“And on Easter Sunday too,” remarked Royce, his eyes watchful. “There must be some parallel with the Resurrection, but I’m not sure what it might be.”
Giles rolled his eyes. “Lady Gwyneth, I trust you can excuse these jokesters. Since we are small in number, Evan will carve, and the rest of the time we make do with each other’s assistance.” He glanced down the table. “For example, Gabriel…please pass those potatoes.”
Gwyneth nodded. “I am so pleased to be able to join you. And although I have some idea of the house and grounds, I confess I’m eager to understand and learn more about my new home.”
“And I look forward to those conversations,” endorsed Giles. “There is much to understand, since we are different from most estates, not only in our founding principles, but in our structure and management.” He looked around. “And in the fact that we usually enjoy our meals together.”
Gwyneth smiled at Evan as he offered her a plate of lamb.
“Now I know it’s Easter,” she said, helping herself to a modest couple of slices. “And there will be mint sauce?”
“Of course.” He looked around. “Jeremy. Leave some for the rest of us.”
Jeremy shook his head. “Can’t. It is beyond delicious. I might replace my wine with this.” He gestured to the crystal decanter holding the liquid. Tiny green leaves flashed amidst the contents, and Gwyneth’s mouth watered at the remembered taste of the mint on her tongue.
“Take your time, Ma’am,” cautioned Royce. “You have yet to recover your full strength, and your ability to digest many foods. You’re well on the road to your former health, but there will be the occasional bump along the way.”
She nodded. “I do understand. Although that entire portion of my life seems more like a horrid nightmare than something that actually happened to me.” She cut a sliver of the lamb, dipped it in the mint sauce and ate, chewing slowly and with great relish.
“Jeremy, you and Royce attended Easter services, this morning. Was all well?” Giles poured himself some wine and passed the bottle to Evan.
“The church was full, of course,” replied Jeremy. “The sermon was just a few minutes short of being too long, and the children managed to fidget as silently as possible.” He grinned. “I felt for them. Those pews are hard.”
Royce nodded in agreement. “They are. But I think that’s deliberate. Keeps the congregation awake, since it’s damned difficult to fall asleep when one’s…er…backside is slowly turning numb.”
“There were enquiries, I suppose?” Giles shot him a quick glance.
“Indeed there were,” answered Royce. “But I passed them on to Jeremy.”
Jeremy grinned. “He did, too. But overall most people seemed pleased to know that the Lady of Wolfbridge was recovering well from her illness.” He turned to Gwyneth. “Your arrival occasioned great excitement and your health no little concern, my Lady. You must be aware that your position is held in high esteem hereabouts, so it is quite natural.”
“We let it be known that you were suffering from an ailment when you arrived, but have managed to spread the word of your recovery.”
“I see,” she said, taking a sip of water. She wasn’t entirely ready for wine yet. “So they do not know my identity?”
Gabriel, who sat on her left, reached out and touched her hand gently. “As I understand it, Lady Gwyneth, everybody knows you as the Lady of Wolfbridge. To them, that is the be-all and end-all of their conversation.”
“They really don’t care where you came from, it seems,” added Royce. “Very good-natured of ‘em, I’d say. But Gabriel’s right. To everyone around here you are their Lady.” His eyes turned to Giles. “Which begs the question of how to introduce her? Or present her? Or whatever it is you do to show her off to everyone as the Lady of the Manor?”
To her surprise, Gwyneth burst out laughing, and the others stared at her in astonishment. “Forgive me, but that sounds so silly. Perhaps I should be put on a wagon and paraded around the estate.” She giggled. “There should be little girls in white and pink throwing rose petals before me, and I shall sit on a large chair covered with silk and beneath an arch filled with hyacinths…”
“And musicians following, of course…a merry tune on fife and lute…” Jeremy teased.
“Morris dancers?”
“Wrong time of year,” said Evan, grinning as he responded to her suggestion. “That’s Whit Sunday, I think, and besides we don’t have any around Wolfbridge, as far as I know.”
Giles joined the laughter, noted Gwyneth, but she sensed his mind was elsewhere. In this she was correct, as his next statement revealed.
“Perhaps in the morning, if you’re not overtired, we should touch on some matters pertaining to this topic in a more fundamental manner.”
“How do you mean, Giles?” She tilted her head to one side.
“We need to prepare you now, as you regain your strength. There are many things you must be made aware of, and although a procession with small children and rose petals is not part of any Wolfbridge celebration I can think of, we might consider some sort of event to mark your debut, as it were.”
She considered that. “I do feel it’s time for me to assume the mantle you have so kindly offered,” she said. “I can only hope I shall prove worthy of the name.”
“All the Ladies I have known never failed to prove themselves, Ma’am,” Giles smiled. “And there have been quite a few.”
