Page 58

“Who?” demanded Roland.

“That’s who I was telling you about!” said Eden triumphantly. She turned to Cuthbert. “She is Fenella’s sister-in-law, is she not?”

Cuthbert nodded. “That’s right, and a right busy-body, truth be told. There I was, minding my own business, when what does she do, but march over and demand to know ‘who I was to be using up the village resources!’ Simpkin, he was right put out about it.”

Roland grunted. He’d just bet he was. Walt Simpkin would sell his own mother for a few coins.

“And did you tell her?” asked Eden, who seemed a good deal more interested in the tale than he.

“Aye,” Cuthbert agreed. “She left me very little choice.” He shot a furtive look at Roland and cleared his throat, before addressing Eden. “She said she’d often heard the Lady Fenella speak of you. Said they’d be sure to call on you here and pay a visit.”

“What? When?” scowled Roland. “You would think she’d wait for an invite!” She’d be waiting a long time, he reflected. But after all, they were newlyweds.

Eden seemed to take the news in her stride. “I have often heard Fenella speak of her also and would be happy to make her acquaintance.” Then she seemed to remember her surroundings and looked a bit more uncertain. “I suppose I could receive her in the sitting room next door?”

Roland rolled his eyes. What a damnable nuisance!

After breakfast, he set off downstairs to go in search of Fulco. Cuthbert caught up with him in the disarming room afterward as he was pulling on his boots.

“Are we still bound for Areley Kings on the morrow?” he asked.

Roland’s head snapped up abruptly. He’d completely forgotten about it. It was a fine purse to the victor at Areley Kings and not one he would lightly pass up on. “I’m not yet decided,” he stalled.

Cuthbert gave him a knowing look. “You’ve doubtless had other things on your mind,” he said with a faintly patronizing air. Roland ignored him. He had frankly bigger fish to fry.

He found Fulco carrying hay bales into the stables on his shoulder. “Fulco,” he called. “A word.”

His manservant grunted, and disappeared into the nearest stall, before reappearing and tilting his chin at Roland.

“What’s all this I hear about you bringing women up to the Keep?” Roland asked without preamble. To his surprise his manservant merely looked aggrieved. “I does my best, Master Roland,” he sighed, shaking his head. “You ask Baxter, if I don’t! Why, many’s the time I’ve given ‘em a tour of the old place. You come and take a look my girl, I says to ‘em. I’ll show thee, there’s nothing to be afeard of! But there, they always cries off not long after, saying the place gives ‘em a bad feeling or some such nonsense.”

Roland paused, revising the lecture about propriety he had been about to deliver to his blameless servant. “You don’t leave them alone in the kitchen with Baxter at any point, do you?” he asked with misgiving.

“It’d be a fine thing if I didn’t,” said Fulco in an injured tone. “After all, it’s not me that gives orders within the Keep.”

Roland rolled his eyes. Small wonder then! “And none of the village girls will stay?”

Baxter sighed. “Course, it probably don’t look the thing. Should be the Housekeeper as takes on the maids.”

“It’s a shame you’re not married,” said Roland absently. “Your wife could have had the role of Housekeeper.”

Fulco blushed. “I don’t say I wouldn’t like to take a wife,” he admitted gruffly. “But my mother has some very strong views on the matter.”

“Your mother?” repeated Roland blankly. He cast a swift look at Fulco, who was at least three score years by his estimation.

“Aye, Master Roland. A good woman, my mother.”

“Didn’t she used to run the buttery here at one time?”

“That she did, indeed. Before my father died.”

“She lives with you now, I’ll warrant.”

“Aye,” agreed Fulco. “She lived with my sister Annie for the first twelve-month after the old man passed. But then, they fell out, on account of Annie’s husband Jeb. Then she moved to my sister Constance’s household.”

“Then they fell out?” guessed Roland.

Fulco rubbed his nose. “Aye, more’s the pity. Mother didn’t approve of how Connie’s raising her young ‘uns.”