the food we would provide.
“Has Tam checked the apple trees lately?” I
asked.
“We walk out each morning at sunrise,” she
said with a blush, and I suspected frolicking as nymphs wasn’t
something they would forget soon.
“We tried one this morning. They’re tart.
Another week or two will be needed.”
“We might need to start picking a few days
early than that so Edmund has the time he needs to make the
pastries,” I said.
“Mrs. Palant and I were talking last night
about the menu. We think smoked fish would be a nice addition,” she
said, touching on a subject I’d so far avoided.
“Smoked fish is a good idea. I think Mrs.
Wimbly is salting or immediately preparing the fish being brought
to her. I’ll have Mr. Crow mention the idea to her. Any ideas for
the main course?”
Egrit shook her head, looking worried.
“We have time. We’ll come up with
something.”
She nodded and left the room. I lifted the
cover from the tray and smiled at the egg tartlet. We needed to
work on a new recipe. But, I doubted there was much else Lord
Ruhall could make with the ingredients we had in the kitchen. That
thought took me back to the source of my dilemma for the feast.
Grudgingly, I acknowledged the impossibility of hosting the feast
without using some more of the estate’s gold.
With a sigh, I dressed then returned the
empty tray to the kitchen.
Mrs. Wimbly’s voice reached me before I
entered.
“I told you, we’re not a market. Lord Ruhall
has no use for—”
“Henick,” I said as soon as I saw the man in
the door.
His frustrated expression melted when he saw
me.
“It’s all right, Mrs. Wimbly. I’ll speak
with Henick.”
Mrs. Wimbly turned to scowl at me. The woman
might know how to cook, but her personality remained
unpleasant.
“He’s trying to sell us potatoes,” she said
in a huff.
I smiled at Henick.
“Would you happen to have onions, too?”
Mrs. Wimbly threw her hands in the air and
stomped from the kitchen. Kara kept her head down as she continued
to prepare the midday meal.
“I do, but not with me. Father thought you
might be interested in some produce since the manor probably has
fallow fields,” he said, waving to his wagon that waited just
outside the door.
“Let’s see what you have.” I stepped out,
moving toward the back of the wagon. My skirts tangled with my legs
when I attempted to boost myself up, and I missed the days when I
went about in trousers and had freedom of movement.
With Henick’s help, I stepped up into the
bed. Four large sacks rested near the front. They were tied with
twine, so I easily opened the first one and pulled out a potato.
Dirt sprinkled off as I turned it in my hand.
“How much for a sack?”
“I’ll give you two sacks of potatoes and
half a sack of onions for a gold and a promise to dance with me at
the feast.”
“You received your invitation, then?”
He nodded, his eyes twinkling.
“Yesterday. It was one of the reasons we
knew you might be interested in potatoes.”
“Well, you have a deal,” I said, dropping
the potato in the sack.
Henick reached up, and with a firm grip on
my waist, helped me from the wagon. Inside the kitchen, something
crashed. That woman...I sighed, pasted a pleasant smile on my face
and motioned to the drive that wandered to the estate’s gate.
“Shall we walk and discuss delivery?”
The corners of his eyes crinkled as he
smiled knowingly.
“Yes.”
We strolled side by side in silence until we
passed the front of the house.
“Are you well?” he asked.
“Much the same. Memories plague me. I was
thinking a fresh start in a new place might be the adventure I need
to lighten my spirit.”
“You want to leave, then?” Disappointment
laced his statement.
“Not just yet. I’ll be here to honor my
promised dance.”
“A dance I will look forward to.”
We’d reached the gate and turned around.
Walking from the manor to the gate took much less time without the
tangle of living
“Has Tam checked the apple trees lately?” I
asked.
“We walk out each morning at sunrise,” she
said with a blush, and I suspected frolicking as nymphs wasn’t
something they would forget soon.
“We tried one this morning. They’re tart.
Another week or two will be needed.”
“We might need to start picking a few days
early than that so Edmund has the time he needs to make the
pastries,” I said.
“Mrs. Palant and I were talking last night
about the menu. We think smoked fish would be a nice addition,” she
said, touching on a subject I’d so far avoided.
“Smoked fish is a good idea. I think Mrs.
Wimbly is salting or immediately preparing the fish being brought
to her. I’ll have Mr. Crow mention the idea to her. Any ideas for
the main course?”
Egrit shook her head, looking worried.
“We have time. We’ll come up with
something.”
She nodded and left the room. I lifted the
cover from the tray and smiled at the egg tartlet. We needed to
work on a new recipe. But, I doubted there was much else Lord
Ruhall could make with the ingredients we had in the kitchen. That
thought took me back to the source of my dilemma for the feast.
Grudgingly, I acknowledged the impossibility of hosting the feast
without using some more of the estate’s gold.
With a sigh, I dressed then returned the
empty tray to the kitchen.
Mrs. Wimbly’s voice reached me before I
entered.
“I told you, we’re not a market. Lord Ruhall
has no use for—”
“Henick,” I said as soon as I saw the man in
the door.
His frustrated expression melted when he saw
me.
“It’s all right, Mrs. Wimbly. I’ll speak
with Henick.”
Mrs. Wimbly turned to scowl at me. The woman
might know how to cook, but her personality remained
unpleasant.
“He’s trying to sell us potatoes,” she said
in a huff.
I smiled at Henick.
“Would you happen to have onions, too?”
Mrs. Wimbly threw her hands in the air and
stomped from the kitchen. Kara kept her head down as she continued
to prepare the midday meal.
“I do, but not with me. Father thought you
might be interested in some produce since the manor probably has
fallow fields,” he said, waving to his wagon that waited just
outside the door.
“Let’s see what you have.” I stepped out,
moving toward the back of the wagon. My skirts tangled with my legs
when I attempted to boost myself up, and I missed the days when I
went about in trousers and had freedom of movement.
With Henick’s help, I stepped up into the
bed. Four large sacks rested near the front. They were tied with
twine, so I easily opened the first one and pulled out a potato.
Dirt sprinkled off as I turned it in my hand.
“How much for a sack?”
“I’ll give you two sacks of potatoes and
half a sack of onions for a gold and a promise to dance with me at
the feast.”
“You received your invitation, then?”
He nodded, his eyes twinkling.
“Yesterday. It was one of the reasons we
knew you might be interested in potatoes.”
“Well, you have a deal,” I said, dropping
the potato in the sack.
Henick reached up, and with a firm grip on
my waist, helped me from the wagon. Inside the kitchen, something
crashed. That woman...I sighed, pasted a pleasant smile on my face
and motioned to the drive that wandered to the estate’s gate.
“Shall we walk and discuss delivery?”
The corners of his eyes crinkled as he
smiled knowingly.
“Yes.”
We strolled side by side in silence until we
passed the front of the house.
“Are you well?” he asked.
“Much the same. Memories plague me. I was
thinking a fresh start in a new place might be the adventure I need
to lighten my spirit.”
“You want to leave, then?” Disappointment
laced his statement.
“Not just yet. I’ll be here to honor my
promised dance.”
“A dance I will look forward to.”
We’d reached the gate and turned around.
Walking from the manor to the gate took much less time without the
tangle of living
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