Page 8 of Lord of Misrule

“I don’t understand, my lord.” The girl’s thin brows dipped in confusion. “Why would we stay here? Our home is at the bakery. In town.”

“I understand that, but I could use a good baker for the upcoming Christmas festivities.”

“Excuse me, my lord, but we already have many good bakers in the castle’s kitchen,” said Emeric.

“I don’t care. I want another,” Tolin told him, looking over to Kit. “I want your skills, so I think you will do just fine, Kit Baker. The boy will work in the kitchen along with you. He will also help serve tables during the meals.”

He could tell by the look on Kit’s face that this decision didn’t please her in the least. “My son is not a servant and neither am I,” she ground out. “I have a business to run, Lord Tolin. This is my busiest season. Not to mention, my very pregnant sister and her husband live with me and I need to be there to support them.”

“My lord, I am not sure that is the kind of sentence usually given to a thief,” the steward tried to persuade him to change his decision.

“No, it isn’t and is quite unusual,” Brother Ruford agreed.

“Whether it is usual or not, it doesn’t matter. It is the sentence I have decided upon,” Tolin told them in finality.

“My lord, is there any other way?” Kit’s eyes held anguish and determination.

“Didn’t you say you’d be willing to do anything if I didn’t harm your son or put him in the dungeon?” Tolin folded his arms over his chest and waited.

“Well, yes. Yes, I did.” Kit’s eyes moved back and forth from him to his steward and next his guard and back again. “But to walk away from my business? That could ruin me. Please, there must be another way.”

“Yes. Of course, you are right,” said Tolin with a shrug. He looked over to the guard. “Let the girl go back to her bakery.”

“Thank you,” said Kit, smiling until she heard the rest of what he had to say.

“The girl is free to leave but be sure to put the boy in the dungeon,” Tolin told the guard. “He is a thief and must pay for his mistake.”

“Nay! That’s not what I meant, my lord.” Kit’s eyes filled with tears again. It was almost enough to make Tolin let them both walk away. Almost. The taste of her tart still lingered on his tongue, causing him to stick to his original decision, wanting more of her delicious desserts.

“It is either you both work in the castle kitchen until the end of Twelfth Night, or you go back to your shop and your son spends the holidays locked up in a cell. So, what will it be?”

He watched the woman turn white and sway slightly when her eyes closed. Then she opened her eyes again and pulled her son to her even closer, wrapping her arms around him so tightly that Tolin was sure the boy couldn’t breathe.

“I will never abandon my son,” she told him. “Although I don’t agree with your decision, my lord, I would risk my business to keep Parker from being hurt or imprisoned.”

“Good,” said Tolin with a slight nod. “Then it’s done. You will both report to my kitchen first thing in the morning. And I’ll expect more of those tantalizing tarts amongst other baked goods that will intrigue and amaze all those at the Christmastide celebrations.”

As he walked away, he felt the satisfaction of having won the challenge and getting what he really wanted. He had no desire to harm a child or put the boy behind bars. Neither did he want to ruin the woman’s business. Thankfully, the woman agreed to his terms because if she hadn’t, he wasn’t sure what he would have done. He bluffed his way through this game, but had a feeling the woman named Kit was going to prove to be a challenge and true competitor before this was over. She was amazingly good at not only baking but also getting what she wanted. He liked her competitive nature! And he was already devising more games in his mind that he and the pretty baker from town could play together.