“I’d like a sister and a friend,” Maeve sobbed more than said. In her time back at home, she realized that she had precious few of either, and that they shouldn’t be taken for granted.
“Excellent,” Sorcha sob-laughed. Leaning back, she wiped Maeve’s tears, and so Maeve wiped Sorcha’s, sending them into a fit of giggles. “When you’re ready, why don’t you bring Soren to dinner at our house. Just me and Orek.”
“I’d like that.” Even though he was from his own large family, Soren didn’t need to be thrown into the Brádaigh fray all at once.
Once their tears were dry and their hearts much lighter, they shared another laugh and one of their mother’s blueberry scones. Sorcha wanted to hear all about her confession to Soren, and so Maeve indulged her, editing out the bits that her elder sister absolutely didn’t need to hear—even if she was positive Sorcha and Orek had gotten up to much the same themselves.
It was…pleasant to get to talk to her sister like this, trading laughs and jokes. Despite editing her story, Maeve found Sorcha eager to compare various aspects of orc and manticore…anatomy, as well as the different ways they seemed to experience the mate-bond.
“It’s interesting they both call their inner instinct a beast,”mused Sorcha over a sip of tea.
“Except Soren’s actually is.” Maeve relished detailing Soren’sturukfor her sister, describing the majestic beast from ear tuft to tail tuft.
“Honestly, it seems fitting that Soren’s inner beast is bold,” Sorcha said.
Maeve nodded vigorously in agreement. “He’s got a confident, flirtatious beast inside him just waiting to be free.”
“Well, then, he’s found just the right person to bring it out of him.”
Maeve wiggled and blushed with pride. She thought so, too.
Soon enough, it was time for luncheon, and Maeve surprised herself by offering to help prepare something for the both of them. She still wanted a bath and to hurry back to Soren, but this time with Sorcha felt precious, not to be rushed.
As they stood side by side cutting up cheese, bread, and apples, Maeve nodded at the ledger Sorcha had been poring over when she first came home.
“That looks intimidating.”
Sorcha made a rude noise. “Bookkeeping is my least favorite thing about the business.”
Wiping her hands on her apron, Maeve stepped around the table to flip through the pages. A scoff of horror left her lips the further she paged through the cramped lines and messy numbers.
“This is anightmare.”
“I know,” Sorcha groaned. “Mama’s bookkeeping is…particular.”
That was a generous way of putting it. Maeve could recognize the system’s foundations as an older method of bookkeeping, one popular about fifty years ago that’d been passed around through the guilds. However, there had since been at least two more efficient methods developed by the guilds, both of whichcould be applied to a business such as the Brádaigh stables.
She told Sorcha as much, adding, “I don’t know where mama learned this, but there’s a better, much more humane way.”
“I think it’s just how grandmother did her books.”
That would explain it. Their Grandmother Brádaigh, Aoife and Sofie’s mother, was a battleaxe of a woman, one who brooked no nonsense nor argument. That Sofie had struck out on her own in defiance of her formidable mother still awed Maeve.
“The new system would make much more sense for this kind of business. I could find the new style of ledger in Granach next time I’m there, or send for one in Dundúran if needed.”
“Grandmother might haunt us if we do,” said Sorcha with a shudder.
“I think we have to risk it,” Maeve argued. “This is atrocious.” Flipping to another page, she couldn’t help her noise of disgust. “You poor thing. This is just a cruel way to do it.”
“Do you think you could…?”
Maeve glanced up to see Sorcha’s hopeful look. Nodding, she decided, “Yes, I can update the books. Give me a fortnight or two once I get the new ledger. I can teach it to you, it’s a fairly simple system.”
Sorcha moaned in relief. “Oh, Maeve, that would be such a help. Thank you.”
Biting back her smile, Maeve waved her hand. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing.Lookat that thing.”
