the outcome would be worthwhile. For as long as they’d been together, she’d supported him, in all his activities. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for him, or anywhere she wouldn’t go to be by his side. If everything turned out how she’d hoped, he could finally put the past to rest.
Leaving the bedroom, Ellanor made her way to the kitchen. She greeted Maisey, their cook, with a smile.
‘Is everything ready?’ Ellanor looked over the food and beamed.
‘I’m just waiting for the pies Mistress.’ She pointed towards the large oven. Ellanor moved closer and took in a deep breath. The smell was wonderful.
Maisey grinned and raised her brows.
‘I know how much you all love game pie. It will last a few days. I’ve got some fruit loaf, and the cheese and cured ham is all ready to be packed.’ She swiped her hands down her apron and beamed a wide grin. Pleased with herself she’d made everything as asked, and on time, she waited to hear if there was anything else Ellanor needed.
‘You’re the best.’ Ellanor moved towards her and gave her a hug.
‘It’s my pleasure Mistress.’ She sighed heavily. ‘I’m going to miss you all!’
‘We’ll only be gone a few days.’
‘I know, but it’s going to be so quiet here.’ She pulled away from Ellanor and scratched her head under the white scarf that covered her hair.
Maisey had a big heart and sometimes worried far too much, but Ellanor adored her, as did Jace and Caster. She’d been with them since Jace was born. Never married or had children, she looked at him as her own son.
‘I’ll leave you to it since you’ve got everything under control.’
Ellanor could hear Jace and Caster in the hall and joined them after leaving the kitchen.
Discussing the horses and deciding how many they would need, Jace listened to his father.
‘If we take an extra horse, maybe Sal, we’ll manage more supplies.’ Caster stood with his arms folded. Hearing Ellanor approach, he turned to smile.
‘We’re almost ready, just deciding on which horses to take.’
‘Good. I’m almost done myself. Maisey’s got everything ready, and there’s just a few tasks remaining, but I’ll do them in the morning.’
Ellanor threaded her arm in Casters. ‘Which horse have you chosen for me?’
Both Jace and Caster turned to look at her and gawked.
‘What?’
Caster raised his brows. ‘Ellanor, why would you need a horse? You’re not coming with us.’
Jace took a deep breath.
Ellanor glared at them both. ‘I’m not letting you two go without me! This is important to all our lives!’
Caster thought for a moment; he was unsure what would happen when they reached Blackhill and felt she’d be safer at home. This was going to be a problem.
Unfolding his arms, he tried to hold her hands, but Ellanor quickly pulled them out of reach and placed them on her hips, scowling. Jace held back a grin and lowered his head; enjoying watching his father squirm.
‘My love, don’t you think you’re a little… old to be riding.’
Raising his head quickly, Jace hissed and screwed up his face.
Ellanor gasped then shoved Caster with all her weight against the wall. Surprised at her outburst, his arms raised to shield his body, thinking she would lash out with her fist next. She pinned him to the wall with all her weight, and stood on tiptoes to look at him. With blazing red cheeks, her temper was high.
Jace had always seen his mother as a gentle, caring woman. He hoped one day, when he found someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, she’d be demure, just as his mother was. But today, he was looking at her with different eyes. It was amusing, in a strange kind of way. For his safety he remained quiet and watched his mother lay into his father.
‘So, I’m too old am I?’ She prodded her index finger at his chest. ‘I wasn’t ‘too old’ this morning in bed, was I?’
Caster’s mouth gaped. Ellanor continued her lashing before he could muster up
Leaving the bedroom, Ellanor made her way to the kitchen. She greeted Maisey, their cook, with a smile.
‘Is everything ready?’ Ellanor looked over the food and beamed.
‘I’m just waiting for the pies Mistress.’ She pointed towards the large oven. Ellanor moved closer and took in a deep breath. The smell was wonderful.
Maisey grinned and raised her brows.
‘I know how much you all love game pie. It will last a few days. I’ve got some fruit loaf, and the cheese and cured ham is all ready to be packed.’ She swiped her hands down her apron and beamed a wide grin. Pleased with herself she’d made everything as asked, and on time, she waited to hear if there was anything else Ellanor needed.
‘You’re the best.’ Ellanor moved towards her and gave her a hug.
‘It’s my pleasure Mistress.’ She sighed heavily. ‘I’m going to miss you all!’
‘We’ll only be gone a few days.’
‘I know, but it’s going to be so quiet here.’ She pulled away from Ellanor and scratched her head under the white scarf that covered her hair.
Maisey had a big heart and sometimes worried far too much, but Ellanor adored her, as did Jace and Caster. She’d been with them since Jace was born. Never married or had children, she looked at him as her own son.
‘I’ll leave you to it since you’ve got everything under control.’
Ellanor could hear Jace and Caster in the hall and joined them after leaving the kitchen.
Discussing the horses and deciding how many they would need, Jace listened to his father.
‘If we take an extra horse, maybe Sal, we’ll manage more supplies.’ Caster stood with his arms folded. Hearing Ellanor approach, he turned to smile.
‘We’re almost ready, just deciding on which horses to take.’
‘Good. I’m almost done myself. Maisey’s got everything ready, and there’s just a few tasks remaining, but I’ll do them in the morning.’
Ellanor threaded her arm in Casters. ‘Which horse have you chosen for me?’
Both Jace and Caster turned to look at her and gawked.
‘What?’
Caster raised his brows. ‘Ellanor, why would you need a horse? You’re not coming with us.’
Jace took a deep breath.
Ellanor glared at them both. ‘I’m not letting you two go without me! This is important to all our lives!’
Caster thought for a moment; he was unsure what would happen when they reached Blackhill and felt she’d be safer at home. This was going to be a problem.
Unfolding his arms, he tried to hold her hands, but Ellanor quickly pulled them out of reach and placed them on her hips, scowling. Jace held back a grin and lowered his head; enjoying watching his father squirm.
‘My love, don’t you think you’re a little… old to be riding.’
Raising his head quickly, Jace hissed and screwed up his face.
Ellanor gasped then shoved Caster with all her weight against the wall. Surprised at her outburst, his arms raised to shield his body, thinking she would lash out with her fist next. She pinned him to the wall with all her weight, and stood on tiptoes to look at him. With blazing red cheeks, her temper was high.
Jace had always seen his mother as a gentle, caring woman. He hoped one day, when he found someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, she’d be demure, just as his mother was. But today, he was looking at her with different eyes. It was amusing, in a strange kind of way. For his safety he remained quiet and watched his mother lay into his father.
‘So, I’m too old am I?’ She prodded her index finger at his chest. ‘I wasn’t ‘too old’ this morning in bed, was I?’
Caster’s mouth gaped. Ellanor continued her lashing before he could muster up
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