“Daisy needs to finish copying down a passage from a book, and she insisted that she would work better if ye were in the same room,” Rowena explained.
“I see.” Thalia shot Daisy a stern look. “Ye can stay with me, but ye have to do yer work. Understand?”
Daisy nodded earnestly. “I promise.”
“Good.” Thalia ruffled her hair sweetly. “Come on in.”
Daisy ran into the room first, finding the table and chair that were placed in the corner of the room. She climbed onto the chair and began to set up her stationery. She had her quill, inkwell, paper, and her book.
Thalia and Rowena followed in after, and Rowena gently closed the door behind them.
Thalia took her place on her bed, and Rowena pulled up another chair closer to Daisy. She had a pair of socks in her hands that she was mending, and Thalia could only assume that they were Daisy’s.
The older woman’s hands moved precisely as they sewed the wool back together. She hummed a tune under her breath as she worked, something upbeat and cheerful that Thalia did not recognize, but she enjoyed it just the same.
“What kind of passage are ye copyin’ down, sweetheart?” Thalia asked, watching as the young girl carefully opened her book to where she had left off.
“It’s a history of MacAinsley,” Daisy replied. “Rowena has me writin’ it down because it’ll help me remember it all.”
“That sounds very smart,” Thalia praised, and Rowena gave a small smile even though her gaze was still on her work. “Is Rowena in charge of yer education?”
“For now.” Daisy shrugged.
“Laird MacAinsley wants to hire her a proper tutor, but he didnae want to overwhelm her with too many new people,” Rowena interjected.
Thalia nodded. “That makes sense.”
Daisy carefully dipped her quill into the inkwell and began to sketch out the letters on the page. Each motion was calculated, and as she concentrated, her tongue slid between her teeth and stuck out the side of her mouth. Thalia almost laughed at the sight, but she did not want to break her concentration. So she turned her attention back to her book.
It was a book on the plants in the area, with detailed descriptions of each one, including drawings, diagrams, and useful properties or dangers to keep in mind. Thalia wasn’t sure she would find any new information in it, but it wouldn’t hurt to check. Even ifshe did come across material she already knew, it could help her memorize it.
The three of them sat in companionable silence for some time. The only sound in the room was the light scratching of Daisy’s quill on her paper, and the light rustling as Thalia turned a page in her book. It was a lovely way to pass the time, and a nice contrast to the chaos that the morning had brought.
Thalia felt comfortable in this setting. She began to imagine spending her afternoons just like this. Perhaps there was some good to look forward to for the next year. Her earlier fears began to ease, and she was becoming optimistic about what the future would bring.
The afternoon gave way to the evening, and the shadows began to lengthen across the floor. They had all been working silently for a few hours, but Thalia was beginning to feel hungry.
A knock on the door made all three of them look up curiously.
“Thalia? May I come in? I brought dinner,” the voice asked, a bit muffled by the wood.
Thalia leapt up and ran to the door. Ava stood outside, holding up two plates of food. They were both piled with potatoes, turnips, and meat that Thalia suspected was venison.
“Oh!” Rowena stood quickly. “I didnae realize dinner was ready. I’ll go fetch some for Daisy.”
“Can I eat in here tonight, Rowena?” Daisy whined. “Please?”
Rowena pursed her lips. “All right. I’ll be right back with yer plate.”
She moved past Ava and disappeared down the hallway.
Ava handed a plate to Thalia, then moved to occupy the chair Rowena had vacated. She looked at Daisy’s work station, nodding at the still-open book.
“What are ye workin’ on?” she asked.
“I’m practicin’ me readin’ and writin’ by copyin’ this history book,” Daisy replied. “I daenae like the readin’ so much, but I do like writin’.”
Ava nodded. “Aye, I have heard how brilliant a writer ye are.”
