“Oh, her grace seems to think I should find employment elsewhere.I think she wants to train someone new from the orphanage.”The maid sighed.“Regardless, that isn’t why Richard and I cannot marry anytime soon.”
Jewel absently shuffled her gaily wrapped packages on the table.“Then why should you have to wait?”
Hesitation narrowed Margaret’s blue eyes, and then, “We lost a silver tray,” she rushed out.“I’ve not told anyone this, but the two of us lost a large silver tray last summer.Lady Foxbow had ordered it specially made, and it cost thirty-four pounds, and Richard was tasked to fetch it from the village.I had a half day off, so I went with him—we walked to the village together, so happy and carefree.The tray was wrapped in brown paper tied with string, and we were thirsty after the long walk, so we carried it to a taproom and set it down and drank some ale.When we got up to leave, it was gone.Just gone.”
Jewel had never seen anyone look quite so wan.Simply gazing at Margaret made her heart hurt.“That’s very unfortunate, but why should it keep you from wedding?”
“The tray cost thirty-four pounds, my lady.Thirty-four pounds!Richard earns five pounds a year and I earn another five—in the time since we lost the tray, he’s been able to pay just four pounds towards that debt.Even should we both save every penny, it will take him three more years to clear the debt, and Lord Foxbow won’t free him to hire on elsewhere before the debt is paid.”
“That’s rather harsh.”Jewel shook her head.“Well, perhaps you can find employment on the Foxbow estate instead?”
“I’m loath to leave her grace, but that doesn’t signify, because Lord Foxbow does not allow his servants to wed.”
“Lord Foxbow sounds dreadful,” Jewel said darkly.
Margaret just shrugged.“Surely you know rules like these are common.”
“Yes, I know,” Jewel said with a sigh.“I do know that.”
None of the Chases forbade their servants to marry, but plenty of other families did.And it certainly wasn’t uncommon for employers to demand payment for lost or broken items, although Jewel couldn’t imagine her parents doing that, either.
She did some quick math in her head.“Twenty pounds will allow you to marry two years sooner.”
Margaret nodded soberly.“That’s why I agreed to help, even though I knew it was wrong.”
“I understand,” Jewel assured her.“And I don’t blame you for agreeing at all.A wait of one year will be much more tolerable than three.”
Needless to say, a wait of no years at all would be more tolerable still—and Jewel believed she could achieve that end.But she felt she ought not to raise her new friend’s hopes until all was in place.
And in the meantime, she and Margaret would have some fun.
Twenty
Kendra
AT LONG LAST,Kendra and Trick were on the bed.They wereinthe bed.After wasting much too much time being frustrated, they’d propped the door back in place and moved the heavy washstand against it.Their mouths were fused together, and Trick’s hands were going everywhere, and Kendra’s heart was racing, and everything felt heavenly—
Scccrrrape…
BANG!
Kendra wrenched her lips from Trick’s.“Do notdarecome in here!”she hollered, rolling over to see the door on the floor again—and the washstand halfway into the room.
“Are you ready for dinner?”Cas called.
Or maybe that was Pol.She never could tell the two of them apart when she could only hear but not see them.
Trick’s hands on her had stilled.Mostly.“Hush,” he whispered.“Maybe they’ll leave us alone.”
“We’re not going to leave you alone,” Cas or Pol said.“Everyone is waiting for you for dinner.Make haste—we want to skate!”
Kendra rolled away from her husband and plunked a pillow over her face.
Trick made a curious noise.“What are you doing?”
In answer, she simply screamed.
Twenty-One
