Page 11 of Lord of Misrule

“Mayhap. But don’t you think by believing this, you are being a little too optimistic?”

Before anything more could be said, Kit noticed a horse and wagon from the king’s castle stop in front of her shop. People gathered around it in the street, wondering if one of the nobles was at her door for a reason.

“The wagon is here!” Kit called out to the others. “Oliver, make certain the fires are out in the ovens. Parker, help me take our things outside. Brenna, bring that bag of bread and don’t forget your cloak as it is cold outside. We don’t want that baby to freeze. Everyone hurry!” Kit turned the sign around on the door, telling everyone that the bakery was closed.

She half-expected the grumpy guard or mayhap even Lord Tolin himself to be there to collect them. However, a different man came through her door instead. She had never seen him before. He stopped and looked directly at her.

“I’m here for Kit Barker and the thief,” said the red-haired man who looked to be in his early twenties. He was tall and lanky, but carried himself proudly, standing straight and pushing back his shoulders. He wore the clothes of a noble. Her eyes scanned down his form and she realized he wore a weapon belt with a sword at his side under his cloak. He was a fighting man, and mayhap a noble.

“It’s Baker, not Barker,” she corrected him. “I am Kit Baker and my son is Parker. Who are you?”

“I’m Jarvis, Lord Tolin’s squire,” said the man. “Which one of these bags is yours?” He looked to the ground where she had piled the things she wanted to bring along with them to the castle.

“They’re all mine. And my son’s of course,” she added, not yet wanting to say anything about Oliver and Brenna.

“I’ve never seen anyone with so much baggage.” He started to pick them up.

“I have a job to do, to bake at the castle. I will need my good pans for that. And recipes, of course.”

“Of course,” he mumbled, grumbling under his breath about having to haul the things of commoners. The bags were filled to the brim and not light. Yet, the thin man picked them all up at once. “Get the boy and let’s go. It looks like rain and I don’t plan on getting wet.”

“We’re leaving,” she called over her shoulder to her family. “Now. Hurry!”

Brenna waddled up with her cloak over her shoulders, struggling with the large bag of bread.

“I’ll take that.” Kit collected the bread bag and followed Jarvis out the door. The rest of her family fell in line. Jarvis was busy loading the things into the back of the wagon and complaining to himself or he would have noticed the entourage behind him. Kit took advantage of the situation. She had Oliver help Brenna up to the bench seat where the driver rode. Then, she helped Oliver up as well. “Oliver, you’ll have to ride in back,” she said, hoisting herself up next to Brenna and her son.

“Wait a minute. What’s all this? What’s going on?” Jarvis looked confused as he climbed up to the bench seat to drive the wagon.

“Where is the guard? Or Lord Tolin?” asked Kit, changing the subject by asking a question without answering his. “We need to be protected on our trip to the castle.”

By the dark look on the man’s face, she knew her distraction had worked. She had purposely wanted the man to feel insulted, hoping he’d forget about them and think about himself instead. “I’m Lord Tolin’s squire and I assure you I am quite capable of protecting commoners,” spat Jarvis. “I have even saved my lord’s life on the battlefield on more than one occasion. I am able to protect the lot of you if trouble should break out, don’t worry.”

“Good,” said Kit. “That makes me feel better.” She repositioned herself on the seat, fanning out her cloak that reached to her feet.

“Oh no, I think I felt a raindrop.” Brenna held out the palm of her hand. “It’s going to rain.”

“It is getting colder.” Jarvis glanced up at the sky. “By the looks of those clouds, I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned into a bad squall or perhaps even a snowstorm before we make it back.”

“Then we’d better leave before we get wet,” suggested Kit.

Jarvis looked at her from the corner of his eyes with suspicion. “Ms. Barker, I am familiar with games, since Lord Tolin craves them. So, I know this is a game you’re playing with me. I must tell you that your distraction will not work with me. Now, answer me. Who are all these people?”

Kit let out a deep sigh, seeing the man was sharper than she’d thought. Just not with remembering names. “Baker, not Barker,” she corrected him once again. “This is my son, Parker, and my sister, Brenna, who is going to have a baby any day,” she told him, motioning to the two seated next to her.

“A baby. Yes, I see that.” Jarvis’ gaze dropped to Brenna’s large belly. “What about the man in the back who thought I didn’t see him get in in the cart? Who is he?”

“That’s Oliver. My husband,” Brenna relayed the information.

“Mother, it is starting to rain,” whined her son. “Can I go in the back with Oliver and get under a blanket?”

“Sure,” she said, helping Parker climb over the seat to the open wagon. Oliver helped him get settled. She looked over at Jarvis who wasn’t moving. “It would be a shame to see your cloak ruined from the rain,” she said, trying to coax him to leave.

“Cloaks are made for all kinds of weather. I’m not worried about it.” Jarvis sat there, not in any hurry to leave. “We will stay here as long as we have to, but I’m not leaving until you answer me.”

“I told you who these people are,” she protested.

“Yes, but you refrained from mentioning why they are traveling with us.”