by MJ Haag
Egrit didn’t say anything as the silence stretched. We passed the newly planted fields and crossed many more that still needed attention.
When we reached the wall, I looked up at the tree.
“Can you climb?”
Egrit snorted. “I was a tree, living among trees for fifty years. I can climb.”
“Toss your boots over first. You’ll want to put them on once we reach the other side.”
We sat on the grass to unlace our boots. In no time, we were up the tree and climbing down the other side of the wall. The wind on my face and rocks under my hands steadied me and quieted some of the unrest that had been building for days.
We spent the morning by the stream in the same spot where the beast had laid me back on the banks. My mind dwelled on the memory, and Egrit, sensing my pensive mood, left me to my thoughts.
In truth, I wanted the beast to return, and it shamed me. He’d spent so many years punished for his youthful pride and arrogance. Yet, I missed the beast’s unpredictable moods, zealous attention, and his comforting presence.
My feelings toward Lord Ruhall were more undecided. He said Rose watched him still, judging his actions as Lord. I watched him, too. He left the maids alone and attended to estate business. His only overture to a female had been to me when he entered my room the first night I had returned. But, he’d done nothing more than lay beside me.
During the time we had spent together clearing the guest rooms, his watchful, aloof attitude had remained consistent with the man who’d stood in the doorway and watched the baker’s thankfully pathetic attempts to compromise me. Had it been the beast, I knew without a doubt he would have charged into the room and ripped the baker from me. The enchantress wouldn’t have been able to hold the beast back.
Egrit’s excited squeal pulled me from my musings.
“What do I do?” she cried, holding the pole tight, fighting the fish.
I wished I could ask her the same. Instead, I moved to help her. She was thrilled at her first catch and swore she would take her man fishing if I would allow them the use of the poles. We stayed on the banks until six fat fish decorated the string. Our stomachs begged for food, and we gathered our poles to head back.
We rounded the estate before the sun hit its zenith and entered an empty kitchen. The butcher block waited, clean and empty, which I found unusual; one of the men typically returned with something by now. I laid the fish out, content to let the cooks clean them.
From somewhere in the manor, I heard a familiar, raised voice. Both Egrit and I shared a worried look before we hurried down the hall.
“Then look again,” Lord Ruhall roared at the staff, who stood in line before him.
He spun at the sound of our steps. His red, angry face surprised me as our gazes met.
“Where have you been?” he asked, stalking toward me.
Egrit made a move to step in front of me, but I firmly grabbed her wrist and held her back.
“You wish to speak with me, my Lord?” I emphasized his title, trying to remind him he was no longer the beast, though his current tone and the prowling steps he took did remind me of the dear creature.
“I asked where you were.” Despite his very human form, he growled.
Ridiculously, I almost smiled that he thought to intimidate me.
“Thank you for asking, my Lord. I shall certainly accompany you to your study to explain.”
His eyes narrowed. He cocked his head to the side and studied me for a moment before waving for me to lead the way. I gave a gracious nod and leisurely moved past him. The servants all watched me with worry and trepidation. I stopped before the head cook, giving her a calm smile.
“There are several trout on the block. They still need cleaning.”
She frowned but nodded slowly before she glanced at the man who impatiently waited just a step away.
“Thank you,” I said.
He followed me through the halls, the angry click of his shoes puzzling me. I sincerely doubted he minded that Egrit and I had taken a morning from cleaning when we’d dedicated so many days to the task already. What then had made him so angry?
I walked through the study door and stopped in the middle of the room, preferring not to sit just in case I needed to leave quickly. The door closed. He walked around me and stood behind his desk.
“Well?” he said.
“We went fishing. I would think that obvious after telling the cook about the trout,” I said with an arched brow.
His face, which had recovered its natural color, flushed again.
“My Lord, Egrit and I have worked tirelessly since I arrived. My back needed a rest days ago. Egrit would never complain, but I’m sure hers did as well. Certainly you cannot begrudge us a morning to relax. It wasn’t a completely idle activity either; we brought back fish.”
He looked heavenward.
“Fish.” His regard settled on me once more. “You think this is about you fishing?” He rubbed a hand over his face.
“I honestly have no idea what would cause you, the Liege Lord, to start yelling at the staff in a most unbecoming manner and then to turn on me as soon as I walk into the room, in front of an already shocked staff,” I said with annoyance. “You said Rose is watching you. What do you think she made of such beastly behavior?”
He had the grace to cringe. “I was less concerned about her than I was about you when I woke to find you missing.”
“First, how did you know I was missing unless you tried to enter my room,” I said in a harsh whisper. He snarled in return. “Second, my absence should not concern you. You hired my father, not me, if I recall. I should be free to move about as I please. I am under no obligation to stay locked in my room any longer. And don’t even think about taking Egrit to task for some idle time. You owe her that and much more.”
He opened his mouth, no doubt to shout back at me, when the door burst open. My father stood there looking flustered and slightly embarrassed.
“You summoned me, my Lord?”
Behind him, I caught sight of Egrit leaving the library.
“Father, you are just in time,” I said, calming myself. “The boorish man behind the desk has spent too many years without the counsel of his father. Perhaps you can still help him despite his dotage.”
My father’s brows rose, and his gaze darted to Lord Ruhall, who watched me with a clenched jaw. I turned away from both men and stormed out the door.
“She gets her stubbornness from me and her intelligence from her mother,” my father said.
His words made me pause in the library, just out of sight. I would argue that I had his intelligence.
“Books, the written word, captivate me. But I forgot them all when my wife first spoke to me. We were wed twelve years before she passed. I learned a few things in those years. When a woman leaves a room in a storm, best wait till the thunder fades before you walk out lest you risk being struck by lightning. Or worse, a frying pan.”
Lord Ruhall said something too quietly for me to hear. With a smile, I left him to my father’s sage advice.
Chapter 3
Just outside the library, the entire staff waited. Egrit flashed me a relieved smile.
“All is well,” I assured them. “Mrs. Wimbly, the fish would be an excellent midday meal if there’s time.” It would also serve as a reminder to Lord Ruhall.
“Egrit, you should watch how they are cleaned if you plan on fishing again in the future.”
Egrit nodded and, with a smile, left with the frowning cook. The rest of the staff seemed reluctant to leave.
“Swiftly, how are the repairs on the stables coming along?”
“I would be happy to show you,” he said. Mr. Crow opened the door for us. The other men followed.
* * * *
Swiftly’s explanation of the repairs claimed my attention for almost an hour. I hadn’t yet read anything about building but planned to in the future. The calculations needed to brace a structure’s roof correctly astounde
d me.
My father caught me just as I entered through the main doors.
“Stop provoking the Lord. As you reminded him, he is the Liege Lord,” he said.
“Father, truly, my intent wasn’t to provoke him when I left this morning. I only wanted some peace and relaxation. Even with his help carrying the heavy items, I still think I might start walking with a stoop soon.”
“Daughter, for such an astute girl, your ability to observe and learn concerns me,” he said with a frown.
“How so?” I tried to think of what I might have done to upset him.
“Think of the last time you disappeared from his manor, daughter. You worried him.”
My mouth popped open, and I struggled with how I felt about what Father was hinting at. Lord Ruhall, the cold man, cared if I disappeared? No, not me, but two people under his protection.
“Mrs. Wimbly announced the meal is ready. I’ll fetch the tray.” With a shake of his head, my father walked toward the kitchen.
That left me to face Lord Ruhall alone while we waited for Father. It sat wrong that I needed to apologize for an idle day of fishing. With slow steps, I made my way to the study. Lord Ruhall’s bent head did not lift when I entered. He continued to read from the open book before him.
His hand rubbed his forehead, and his hair sprouted about in disarray. The set of his shoulders, tense and pushed back, told me enough. He was still angry with me.
Ignoring the chairs my father and I usually took, I walked around the desk and rested a hand on his jacketed shoulder to gain the attention I knew he wouldn’t otherwise give. He sighed and dropped his hand. Leaning back into his chair, effectively removing my touch, he met my gaze.
“I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to concern you.”
He closed his eyes, not saying anything.
“We were safe. The baker’s gone.” To me, he and Tennen were the only ones that posed a real threat, and Tennen wouldn’t have tried anything with Egrit beside me.
Alec snorted and opened his eyes to glare at me.
“Safe? You think the baker is the only man to look at you with lust?”
I refrained from naming him as one of the men to do so. But, no, it hadn’t been him. It had been the beast, my sweet Alec.
“Benella,” he said, leaning forward. A noise from the door stopped him from reaching for me. My father cleared his throat and moved to the desk with the tray.
“Fish,” he announced.
“Of course,” Lord Ruhall murmured, looking at me with a shake of his head. “Next time you’d care to fish, please take Swiftly with you and leave word.”
I nodded and moved to my usual chair, ready to discuss estate affairs.
* * * *
Carrying the tray to the kitchen, I found the cooks at the table, enjoying idle conversation. The assistant cook caught sight of me and quickly stood. I smiled a greeting and set the dirty dishes on the empty butcher block.
“No game today?” I asked as the assistant cook moved around me to start wash water.
“No,” Mrs. Wimbly answered. “The hands were out looking for you.”
“Not my best decision,” I said with a cringe.
She continued to scowl at me. So, I tried changing the subject after a moment of silence.
“Have you explored the cold storage yet?”
“When we first arrived. There’s still ice in it from the winter so we’ve been putting the extra goat milk there.”
“Is there cream?” I asked excitedly. I’d read a bit about making butter and thought the process sounded interesting. The cost of butter being too high, it wasn’t something Bryn used. Lard was less expensive and easier to obtain.
After a moment, Mrs. Wimbly nodded.
“Might we make butter?”
She gave me an odd look before answering.
“If there’s time. There are several buckets still in cold storage. Enough for a bit of butter.”
“How long does the milk stay good?” I asked.
“We’ve thrown out several already that went sour.”
The waste brought to mind all the times my family had dined on fresh goat’s milk and nothing else while living in Konrall.
“Let’s skim the cream we need and pour what’s left in a large barrel to be taken to the Water. There are people there who could use the surplus instead of wasting it,” I said.
Her expression grew more indignant as I spoke, and I wondered at the cause. I seemed to have acquired a knack for upsetting those around me.
“I’ll need to check with Lord Ruhall,” she said.
“Of course,” I agreed. I didn’t think he would disagree with my plan, though. “Do you know how to make cheese?” I asked.
“Of course,” she said as she gave me a hard look.
“I meant no disrespect to your skills,” I quickly assured her. “I was only wondering if we should do so here or perhaps trade a portion of the milk to the cheese maker in the Water for premade cheese.” I tilted my head. “What do you think is the best use of your time? Storing food for winter or cheese making?”
She studied me for a moment, most likely trying to gauge if I mocked her with my question. She heaved an aggravated breath and started to explain the process of making cheese. It fascinated me, of course. Soft cheese would be easy enough for us, but hard cheese would require more ingredients, time, and space to cure.
“So it’s not the preparing time we need worry about, but the items we need to make it. What do you think of making the soft cheese and trading milk for the hard cheese?”
“We won’t get much in return for the milk,” she said. “At least, not the goat’s milk.”
I nodded, thinking of cows, but decided the expense not yet worth the return given the small staff we housed.
“Please let me know what Lord Ruhall says. I’m very interested in assisting,” I added.
She gave a single, curt nod.
With Lord Ruhall still annoyed with me, Egrit missing—most likely cleaning, which I wasn’t eager to resume—and Swiftly and his men busy with repairs, I had nothing to do to occupy myself. I hesitated in the kitchen while Mrs. Wimbly left, presumably to speak with Lord Ruhall.
The assistant cook watched me closely.
“If anyone is looking for me, please let them know I’ve gone to Konrall,” I said, deciding to check if Bryn had yet moved to the bakery.
The last time I’d seen her, she’d called me a whore. Yet, I refused to believe she would do so again. In her heart, she couldn’t really see me as a whore. Most likely, she’d been afraid of losing her position among the merchants of the Water. But she wasn’t in the Water anymore. Konrall was different, and I needed to see her again so we could mend things between us.
The assistant cook nodded and watched me leave. I decided the people at the estate an odd bunch. They didn’t know what to make of me. Neither did I. I wasn’t a servant, but not a guest either since my father was employed there. Yet, I slept in the Lady’s quarters. Obviously, I was a nuisance. It made me smile.
Birds sang along the dirt and pebble drive. I found myself missing the vines and dark mist. Though eerie, it had felt safe, like my own place to hide with only the beast to trouble me.
A wagon rumbled in the distance. I waited on the shoulder and smiled at Henick as he neared.
“Your timing is impeccable,” I said with a laugh. He smiled in return and braked.
“It looks like I’m traveling the wrong direction, though,” he said. The wagon pointed north toward the Water.
“It’s not the ride I’m after as much as it is the news. Has Bryn settled in Konrall, yet?”
“Yes. A few days back. The smoke’s been pouring from the bakery. The new baker makes a fine tart and cake. His bread’s not bad either.”
“How is Bryn?”
He shrugged and looked down at his hands. “I know she thought she would have a hard life with me. But I don’t think it would have been any worse than a fancy baker’s wife.”
My heart went out to him. “Remember to watch for rainbows, Henick. It’s what you deserve.”
He looked up at me and gave a small smile.
“Are you well?” he asked.
It was my turn to shrug.
“I think I’m still broken inside. Too quick to anger at times. Too scornful at other times, though I try to keep that hidden.”
He looked sad for me.
“What a pair we are,” I said with a small smile. My mother once told me time changed everything. In that moment, I realized what she meant. Nothing ever stayed the same.
“If you visit your sister, I hope it’s pleasant,” he said, nodding farewell.
I waved him off and considered his comment. I hoped, by the end, I would be able to call the visit pleasant.
But it wasn’t meant to be. As soon as I walked into the bakery, Bryn’s welcoming expression closed.
“Get out,” she hissed, coming around the counter. “Whore,” she spat. Thankfully, there were no customers to witness her clasping my arm and tugging me toward the door.
“Bryn!” Bryn froze.
“Go upstairs and calm yourself. Perhaps think on the names you choose to use.”
Bryn released me, and I turned to see Edmund standing in the doorway to the bakery. He looked quite angry, and with reason. Tennen stood just behind him.
Bryn paled, and a sob escaped her. My heart broke for her, despite her name calling.
“Go,” Edmund said softly.
Tennen smirked as she ran up the stairs, and a fire lit inside of me.
I stalked around the counter and pushed past Edmund as I balled up my fist. Without hesitation, I struck Tennen. Again, it wasn’t hard enough to bloody him as I wanted, but his head still moved from the blow.
He growled and stepped toward me, but Edmund stopped him with a hand on his chest.
