“You left your brother out in this weather?” Her eyes were wide, full of judgment. At least she had forgotten her self-consciousness.
“He opted to stay with the horses,” Onric said, defending himself.
She crossed her arms.
“I’ll go get him.” Onric grabbed his cloak from the fireplace and trudged back out into the storm. Moments later, he guided Ian back through the door into the welcoming little kitchen. The maid was cutting another slice of bread.
“I’m so terribly sorry.” She stepped behind Ian and grabbed his cloak as he removed it, shooting Onric an angry glare behind his brother’s back. “I had no idea you had been left out in the cold.”
Ian turned and bowed gallantly over her hand. “Your barn is quite accommodating, m’lady.”
She smiled shyly and gestured towards the table. “Please eat and warm yourself for a moment.”
Onric placed his cloak in front of the fireplace again, searching for the happiness he had felt a few moments prior.
“Thank you for stitching up my brother,” Ian was saying, a smile in his voice.
She was blushing. Straight up blushing. Suddenly, the small kitchen felt claustrophobic. Ian tried to catch his brother’s eye when she turned away. He probably wanted to celebrate that she had not recognized either of them, but Onric turned his shoulder and pretended to be warming by the hearth. He stared at the flames while his brother and the maid chatted comfortably behind him.
“Excuse me.” Suddenly she was right next to him, leaning towards the fire. She reached out with an iron tong, pulling at the boiling kettle amidst the flames.
“Allow me.” Taking the tong and the thick rag from her hands, Onric maneuvered the kettle to a safe place and lifted it by the handle. It was heavy. He looked around to see what she needed it for.
She had stepped back towards the washbasin. “In here, please.”
He carefully poured the boiling water into the half-empty basin.
“Thank you,” she said.
He replaced the kettle as she started washing the clothes from the basket. Ian smirked at him, his head making subtle gestures towards the girl.
Onric rolled his eyes, using his own head to gesture towards the door.
Ian leaned back in his chair, getting comfortable.
Onric shot him a look, trying to convey the terrible things he planned to inflict on his older brother as soon as he had the chance, but he was not going to let Ian ruin this.
Despite the warm glow of the fireplace and his easy conversation with the young woman, he had not failed to notice the darkness under her eyes and the extra seconds it took to bring a smile to her face.
He moved from the fire back to the washbasin. “Let me help?”
She looked up at him, not convinced. “You don’t exactly seem to be the type of person who is used to doing the washing.”
His brain scrambled for a way to reply when he noticed she was smiling. She was teasing him.
“Quite the contrary, I wash and brush my horse nearly every day,” he replied in the same vein, but it was also true. He liked to care for Blossom himself.
She downright laughed at that. “Is that how you plan to care for these dresses, then?” She lifted a purple mass from the basket on the floor beside the basin.
“Ah, yes.” He took it from her hand. “Have you any extra oats to keep it busy while I scrub?” He looked around the room, pretending.
She smiled at him and dropped her head to continue her task.
“I’m quite serious. The hour is late. Let me help you finish.” His tone was sincere, no longer teasing.
She handed him a bar of lye soap.
He bent over the basin, his head close to hers. “Why did you open the door to a complete stranger? That seems quite brave.” He tried to keep his voice quiet, not wanting Ian to participate in this conversation.
