Page 78 of Lord of Misrule

“I won’t. He died, Kit. He can’t hurt me anymore.”

“He died?”

“Hasten took to a fever and never recovered.”

“So, are you back in England to stay?” asked Kit.

“Only if you and Brenna can forgive me and will have me.”

“I forgive you, Mother,” said Brenna. “Oliver and I want you to live with us. At the bakery, as soon as it is done being rebuilt.”

“Kit?” Her mother looked over with worried eyes. “I won’t accept it unless I know you feel the same way.”

“I learned to bake from you, Mother,” Kit told her. “You will be just what the bakery needs.”

They hugged again. Kit felt a tugging at her skirt. She looked down to see Parker looking up with wide eyes.

“Who is that, Mother?” asked her son.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I almost forgot. Mother, you never met Parker. Parker, this is your grandmother.”

“What a sweet boy. He looks so much like your father, Kit.” Her mother hugged Parker.

“I’m the Bean King, Grandma.” Parker lifted his chin in pride. “Is there anything you want? I can get it for you from Lord Tolin.”

“Parker!” scolded Kit.

Tolin cleared his throat from behind them.

“Mother, I’d like you to meet Lord Tolin Blake. We are going to be married.”

“I heard. Congratulations,” said her mother, curtsying to Tolin.

“If there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know,” said Tolin, being the kind and considerate man that he was.

“The first thing you can do is take the bean back from Parker,” said Kit, holding out her hand. “Parker, hand it over.”

“All right,” said Parker pouting, but doing what she asked. Kit handed the bean back to Tolin.

Tolin looked at the bean in his hand and then at Parker who continued to pout. “Parker, now that you’re going to be my son too, I’ll need you to take good care of King for me. Can you do that?”

“I can!” exclaimed Parker.

“Actually, King is going to be your dog now.”

“Really? Yay!” yelled the boy. “I can’t wait to tell him. King? Where are you?” Parker ran off to look for the dog.

“Tolin, there are a few days left before Twelfth Night,” Rook reminded him. “Everyone is expecting more games and festivities. You wouldn’t want to disappoint them.”

“Nay, and neither shall we,” said Tolin, pulling Kit into his arms. “Everyone is invited to join us for our wedding which will be on Twelfth Night as soon as my parents return to Blake Castle,” he announced.

“That soon? Oh, Tolin, I’m worried.” With their arms around each other, Kit looked up at him. “What if your father doesn’t agree to this marriage? What if your parents don’t like me?”

“I wouldn’t worry about a thing,” he told her. “If they give me any trouble about marrying a commoner, I will tell them something that they’ll have to obey.”

“I don’t understand. What do you mean?” asked Kit.

Tolin chuckled. “I’ll just tell them that our marriage is a wish of the Lord of Misrule.”