Page 56 of Viking in Love

Tears welled in Hugh’s eyes, which he quickly blinked away.

“Why?”

He shrugged. “Because it is time for you to learn a man’s work. Someday you will be the master of Larkspur. It is past time you began training for such.”

“Me? But I am a bastard.”

Caedmon cringed at the word. “It matters not. You are the oldest. One more thing, Hugh,” he said, putting a hand on Hugh’s shoulder. “I would have the name of the man who tried to abuse you.”

Hugh tried to rise and leave, but Caedmon held his hand firm.

“She should not have told you.”

“Yea, she should have. More important, you should have told me yourself.”

“You would not have listened.”

“Not at first, mayhap,” he conceded, “but I will be more open in the future. And know this, you did naught to be ashamed of. Men who prey on young boys are vultures who must be put down.”

Hugh started for the door, a huge smile on his face, no doubt contemplating his shiny new sword. He turned at the last minute. “Are you certain you would not like to take Lady Breanne to wed?”

“Absolutely certain.”

But there are other places I would like to take her. Like my bed.

From then on, Caedmon worked like a madman, catching up on all the work at Larkspur. Mayhap he was energized by his continual efforts not to think about Breanne and their “deal.”

Or more likely he was energized by thoughts of what delights might be in store for him if he went ahead with the “deal.”

First off, Caedmon met with his steward. Whilst the two of them ate hunks of manchet bread with more of the leftover boar, still delicious even with its congealed sauce, he asked Gerard for a listing of all things that needed to be done about the keep, inside and out. “In order of necessity,” he added.

“The princesses have done my work for me in getting the inside in order, I must admit,” said Gerard. “More linens and blankets are always needed, but once the sheep are sheared and our weavers and seamstresses set to work, they can be replenished. Huntsmen and fishermen will go out throughout the summer, to put food on the table, but also to salt and set aside for winter.”

“Larkspur is self-sustaining then?”

“As long as there is no famine or drought. Even so, as you know, there are still provisions that we must get from the nearby market towns. Along with certain spices.”

“Mayhap not so much since Drifa has the herb garden flourishing again.”

“Possibly. But what happens when she is gone? This keep needs a woman in charge of women’s duties.”

“Why can men not maintain herb gardens?”

“Find me one.”

“Make a list for me of everything you need. And of course I will need to know what we bring to market. Please God, let there be some income.”

Gerard smiled. “We have about three dozen hogs, two sows and two dozen piglets in the new pigpen. Then there are roughly three dozen pigs pottaging loose in the woods, getting fat on acorns and such.”

“How many of those are needed for fall butchering here, and how many can be sent to market? Same is true of sheep. And beef cattle. I am thinking of sending forth Wulf on an errand. He could lead a troop of men with some of these animals now.”

Gerard nodded and said he would have the tally ready for him by later that day. “Methinks we should keep the sheep until autumn this year. We need all the fleece we can get for weaving. Next year mayhap we can spare some for trade.”

Next up for meeting with Caedmon was Henry, his castellan. Henry was in charge of all things military. Weaponry and daily exercising of the fighting men in warcraft. Wulf would soon be taking over most of those duties.

“We have two hundred fighting men here at Larkspur, including those who came back with you,” Henry told him. “I have divided them into archers, swordsmen, and those proficient with lance, mace, and battle-axe. Not that they do not all practice in all those skills.”

“Let us start thrice daily exercises with the third being man-to-man combat practice.” He also told Henry of his plans to establish a small fortress at the northern end of his estates to ward off the reivers. If there was protection, he was sure he could lure more of his cotters to move to those outer reaches to farm and care for cattle, especially if he offered the incentive of a share of the crops.