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“Okay,” Amy said slowly, “tell me what you need for William. I’ll take care of the doctor and that nurse. I’ve always disliked her anyway, but she’s supposed to be the best in the county.”
“Where can I take him?” Faith asked. “It needs to be warm, sunny, and private.”
“I don’t know,” Amy began, then her eyes brightened. “The old orangery.”
“An orangery?” Faith asked. “I didn’t see one in the kitchen garden.”
“It’s not there. The largest greenhouse has some orange trees, but the old orangery is intact. It had some glass panes missing, but I had them replaced with boards to keep out the rain and animals. It has a woodstove at each end. The problem is that the place hasn’t been used in a while and it’s dirty.”
“It’s at the old house, isn’t it?” Faith said as she stood up. “Beth told me about the place. Is the house medieval?”
“Shakespeare could have lived in it. It’s all half-timbered and plastered.”
“But Tristan has cows in it,” Faith said in disgust.
“I’ll have you know that that house is number one hundred and thirty-seven on my list of things to take care of around here.” She was smiling.
“I’ll need a bathtub,” Faith said, her eyes with a faraway look. “Please tell me that you have such a thing.”
“Yup. A nice big one made of tin. The only problem is that it has to be filled and emptied by hand.”
“Can I get some help?”
“Sure. Tristan owns every house in the village. They all work for him in one capacity or another.”
Faith smiled. “There were men before machines. I’ll need towels, clean sheets, and personal cleaning materials. Please tell me that you have soap and shampoo that aren’t made with lye.”
“Wait until you see this stuff that Beth makes. She has recipes from her great-great-et-cetera-grandmother and it’s heavenly. I’ll get her to send some over.”
“Yes, please send it. But don’t let Beth come until I’ve had a few days alone with him. And speaking of an orangery, do you have any citrus fruit?”
“Lemons and limes, and I’ll get Tristan to send someone to Southampton to get some oranges. They come in on the ships that dock there, then they’re sent to London. But I like to cut out the middleman.”
Faith laughed. “How did that man survive before you came along?”
“I really don’t know.”
“I’ll need some straws too,” Faith said. “You don’t by chance have any nice, clean plastic straws, do you?” When Amy didn’t answer, just gave her an odd look, she said, “What?”
“Straws?” Amy said. “I’m not a historian, but I would imagine that the original straws came from the barn.”
“Barn?” Faith said. “Straw. I get it.” She laughed.
Amy put her arm through Faith’s. “Feel better now?”
“Much. How far away is this orangery? Is it possible that William could be carried there? I’m afraid that horses or a wagon might be too rough and will take his fragile skin off.”
“Yes, there’s someone here who will be glad to carry William anywhere. And I’ll see that you have as much help as you need,” Amy said. “Now I better get back to the kitchen or we’ll have
no dinner. The orangery is right down that path. Why don’t you go on ahead and I’ll send some women to start cleaning?”
“And when it’s done, you’ll send William?” Faith asked.
“Yes,” Amy said, studying her. “You know, you look younger than you did yesterday.”
“I have a purpose here,” she said. “I was afraid that—”
“That I’d dragged you and Zoë here for my own selfish reasons and that you’d have nothing to do?”
