AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How large is the orchard? Are you just selling the fruit? Or are you also producing fruit butters or juices? Although cider is usually the most profitable. My family had orchards,” he added when S’kal raised an eyebrow.
“That might be helpful. As a matter of fact I’ve just started to experiment with cider, although on a very small scale. We should talk.”
“Perhaps that could wait until later, Lord S’kal,” Tomlin said calmly. “I believe Celenk will be moving cattle today. Is that correct, Lord Temel?”
Temel nodded, looking amused.
“I was going to do that,” Kalpar protested.
“It will be faster if you do it together.” A hint of steel entered Temel’s voice. “That is why we agreed to hire another hand.”
Celenk tensed, expecting Kalpar to bring up their past encounter, but the other male only muttered something unintelligible under his breath. Tomlin’s cool gaze flicked between them but he didn’t say anything as he began rolling up the map again.
A young human boy came flying into the room.
“Mama said there’s someone new -” The boy broke off, his eyes widening as he looked up at Celenk. “You must be him. And you have a tail!”
There was enough delighted awe in the boy’s voice that he laughed and everyone except Kalpar smiled.
“Celenk, this is my son, Tommy,” Temel said proudly, even though the boy was clearly human. “Tommy, this is Celenk. He and his wife Lottie will be living on the farm next to Borgaz and Mary.”
“I know. Mama told me. She also said you should stop talking and come and eat breakfast.”
More amused smiles, and everyone began trickling through into the kitchen. Everyone except Kalpar. He stopped next to Celenk.
“I still don’t trust you, but I trust Commander Temel enough to give you a chance. But if you betray him, I’ll kill you.”
“You could try,” he said coldly. “But it won’t be necessary.”
I hope. With any luck his quiet survey would go unnoticed and he would be long gone before Marshall decided to do whatever he planned to do with the information. But then he would be without Lottie.
That thought kept him silent throughout the boisterous breakfast and as he followed Kalpar to the stables.
“I assume you know how to ride?” Kalpar asked sardonically.
“Of course, although I am not familiar with horses.”
The animals were hybrids based on Earth creatures but they bore a strong resemblance to the riding beasts of his youth. The saddle was an unfamiliar shape, thicker and more structured than he was used to, but the remaining equipment was much the same and he was soon mounted and following Kalpar out of the stables.
I missed this, he realized as they trotted down the road towards the pasture where the cattle were currently kept, the horse moving easily beneath him. The day was already growing warmer but he’d never minded the heat, his scales absorbing the warmth. He would have enjoyed the ride even more if it hadn’t been for the waves of hostility emanating from Kalpar.
They rode in silence, only stopping once they reached the gate to a large pasture. Kalpar reached down easily from his horse to open the gate, then closed it behind them after he rode through.
“They’ve had free range of this entire field, but the grass is wearing thin,” Kalpar said stiffly. “Time to move them to another field.”
“Are there no larger fields where they could roam?”
“Not yet.” The other male hesitated. “We haven’t had the capacity to run the necessary fences.”
“Perhaps we could do that.” He almost added while I’m here, but stopped himself in time.
“Perhaps. Are you familiar with running fences?”
“Isn’t everyone who deals with cattle?” Maintaining the fences was a constant chore.
Kalpar actually unbent enough to give him a slight smile. “Indeed.”
They were only moving the cattle as far as the next field so all they had to do was open the gates between the fields and herd them through. Of course, it was never quite that easy and he was hot and dusty by the time they’d managed to get the last wayward cow into the new fields and closed the gate.
