Page 115 of Baking and Angels

He knew he was skating so close to the spirit of the agreement. He prayed he hadn’t crossed it.

“Why… why would she do that? The cousin, I mean.”

“Greed,” Rafferty snapped, then shook his own head. That was oversimplifying matters. “There is a lot of money at stake, and her dreams are in reach. Humans do all sorts of narrow-focused things when dreams areinvolved.”

“Then we must tell the BDI. We have to inform them…” But she stopped her own thought as she took in Rafferty’s expression. “There is more isn’t there? You’ve done something…” Her eyes narrowed, as if that gave them the power to see through to his mind. “There is more to all this, isn’t there?”

She would have been the savviest operator in the king’s court.

“It is not my secret to tell,” he landed on. “I’ve already said too muchas it is.”

“I see,” Scarlet whispered, her face fixed in fury. Her jaw worked as she looked back out the black window. After a few tense breaths, where everything in Rafferty wanted to be swallowed back into hell again, she looked back at him. “There is more to you becoming human again, isn’t there? It didn’t just happen. She traded places with you, didn’t she?”

“Helena isnota demon,” he insisted, for what little good itwould do.

“No,” Scarlet said, raising her head to its full height. “She’s not. Nor will we let anything happen to her.”

“But I don’t know whattodo,” he said, his own despair slipping into his words. “Only Eleanor has all the cards now.”

“And she is not likely to play them differently,” Scarlet agreed. “Even if I were to give her the money, the prestige of winning this competition is of incalculable value. My name is tainted but what Helena has done here, which has been nothing short of a miracle, Helena’s enterprise has caught the attention of many. Opportunities will be rolling in to the winner.” A smile of pride teased Scarlet’s lips. “Helena is truly a force to be reckonedwith now.”

Rafferty couldn’t help it. He was proud ofher, too.

“So, the only option we have at this moment is to make sure Eleanor doesn’t win,” Scarletconcluded.

“I can’t do anything to interfere. Nor can Helena,” he said.

“And that is alright. It’s not your duty. It is mine.” Scarlet raised her head, strong and regal. “Leave this to me. I believe you have a competition to win inmy name?”

Hope rising inside him again, Rafferty saluted with a fist against his chest. “Yes,my lady.”

Chapter 43

I Acted Without

Thinking

Renewed fire burned through Rafferty’s veins as he charged back into the ballroom. Even if Helena didn’t take him back, he wasn’t going to let her pay any prices that weren’t hers.

But she’ll be fine, a nagging voice in his head said. Even if she paid the whole price and was dragged into… well, not hell, but the other place…

But she loves this life, another thought whispered.She loves this life, and she’s risking giving it up.

And for the moment, Vassago expected him to help Eleanor. Scarlet and he had agreed that being where Vassago expected bought them all some time to figurethis out.

As much as he hated it, he marched straight up to Eleanor. She was in the midst of stirring up some sort of batter. She paused, her eyes going wide as he formed up beside her table, tucking his hands behind his back formally. “What do you need?”he asked.

Eleanor’s gaze searched his face a moment, her mouth partially open with a hundred questions. Instead of asking them, she nodded to the cookbook beside her. Nana’s cookbook. “We’re making my grandmother’s savory slice.”

He came around her to look down at the rough sketch drawn out on one of the mostly blank pages. A printed recipe at the top only took up three lines, leaving a mostly open page. He grinned at the recipe drawnout below.

This had been one of his!

He remembered the joke of it. Nana had wanted ham sandwiches for some event, but fancy. He had given her fancy, alright.

He skimmed a finger over the lines that pointed to different layers in the sketch, listing them out. He could deduce now that Eleanor was working on the walnut sponge for the bottom of the slice. Glancing over at the stove, he spied the gammon, a pork hind leg, simmering in broth. From what he could smell, she had added flavorings like coriander seeds, peppercorn, and onions. Maybe even a littlecinnamon.

But for an event like this, she shouldn’t have been able to make gammon in the time allowed. “How did you acquire this?”he asked.

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