
    “Good grief, Julianna, what’s with the English now? You could have told me you speak it.” Kenna grabbed Julianna’s hand to pull her up. Her tone laughed and chided at the same time.
    Julianna straightened and smiled. “Do not worry. My lips are sealed. I offer my services. As the oldest daughter descendent of Zsofi Tosh, it would be a great honor to serve you again, my lady.”
    Kenna chuckled. “I’m American. We don’t do titles. I would be grateful for any help you’re willing to offer. This dress is lovely and what you did to make it fit is incredible.”
    “Of course it fits, my lady. It is dress made for the likeness of Queen Annedrine. Kindly go. My lord awaits.” She physically turned Kenna and pushed her out from behind the curtain.
    Being rushed out of the dressing enclosure, Kenna didn’t have time to puzzle over Julianna’s offer of service and how that might be related to some ancestor she was claiming.
    As Kenna faced Lore, he sucked in a silent