Deryn took one of the pancakes, poured some honey over it, then popped a piece into his mouth. He nodded approvingly. “That’s good, lass. In fact, that’s better than good. It’s delicious.”
Maddy beamed at the compliment. It felt good to be useful. “I’ve been making pancakes since I was about six years old. I could probably do it in my sleep. My parents ran the bakery in my local town, and I used to help out after school and at weekends.”
He regarded her with a bemused expression. “Since when do noblewomen work as bakers?”
“Noblewomen? What do you mean?”
He pointed to the silver bracelet around her wrist and the silver and mother-of-pearl pendant that hung from her neck. “Only noblewomen would wear such jewelery. It is far too grand for any peasant—or baker.”
Noblewoman? Peasant? Who used words like that? And why did he think her jewelery was grand? It was only costume jewelery and hardly worth anything at all.
“I’m not a noblewoman,” she said. “Nor a baker either. I didn’t go into the family business after I left school. I became an architect instead.”
“A what?”
“An architect. I design buildings.”
Deryn looked as if he hadn’t the faintest clue what she was talking about. He shrugged. “Well, I’m more than happy to partake of yer talents, lass. Seems an age since anyone cooked for me.” He fell silent abruptly and looked away, as if he’d said more than he meant to.
Maddy wondered about that. Why did he live here alone, miles from anywhere? She had no doubt that if he so chose, he would have women falling over him, and yet she’d seen not a whiff of anyone else for miles.
Except the clothes in the trunk, she thought suddenly.Why would he have a load of dresses and children’s clothes?
She was reminded again of how little she knew about her host. She dearly wanted to remedy that. He intrigued her and—if she was honest with herself—attracted her in a way that was wholly unexpected. But she was going home today and would be leaving Deryn Stewart behind forever. She was surprised by the twinge of regret caused by that thought.
She seated herself opposite him on the bench and they ate in companionable silence. Rory fed Mara bits of pancake, despite Maddy’s admonishments, and the bleating of sheep came from outside.
Deryn finished his meal, pushed back the bench, and stood. Crossing to a peg on the wall, he took down his cloak and a leather satchel, which he slung around his neck.
“I’m going to go scout the road to Fortrose,” he said, taking up a stout walking pole. “If it’s safe, we’ll start out this afternoon, although we’ll either have to camp or find an inn along the way. I willnae be gone long.” He smiled suddenly. “Dinna let Surly bully ye while I’m away.”
Maddy flapped a hand. “Pish. That grumpy old curmudgeon doesn’t scare me. I’ll have him eating out of my hand by the time you get back.”
“NowthatI would like to see.” He crouched in front of Rory. “I’m leaving ye in charge while I’m away, lad. Ye are to guard the farm and look after yer mam. Can ye do that?”
Rory nodded. “Course I can!
“Good lad.” He rose and walked to the door.
Maddy followed him and put her hand on his arm. “Be careful,” she said. “Rodric is not a nice man. If he suspects you smuggled Rory and me out of his castle, I don’t know what he’ll do.”
Deryn put his hand over hers and a little thrill like electricity tingled across her skin. “Dinna worry about me. I’ll be fine and I’ll be back before ye know it.”
Turning away, he whistled Mara to his side, and then strode out the door.
Maddy blew out her cheeks, then sat on the bench opposite Rory. He’d rolled all his bits of wool into little balls and had piled them on the table so that it looked like it was covered in fluffy pom-poms. Now he was rubbing down the basket with a cloth he’d found from somewhere. She watched him for a moment, bemused.
“What are you doing, sweetie?”
He was so engrossed in his task he didn’t even look up. “Deryn says a farmer has to look after his tools and keep them clean at all times.”
“Oh,Derynsays, does he? I wish you obeyed my instructions so easily. So, you like Deryn, do you?”
Rory nodded.
“Me too,” Maddy said with a sigh. “He’s gone to find us a way home, isn’t that good?”
Rory shook his head emphatically. “I don’t want to go home. I like it here.”
