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Tara waited until the two women were out of sight and then she turned to Bliss.
Bliss spoke before she did. “You have reason to worry. Keep your heart strong, and we will talk.”
Tara wished for more, but she knew Trey came first, and so she turned and walked away once Bliss returned inside the room. At least the woman had agreed to talk with her, and that gave her hope.
She was eager to tell Reeve, and so she hurried to the great hall to see if he was there. When she found it empty, she decided that she just couldn’t sit and wait for him. She went to the kitchen and found Etty busy as usual.
The woman was as round as she was tall. Her red hair was sprinkled with gray, and while her face wore a constant pinch, it changed miraculously to a brilliant smile whenever Neil, her love and soon-to-be-husband walked in the room.
“I was just going to see if you wanted to bake bread,” Etty said, removing her apron and wrapping it around Tara and tying it tight. She then grabbed her cloak off a peg and grabbed a large basket filled to the brim with food. “The kitchen is yours.” And with that, she was out the door.
Tara smiled, and then the quiet descended on her. She cast a glance around the large room. Bubbling cauldrons hung on hooks over the roaring flames in the fireplace. Baskets spilled over with rooted plants, and smoked meat hung on hooks from timber rafters. Eggs were plentiful in baskets, and cheeses were wrapped in cloths and piled on one of the three tables.
She had hoped to talk with Etty. Actually, she had hoped tolistento Etty talk about Neil and how much she loved him. Tara had been looking for company who would keep her mind and hands busy.
Now she had only silence for company, and silence had been her companion for far too long. With little choice left to her, Tara gathered what she needed to bake the dark bread that Reeve favored and set to work to keep herself busy.
Unfortunately, Bliss’s words haunted her.
You have reason to worry.
She had been right about the curse. It was real, and she had reason to worry over it. It was good that she had stopped herself from making love with Reeve. She would surely have lost him if she allowed her desire to rule. She had to keep her wits about her and her heart strong as Bliss said.
Tara soon had four loaves set to bake, and once the kitchen helpers arrived, she asked them to remove the bread at a specific time. She dropped the apron on a bench as she left the kitchen, hoping to find Reeve in the great hall. He still hadn’t returned, so she went upstairs and peeked in on Trey. Willow was gone, and Bliss sat in the chair beside the bed and looked to be asleep.
Undoubtedly, she was exhausted from her journey through the snow and needed rest, though she had looked rested upon arrival.
She wished they could talk, but she didn’t wish to disturb her slumber, so she quietly closed the door. A yawn attacked her after two steps, a few more steps produced several more yawns, and Tara decided that a nap was necessary. If she remembered correctly, she had had only a few hours’ sleep in the last couple of days. She’d be wise to catch a nap when she could, and with Reeve still busy, now was a good time.
She hurried to Reeve’s bedchamber and slipped off her boots and stockings. She wished she had worn her linen shift beneath her velvet dress, for then she could take off her dress. While it certainly kept her warm, it wasn’t suited for sleeping.
She made the choice in haste to take it off and slip naked beneath the covers. It was only a nap. She’d be up and dressed before Reeve found her. Her head no sooner rested on the pillow than she was asleep.
Chapter 21
Reeve snuck a taste of the dark bread that Tara had made for him cooling on the table. He’d been disappointed that he had missed her in the kitchen though he had been thrilled to discover that she had baked him bread. It meant that she had been thinking about him, and he liked when he remained on her mind. Besides, it was only fair since she remained constantly on his mind.
After sneaking a few more tastes and thinking that perhaps she was trying to avoid him, he went to his mother’s sewing room, but it was empty. After that, he made his way to Trey’s room, wondering if she had gotten a chance to speak with Bliss.
“I bid you welcome,” Bliss called to him when he opened the door.
He entered, and before he dared take the chair beside her, he said, “I don’t wish to intrude.”
“Your brother rests,” Bliss said. “He hasn’t truly rested in some time.”
“That I agree with.”
“But you are not here about your brother,” Bliss said. “You look for Tara.”
“Was she here?” he asked, excited. “Did she speak with you?”
“We had no chance for a discussion, and time grows short.”
“You will leave soon?” he asked. “You’ve only just arrived.”
She reached out and took hold of his hand, and for several moments simply stared at him until finally she said, “An unselfish love will save Tara.”
Trey stirred, and Bliss was quick to rest her hand on his chest. Her eyes closed, and her lips moved, as if she was silently praying or reciting or chanting. Reeve wasn’t sure what she was doing, but it mattered not to him as long as Bliss healed his brother.
