“Are you sure, my lady?”
“Most sure.”
Amelia was shocked when every woman servant in the keep descended on the hall with brooms and soap and water. She pulled Leonie aside.
“Rolfe will not like it.”
Leonie smiled tightly. “Then you must put the blame on me, for this place offends me and I will not stay here another day under these conditions. Of course, if my husband is pleased, then you must take the credit yourself. I am sure you intended to clean the house, but have been unable to find the time.”
The sarcasm was heavy, yet it went right over Amelia’s head. “To do anything here, you must constantly supervise. The serfs are too simple to carry a task through on their own. Do you not think I have tried?”
Leonie kept her doubts to herself. It was an effort just to talk to this woman.
“I have my own methods of doing things.”
“If Rolfe is satisfied…” Amelia grumbled.
“But I am not satisfied, Lady Amelia. I am not asking you to volunteer your help, however.”
She would not ask for permission either. See if the woman dared overrule her.
Amelia was wise enough to back down. She had gained too much to risk a confrontation with Rolfe’s wife over such a trifling matter as this.
“Suit yourself, my lady,” Amelia said before moving away.
Leonie nodded to Wilda, whose eyes twinkled asshe began shouting orders to the women gathered around her. And so it began. There was some grumbling once the task was explained, but Wilda’s sharp tongue quickly took care of complaints.
Leonie would have pitched in to help, as she had always done at Pershwick, but to do that here would lower her position. As it was, too many of the servants looked first to Lady Amelia for approval.
With Wilda in firm control in the hall, Leonie gathered some men servants and directed them to follow her outside. She sent four men to gather new rushes, and another to summon Sir Evarard. Then she took three men to the kitchen.
The staff were instantly resentful of her presence, having gone so long without any interference. Besides the cook, a lean man of middle age, there were five male assistants and three children, who were allotted the easiest tasks. Little Idelle was one, and Leonie had to stop herself from smiling at the girl until after she dealt with the rest of the staff.
The condition of the long shed that served as the kitchen was appalling. Smoke and grease were so thick on everything that it was a wonder the building hadn’t burned down. The pantry, larder, and buttery were in no better condition.
She took no pity on the cook, for he was solely responsible. “You may return to the stable where your talents will be better used,” she told him, daring him by the severity of her expression to object.
He seemed relieved. After he left, she ordered the three men with her to begin removing everything from the kitchen. The five male assistants and Idelle were told to follow Leonie to the garden. There she looked at each man in turn, judging their attitudes and knowing that if her plan didn’t work, she would end up being the cook herself.
She turned her attention to the little girl and allowed herself to drop her severe manner for a moment. “Idelle, do you remember the ‘good-for-naughts’ you were picking from the garden?”
Idelle’s eyes widened. “I did not pick them again, my lady, I swear.”
“I know, but now I want you to pick them again, every one of them.”
“But there is so much!”
“Exactly. And since they serve no purpose, they do not belong in the garden. Do you see?”
Idelle saw only that it would take forever to do what her lady was asking, yet she wanted desperately to please Leonie. “I will do it.”
Leonie grinned at the forlorn face. “I did not mean you should pick them yourself. No, these men here will do the picking, roots and all—especially the roots. You will stand by to watch and see they do not miss any, and to see that they do not rest until the task is done.”
“You mean they must do asIsay?” Idelle gasped.
“That is correct.”
“My lady, I protest!” One of the men spoke up. “It is not—”
