"I'll ask the kitchens for tea," I lie. Though I suppose I'll ask them for it, I just won't bother drinking it.
Father clears his throat. "Perhaps a change of subject is in order."
Mama sighs and helps herself to a dessert. "I suspect that might be wise."
"The Gaullessian envoy will arrive next week. It's important that the visit goes well as our treaty is up for renegotiation," Father says. "I believe your private secretary has an appointment for you with the ambassador already scheduled, Arthur?" he asks my brother.
Artie nods. "I've also been through the previous treaty and made some notes on what we should be discussing as potential amendments."
"Excellent," Father responds. "We should sit down and discuss them tomorrow. How are preparations for the feast coming, Evelyn?"
"They're going well," I say. "But now that Chef Matthews has returned, I intend to discuss the menu with him. He studied in Gaullesse, so I think he should have some excellent insights."
"Sure, that's why," Veronica mutters under her breath.
I glare at my sister, but she just smiles sweetly in response.
"I'm sure he'll do an excellent job," Father responds. "I do have to applaud his skills."
"I'll be sure to tell him," I respond, feeling a lot better now we're on the much safer topic of pastries, though Mama doesn't seem entirely convinced from the way she's looking at me.
I don't really understand how I'm to blame for the turn in the conversation when she's the one who started talking about accident tea, but I know better than to point that out, especially when it's no longer the focus of the room. I just have to hope that it stays that way and we don't have to discuss it again.
Chapter 6
It's a relief to be away from the pressures of my family and arrive in the kitchens, especially because I want to tell Nate about Father's compliments. I know that it's a good thing for him to have impressed the King, especially when he's newly appointed to his position.
Ember uncurls herself from my neck without much fuss and actually flies over to the oven on her own rather than needing coaxing. I can only assume that's a good sign for the future of her comfort with Nate.
He looks over as he swoops past him, smiling when he sees me. "How was family dinner?"
"There were some good things, and some not so good things about it," I respond as I make my way over to where he's preparing some pastry. "Father said that your skills were excellent, and I liked that."
He swallows hard. "Your father, the King?"
"I don't have another."
He laughs and wraps his pastry. "True. So, what were the not-so-good things?"
"Mama brought up accident tea and then made it seem like it was my fault."
He raises an eyebrow. "Accident tea?"
"Yes, to stop me from having a baby," I respond.
He clears his throat. "I know what it's for. I just didn't realise that you needed any. None of your letters mentioned that you were courting anyone."
"I'm not," I say quickly, not wanting him to think that I have feelings for anyone else, even if he doesn't know that I have them for him. "And I don't need it for any other reason either."
"I see."
"I don't know why she thinks about it so much," I say. "But it doesn't matter, I'm not here to talk about that."
"We can talk about anything you want," he says.
"I know. But there's really nothing to talk about." Mostly because I can't tell him that Mama wants me to drink accident tea so that I don't have a baby with him. That would undoubtedly lead to the fact that I've been thinking about him in ways that aren't in line with our friendship. "I'm here to bake."
He laughs. "Of course you are. We can bake once I've put this in the fridge." He lifts up the parcel of pastry.
