“I know the manor usually has a booth,” Sophia said, “because I was told to make enough soap to sell at the Fall Festival. But I have no idea what that means or how much soap I should make. Nobody else does, either, because they didn’t have goats before I came along.”
Caspian glanced down at her. “You brought the goats?”
She shook her head. “No, they bought the goats from someone else. But they didn’t buy them until I was there asking for a job. They asked if I had experience with goats, and I said that I did not, but I was more than willing to learn. I would have done just about anything for a job at that point,” she said with a humorless laugh. “I desperately needed work, so I was more than grateful for any job they were willing to give me.”
Before Caspian could ask why she’d been so desperately in need of a job, she continued. “And honestly, I don’t mind the goats. I didn’t expect to love them as much as I do, but they bring me great comfort, and I have loved getting to know them and all the different ways they can manage to get out of a fence…even if it makes for some interesting evenings. It’s always evening, you know. They never get out during the day. It’s always when it’s most inconvenient for me.”
Caspian laughed. “I’m sure it is. I am glad there are goats at the manor, though. Liliana had been begging for them for years, ever since she saw some at the Fall Festival and fell in love with them. I’m honestly surprised it took so long for them to humor her.”
“Maybe they were just waiting for the right person for the job to come along,” Sophia said with a shrug. “Either way, I’m glad they’re my responsibility.”
Only a few moments later, they were walking through the front door of the library. Sophia looked around with a smile and saw Beatrice first, hurrying over to give her a hug.
“Hello,” Beatrice said, giving Sophia a hug. “I wasn’t expecting to see you this evening. Is everything alright?”
“Caspian asked if I could come with him and help with the festival for a little bit,” Sophia said.
Beatrice gave Sophia a knowing look and Caspian took a deep breath.
He knew what that look meant.
It meant something to do with him.
What exactly, he wasn’t sure, but he would bet money that it was Beatrice trying to figure out what was going on between him and Sophia.
He wanted to know, too, because he had a feeling he was heading for trouble.
“Do you still have that copy of the map for me?” he asked before anyone could exchange any more glances. “I forgot to bring it home last time. And do you know if the manor’s booth is large enough for them to add Sophia’s soap in addition to everything else they usually do?”
“We can’t forget my soaps,” Sophia said cheerily.
“Of course I won't forget your soaps! You know I love them,” Beatrice said.
“I’ve never tried them before,” Caspian said.
Beatrice narrowed her eyes. “You haven’t?”
Actually, it was probably the soap that was in his bath. “Maybe I have, if it’s the soap they use on the estate.”
“That’s probably it,” Sophia said with a smile.
“It’s great soap,” he said.
How had his life changed from training to be a guard in the city to discussing how lovely a bar of soap was with a beautiful woman in his small town’s library?
“Let’s go take a look,” Beatrice said, and Caspian and Sophia followed her into her office. As he waited for her to pull out the file with the map, he watched Sophia take in the cozy but crowded office. Her hand reached out and caressed the spine of a leather-bound book as Beatrice dropped the file on her desk.
“I was thinking the manor could be here,” Beatrice said, pointing to a large square on the hand-sketched map of town. “But again, it all depends on which other vendors you can get to be a part of the festival.”
Caspian nodded, leaning over to get a closer look. “I think that’s a good spot for it. Most people will walk past it on their way to get food.”
“As long as you can get food vendors,” Beatrice said in a sprightly tone. “I don’t suppose you’ve had any progress in that quarter.”
He shook his head. “Not yet.”
Caspian reached for a pencil at the same time as Sophia did, and their hands accidentally touched. He felt a jolt of energy run through him for the second time that day.
Sophia was different from any other girl he’d known.
