list of chores that Kans had produced from thin air. As Samuel swept and brushed and polished and tidied, he scowled at the pointy-nosed man from afar.
The months, at first slow, had been passing very quickly and Samuel now felt quite proficient at his job. He had found the perfect balance of busyness that kept Kans satisfied and also allowed Samuel free time to rest or do as he pleased. The guests often commented on his good work and he was pleased when they did so. Although he was now firmly set in a daily routine, something unusual began happening in the odd hours of the night. Samuel found himself often waking for no apparent reason. He would lie there, staring at the roof, unable to return to sleep for some time. Perhaps he was catching a cold. He had not been ill since leaving the filthy stall he had slept in at his uncle’s. This room was like a real room in a real house, all cosy and comfortable. It was the most pleasant room he could imagine, with a soft bed and drawers and everything he could want for. His life seemed ever-changing, but at last it was changing for the better.
Samuel was bursting with excitement when he was finally given an errand to run to the market. The cook at the Burning Oak was simply known as Cook, and she was chiefly responsible for ordering the food and wine to be consumed, but on this particular day, she had finished all her supplies of some particular spice, so Samuel had been sent to fetch some more. She had given him a note with exactly what to buy, and how much, so he could not possibly make any mistakes. He had been surprised, at first, to learn there was a woman in the Burning Oak, but then Samuel supposed that she was just a worker, the same as he was. She was actually quite friendly and very talkative, so Samuel found himself often lingering outside the kitchen door or helping her in the kitchen with the peeling and cutting of vegetables.
Naturally, upon being set free back into the town, Samuel went directly to his uncle’s inn and, peeping through the door, managed to get Jessicah’s attention. She nearly cried out with glee at seeing him and they dashed out into the street together while he told her all the news and what he had been up to.
‘How are Aunt and Uncle?’ Samuel asked at one point.
‘The same,’ she replied. ‘They were so angry the day you left. They had to pay ten crowns to those guards. It’s probably best you did go, because I’m sure Father would have thrown you out. But the next day, someone came in and gave my father a black eye. He thinks that you put someone up to it, somehow. Oh, I didn’t know what had happened to you, Samuel. I’m so glad to see you!’
He told her all about his new job and the strange people and the beautiful garden. After a time, he realised he had been away far too long and so he kissed her on the cheek and rushed off to find the merchant described on his note, promising to visit when he could. It was by no means enough time with Jessicah, but if he was tardy during his first time out from the Burning Oak, they would be far less likely to let him out again soon, so he hurried on with his errand as quickly as he could.
As he hastened back with the large jar of odorous spice firmly under one arm, Samuel was surprised to find Mr Joshua waiting for him on the side of Darmour Street. There was a boy with him that Samuel had played kick-ball with many times. His name was Fennian and he was a year or two younger than Samuel—a strangely quiet boy.
‘Hello, Samuel,’ Mr Joshua greeted him warmly. ‘I believe you know Fennian. He’s doing a bit of work for me now.’
‘Good morning, Mr Joshua,’ Samuel returned. ‘Hi, Fennian.’ The other boy raised his hand in greeting without any hint of interest.
‘How are your new employers treating you?’ Mr Joshua asked.
‘Wonderfully. Of course, there’s lots of work, but they treat me very well.’
‘Good…good,’ Mr Joshua mused. ‘So…can you tell me
The months, at first slow, had been passing very quickly and Samuel now felt quite proficient at his job. He had found the perfect balance of busyness that kept Kans satisfied and also allowed Samuel free time to rest or do as he pleased. The guests often commented on his good work and he was pleased when they did so. Although he was now firmly set in a daily routine, something unusual began happening in the odd hours of the night. Samuel found himself often waking for no apparent reason. He would lie there, staring at the roof, unable to return to sleep for some time. Perhaps he was catching a cold. He had not been ill since leaving the filthy stall he had slept in at his uncle’s. This room was like a real room in a real house, all cosy and comfortable. It was the most pleasant room he could imagine, with a soft bed and drawers and everything he could want for. His life seemed ever-changing, but at last it was changing for the better.
Samuel was bursting with excitement when he was finally given an errand to run to the market. The cook at the Burning Oak was simply known as Cook, and she was chiefly responsible for ordering the food and wine to be consumed, but on this particular day, she had finished all her supplies of some particular spice, so Samuel had been sent to fetch some more. She had given him a note with exactly what to buy, and how much, so he could not possibly make any mistakes. He had been surprised, at first, to learn there was a woman in the Burning Oak, but then Samuel supposed that she was just a worker, the same as he was. She was actually quite friendly and very talkative, so Samuel found himself often lingering outside the kitchen door or helping her in the kitchen with the peeling and cutting of vegetables.
Naturally, upon being set free back into the town, Samuel went directly to his uncle’s inn and, peeping through the door, managed to get Jessicah’s attention. She nearly cried out with glee at seeing him and they dashed out into the street together while he told her all the news and what he had been up to.
‘How are Aunt and Uncle?’ Samuel asked at one point.
‘The same,’ she replied. ‘They were so angry the day you left. They had to pay ten crowns to those guards. It’s probably best you did go, because I’m sure Father would have thrown you out. But the next day, someone came in and gave my father a black eye. He thinks that you put someone up to it, somehow. Oh, I didn’t know what had happened to you, Samuel. I’m so glad to see you!’
He told her all about his new job and the strange people and the beautiful garden. After a time, he realised he had been away far too long and so he kissed her on the cheek and rushed off to find the merchant described on his note, promising to visit when he could. It was by no means enough time with Jessicah, but if he was tardy during his first time out from the Burning Oak, they would be far less likely to let him out again soon, so he hurried on with his errand as quickly as he could.
As he hastened back with the large jar of odorous spice firmly under one arm, Samuel was surprised to find Mr Joshua waiting for him on the side of Darmour Street. There was a boy with him that Samuel had played kick-ball with many times. His name was Fennian and he was a year or two younger than Samuel—a strangely quiet boy.
‘Hello, Samuel,’ Mr Joshua greeted him warmly. ‘I believe you know Fennian. He’s doing a bit of work for me now.’
‘Good morning, Mr Joshua,’ Samuel returned. ‘Hi, Fennian.’ The other boy raised his hand in greeting without any hint of interest.
‘How are your new employers treating you?’ Mr Joshua asked.
‘Wonderfully. Of course, there’s lots of work, but they treat me very well.’
‘Good…good,’ Mr Joshua mused. ‘So…can you tell me
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