Page 11 of Song of the Dawn
Unable to eat anymore, I focused on the work, collecting breakfast trays, delivering tea, taking dishes back into the kitchen, and sampling some of the wild strawberries Giselle brought in from the garden. All the while, I tried to ignore the sharp disappointment that sat like a stone in my stomach.
Ezra was the owner of the inn, surprising for one so young, although maybe he had inherited it. Still, I couldn’t forget his generous gift, nor the way his eyes had lingered on mine. Perhaps it was something he did with all his staff. Rachelle, who liked to gossip, would be the one to ask. And then there was that odd tension between him and Ginger, which made me curious about their history.
After lunch was a lull, typically when I slipped away to practice. Today I lingered behind the bar, shining glasses with Rachelle.
“Did you meet Giselle today? Wasn’t she odd?” Rachelle wiggled her eyebrows.
I didn’t want to talk about Giselle, especially her cryptic words regarding the supernatural. Shrugging, I leaned against the bar, holding a towel but doing nothing. “I didn’t speak to Giselle long enough to get a grasp on whether she’s odd, but I met Ezra today. Does no one call him Lord Ezra? Does he have a title or status?”
Rachelle shrugged. “No one knows, and if you ask, he’ll just tell you to call him Ezra. He’s handsome, isn’t he, but a bit of a recluse, shy, you know, modest. I hear he’s single, never had a wife either and doesn’t seem interested. I’ve attempted to get his attention many times, but he’s just so boring.”
Ezra seemed far from boring to me, but I tucked her words away. Maybe he wasn’t flirting, just being kind, which made me feel worse. “Did he give you a gift when you arrived?”
“A gift?” Rachelle scoffed before her brows furrowed. She put down the glass she was holding and looked at me. “I can’t recall arriving. It’s like I’ve always been here.”
Her face went slack, and her eyes glazed as she stared. How could she not remember? “Did you grow up here?” I asked tentatively.
“No, of course not.” The liveliness returned to her face. “I’ll tell you a secret. I’m saving up to leave and go to the city. Didn’t you come from Solynn? Why did you leave?”
“I wanted the chance to pursue music.”
“I’d assume more opportunities would be available in the city.”
“True. But this was an offer I could not refuse. The other option was going to live with my sister and her family in the country.”
Rachelle wrinkled her nose. “The city is much better than the country. Besides, I want to be the wife of a lord, or a duke, or maybe even a king. Wouldn’t that be lovely? But I can’t catch the eye of someone titled unless I go to the city.”
“There’s no one here?” I asked, thinking of all the travelers who passed by. “Why, a lord might stay here one night and you’d never know.”
“You think?” Rachelle asked eagerly, clasping her hands against her chest.
“I was under the assumption that many lords and ladies came to stay here,” I admitted.
“True.” Rachelle chewed her lower lip. “If only they were more well behaved.”
A bell rang before I could ask for more details.
“I’ll get it!” Rachelle announced and darted off.
Ginger returned, eyeing me sternly as she slid behind the bar, a stack of papers in her hands. “No practice? You might as well go relax before supper. I don’t believe you’ve seen the gardens?”
Ginger’s question left the bitter taste of guilt on my tongue. Unable to tell whether she was upset with me or encouraging me to relax, I explained, “I thought I’d give my fingers a break before tomorrow’s performance, but I’ll practice more this evening. I’ve already been to the gardens this morning when I went to fetch the eggs.”
“Oh.” A faint laugh escaped her ruby-red lips. “No, I mean the botanical gardens. If you continue through the dining hall, you’ll reach the ballroom. A door leads outside, and there you’ll find the gardens.” Her expression softened. “It’s a favorite haunt of the guests and my preferred retreat when it’s quiet. You might find some inspiration before you practice later.”
“Thank you—”
“Please, don’t. Like I said before, you are staff, not a servant. No one expects you to be on your feet, working all day. Take some time for yourself, and if the gardens don’t suit you, the library on the fourth floor might. Just don’t bother any of the guests.”
She smiled, and I thought it was a genuine smile as I hung up my apron and left the bar. Library or gardens? I’d been cooped up inside all day, so I opted for the gardens, slipping through the rooms until daylight all but blinded me. As my vision cleared, I stepped out of the ballroom and started down the patio stairs.
My fingers froze on the railing as I saw him for the second time that day. Ezra.
Mila
He leaned against a tree, shaded from the heat of the sun. He waved and strode across the lush lawn. “Hello again, Mila.”
My hands went clammy with awareness. Now that I knew he was my employer, I should turn around and go back inside, for I’d heard sordid tales of women who’d fallen under the sway of attractive lords to the ruin of all.
