Page 18 of Lord of Misrule

Chapter 5

“Here is a list of the bread and baked goods that Lord Tolin requires.” Emeric handed Kit the piece of parchment. “It also explains the different days until Twelfth Night that he wants certain items.”

“I see,” said Kit, glancing at the list, not seeing anything that excited her. Her sister sat on a bench rubbing her belly while Parker played with the dog under the table. “I have some items I would like to add to the list,” she told the steward. “Things I bake at my shop that the customers love.”

“You’ll have to take that up with Lord Tolin, I’m afraid.” Emeric looked at the small group of servants standing nearby. “These bakers will assist you.”

She looked up to see nearly a dozen servants watching her with wide eyes. “I have never had or needed this much assistance,” she told the steward.

“You also haven’t had to bake for so many people before, Kit.” Brenna stretched her neck to see the list as well. “Does that say two hundred mincemeat pies?”

“What?” Kit’s eyes snapped down to the parchment in her hand. Sure enough, her sister was right. “Nay. I don’t bake with meat. I do sweets only.”

“Lord Tolin prefers his mincemeat pie with lots of extra apples, dates and raisins. And a variety of spices. He likes it as a dessert. I’ve given you the recipe.” The steward nodded to the papers in her hand.

“This is absurd.”

“Lord Tolin invited the serfs as well as the villagers to join the nobles and castle occupants to the Christmas festivities. Use the servants to help you. There is a lot of work to be completed.”

“Of course, he invited the villagers too,” moaned Kit, knowing this was common but not wanting her friends to see her as naught but a servant of the castle. She was in a humiliating situation. If her sister-by-marriage showed up with her husband, she was sure that Willis would go back and tell all the villagers rumors about Kit and her family. She was a proud business owner, but after Christmas, she’d be naught but a homeless, jobless woman. She would have no choice but to keep being Lord Tolin’s servant.

“Oh, what is going on out there?” asked Brenna, stretching her neck to see out the door of the kitchen, down the corridor to the great hall.

“The servants are stringing up mistletoe and holly to decorate the hall,” said Emeric. “I’m afraid they are not very creative and that it will not meet Lord Tolin’s expectations.”

“I like to decorate,” said Brenna, still looking out the door. “Perhaps I could help them?”

“I don’t know,” said Emeric. “I thought you were brought here to bake. Lord Tolin might not like that.”

Kit saw the shadow darken her sister’s face. Brenna was a very creative person and had always wanted to make things look pretty. She wasn’t a baker and would only get in Kit’s way in the kitchen, not able to move fast because of her big belly. “I’ll take responsibility should Lord Tolin object. Brenna, why don’t you go see if you can help them. I’m sure it will be fine.”

“I would like that.” Brenna got up off the bench, nearly falling when the dog shot out from under the table and knocked into her. Kit caught her and helped her balance.

“Parker, I told you to get that dog out of here,” scolded Kit.

“I like him and don’t want him to leave. At least I have someone to play with now,” Parker answered.

“Oh, you can’t make King leave,” said Emeric. “Lord Tolin won’t allow it. King likes to stay in the keep and Lord Tolin lets him go wherever he pleases.”

“King? Oh, is that the dog’s name?” asked Kit.

“Yes, King is Lord Tolin’s dog.”

“It figures,” Kit mumbled under her breath. Just one more thing about the man that aggravated her. “Parker, I’ll need your help gathering some ingredients,” Kit told her son, running her finger down the list.

“But I want to play with the dog,” protested the boy. “I don’t know what to do in a kitchen.”

“It’ll be just like helping me at the bakery,” she tried to assure him. “And once Lord Tolin sees you working so hard, he’ll hopefully lift your punishment sooner. Now, go find me the raisins.”

“All right,” said the boy, moping away to do a job that no eight-year-old should be expected to do.

Tolin left the church on horseback anxious to return to the castle where a feast would be waiting, now that the fasting from the last four weeks had ended. He’d purposely ordered lots of meat and dairy, since these were foods banned by the church during Advent. He’d left in such a hurry that he hadn’t had a chance to tell Kit the changes he’d made concerning the desserts for the Christmas Eve meal. He hoped Emeric had explained the way Tolin liked things to be.

Since it would be hours yet before the food was ready, he had planned a joust to take place in the practice yard. A good joust would work up a powerful hunger. Actually, he decided to stop by the kitchen on his way to the joust to make sure Kit was following orders. He was secretly already starving and had hoped to sneak a taste early.

Tolin’s squire walked with him, pointing out the obvious. “Oh, look, my lord. The decorations are up in the great hall. I see strings of holly and even ornate kissing boughs.”

“Yes, I see that.” He stopped under one of the kissing boughs, inspecting it hanging from the rafters. Dozens graced the room. Each was a wire structure in the shape of a ball. To his surprise they had apples and oranges hanging down, with lots of holly and pine branches with mistletoe attached in the center. Some of the oranges even had cloves stuck into them. It was quite nice. More elaborate than he’d ever seen. Just the scent alone made the normally stale air smell spicy and sweet. “This is quite good,” he said aloud, noticing the details of colorful ribbons woven into curious bows and loops from which the kissing boughs were attached. A beeswax scented candle was placed in the center of each. Once the candles were lit later tonight, the kissing boughs would fill the room with a soft light, giving off a mysterious glow. He nodded his approval. “I have never seen such elaborate kissing boughs before. I like it.”