He was home and safe. And he was doing the jobs his father could not. Everything was just as he wanted it. Never mind the gaping hole in her chest. She would fill it with work and training.
Her first payday was a nice distraction. Six shillings. She held them in her hand, enjoying the weight of them.
‘Coming to the tavern?’ Hadewaye asked.
She shook her head. ‘Not today.’
‘What a soft cock you’ve become,’ Tatum said as he passed her. ‘What else are you going to spend your money on?’
‘Maybe she just doesn’t want to waste her wages on drink like the rest of us,’ Alveye said, tucking his coin pouch into his uniform.
Blackmane gave him a shove to get him walking, then nodded once at Eda before following the others.
Yes, their relationship had progressed to polite gestures now.
That night, Eda gave the coins to her mother. Candace turned them over in her hand for a moment before saying, ‘How much longer are you going to keep doing this?’
‘Mother,’ Blake said, shaking her head. ‘She’s keeping Chadora safe. Can’t you just thank her and let her be?’
Her sister was seated in the chair in front of the fire, Luella curled up in her lap and Garlic beside her. It was the same lap Eda had curled up in her whole life. She looked down at her niece’s pouty face. No cuter replacements could be found.
‘I’m going to check on Basil.’
Candace sighed and called to her back, ‘You are not going to fall asleep out there, are you?’
Eda snatched a cloak from the hook by the back door and swung it around her as she headed outside. Basil must have heard her coming because the braying began before she had even reached the stables.
‘Hello, you.’ Eda slipped into the stall and checked his water. It was still half full, saving her a trip to the creek. She took the wool blanket off the divider and wrapped it around her before sliding to the ground. Basil lay down next to her like a loyal dog.
‘Any progress with the goats today?’
Basil’s ears flicked back and forth, listening.
‘No?’ She made a sad face. ‘What about Harlan’s horse? He picks on your ears, doesn’t he?’
The donkey blinked at her.
‘Never mind that elegant, perfectly proportioned bastard. We’ll find you a friend.’
Eda curled against him, resting her head on his back and stroking his fluffy coat. She closed her eyes when she felt the sting of tears. ‘I miss him.’
CHAPTER39
It had taken a long time for the materials to arrive for the roof, but Queen Fayre had delivered as always. Now Roul was atop a ladder, thatching and already thinking ahead to other maintenance that needed doing. He was running out of jobs and wondered if he should do the neighbours’ roof in case one day they decided to return.
Roul paused his work when he heard a horse approaching at a trot. It was Alfred, one of his father’s friends from the next village. He stopped his horse at the front of the house, nodding a greeting at Roul as he dismounted. Clive wandered outside, and the two men walked over to the empty pigpen to exchange news.
It was close to half an hour later when Alfred called a farewell to Roul on the way back to his horse, a chicken tucked under his arm. Roul saluted, then continued combing out the last section of roof.
‘He wasn’t brave enough to go inside and try your latest batch of ale, then?’ Roul said when his father was close enough to hear.
Clive looked up, inspecting Roul’s work. ‘I think he was worried the roof would collapse on him.’
Roul picked up one of the leftover hazel spars and threw it at his father. Clive got an arm up to block it in time.
‘What news did he have?’ Roul asked, continuing his work.
‘His cousin’s travelled up from the south with her young son.’ He hesitated. ‘She claims England’s going to war.’
