Inara lay on the sheets, her body trembling, unable to cover herself. This was her punishment for not telling him she had regained feeling in her arms and torso last night. She was to remain cold for him.

How long was this to go on?

***

"A Captain Reynolds to see you, sir," Sibley said from the doorway. "Shall I send him in?"

"Please," Godfrey stood, putting aside his notes. The man who walked - no, 'strode' was a better word for it - strode into the library wore the simple clothes he had expected: plain brown boots, khaki pants and a dark blue shirt. And all under a brown duster. How appropriate.

"Captain Reynolds," Godfrey greeted him, coming around the desk with an open palm. "How good it is to meet you. Won't you sit down?"

"Thank you for seeing me like this," Reynolds acknowledged, shaking Godfrey's hand firmly. "I appreciate it, knowin' how busy a man you must be."

"It is no trouble at all," Godfrey smiled, leaning his generous form against the oak and marble desk. He waited while Reynolds took the seat. "May I offer you some refreshment of some kind? Wine or tea?"

"I thank you, but if it's all the same, I'd like to just get down to business," the captain declined graciously. Godfrey smiled again, noticing how the man before him did not seem inclined to play along well.

"Of course," Godfrey assented, watching how Reynolds never looked away from him. "But I do find business rather dry, don't you? I'll ring Sibley. Perhaps I'll persuade you before he arrives."

Reynolds waited. Godfrey hated men like this. He rose and made the journey around his desk to alert the butler to a need for refreshments. Reynolds finally looked away from him. He slipped the pill into his hand deftly.

***

Inara shivered again and tried once more to pull herself into the meditations taught to her at the Training House. It would have worked better, she was certain, if she could calm her breathing, but she was getting closer to that.

Small steps, she reminded herself. A wind that