The carriage driver began unloading box after huge box from the back of the carriage.
“I don’t know where all of that is going to fit—” began Alison, but Idris had already begun to rearrange the great gift pile to make room.
“Are Lady Sibba and Weyland coming?” asked Rinka, gesturing to a pair of gifts.
“They’re keeping to themselves this morning,” said Alison. “They said they might pop ‘round later.”
“Did you invite Julian?” Keir asked Charlotte.
Charlotte blushed. “No. I wasn’t sure it was a good idea, with the rivalry and all.”
“Rivalry?” asked Rinka. Charlotte filled her and Idris in on the rival bake shop.
“That’s easily managed,” said Idris. “Keir, just evict him. Your father won’t even notice.”
Alison hadn’t realized that Lord Ainsley likely owned the building Julian was renting.
Charlotte apparently hadn’t either, judging by her surprised expression. “You can’t do that,” she said. “He needs the shop to survive.”
“Wait, are we for or against the rival bake shop?” asked Rinka.
“It’s a cheese shop,” said Charlotte. “We don’t want him to leave. We just want him to stop baking things and stealing business from Mrs. Knox.”
“Ah,” said Rinka. “Thank you. Now that I know how we feel about it, I’m ready to do whatever it takes to help…stop the baker from baking. Or the cheese monger from baking? Is that right?”
“Close enough,” said Charlotte.
“Gwenla, can I help you in the kitchen?” asked Alison.
“No, no, no, it’s done. Sit down. We’ll all fit around the table if we squeeze.”
Gwenla had installed the leaf in her dining table, filling up the entirety of the room. The table was already set with six places; the smaller kitchen table had been set up for Finnli and the cats in the kitchen.
Over Gwenla’s protests, Alison helped carry in bowls of roasted sprouts and spiced squash, a gravy boat, and the largest pan of mashed potatoes she’d ever seen. Gwenla brought in a tray of puffy golden pastries cooked from the fat of the roast, and then she brought in the star of the show: the roast itself.
It was a beautiful cut of beef, nice and brown on the outside, delicately pink and tender on the inside. The entire spread was so lovely it was difficult to tear it apart in order to eat it.
Difficult, but not impossible.
“Shall we have a Solstice toast for the chef?” asked Alison once they had all served themselves. “To Gwenla, champion of Herot’s Hollow. May her days be long and bright.”
“May her days be long and bright. Cheers!” they said in unison.
“Shall we also toast the prince?” said Gwenla. “It’s a first, having royalty at my table.”
“Absolutely not,” said Idris, setting his glass down. “If we keep toasting, the food will be cold.”
Gwenla laughed. “A fair point. Very well. Happy Solstice, all! Dig in!”
After lunch, they gathered in the crowded living room to exchange gifts.
Gwenla received a number of gifts for her garden, including a nice new pair of secateurs from Alison and Keir and some rare bulbs from the continent ordered by Rinka and Idris. “Oh, what lovely daffodils!” said Gwenla, holding up the package to showeveryone the illustration. “If I plant them right away, they’ll be up by Lupercalia.”
Charlotte received a special baking pan from Gwenla for making cheesecakes. “If Julian insists on selling pastries, you might as well try selling something cheesy.”
Everyone had brought toys and games for Finnli, who had grown up with many siblings and wasn’t used to receiving more than one gift. “I don’t know what to play with first,” he said, quite overwhelmed. In the end, he chose a puzzle and started a war with the cats to keep the pieces off the floor, much to his delight.
Alison had gotten Keir cufflinks made by Weyland to wear at the wedding. “I’m sorry they aren’t quite as meaningful as your present,” she said. Keir had reassured her that they were lovely, and he was kind enough to put them on right away to prove how much he liked them.
