Page 43 of The Tempest
He snorted at the humorous way she said it. “I am trying tae tell ye that I may be able tae find ye a servant or two tae help clean, but that willna be a permanent arrangement,” he said. “Ye’ll have tae learn tae do for yerself.”
She seemed unconcerned. “There are always people willing to work for hire,” she said. “I can go back to the Black Cock and hire some of the women there. Five or six should do.”
“How big do ye think my cottage is?”
She shrugged. “I would not know,” she said. “Is that too few? Do we need more?”
He grunted. “We dunna even need that,” he said wryly. “Lass, I dunna know if ye can comprehend our situation, so I’ll be plain. I live in a little cottage with four chambers—two upstairs, two downstairs. I’ve got a kitchen and a hearth for cooking, a table, a bed, and little else. It’s not a grand palace, so ye dunna need a servant. Ye’ll have tae do for yerself.”
Astria didn’t reply right away. She was contemplating what he was telling her. The man was an earl, but a new earl, and he evidently lived like a pauper. What he was explaining to her was foreign in concept.
“I grew up in a palace,” she said. “When I married Armand, I went to live inhisfine palace with an army of servants at my disposal. I do not mean to sound stupid, but I have never cooked a meal in my life. I know recipes and how to manage kitchens and stores, but there were servants who were trained as cooks and I supervised them. I might burn the house down if I try to prepare a meal.”
He knew she came from nobility and wasn’t accustomed to menial tasks or chores, so he took some pity on her. “I can probably find ye a servant tae help with daily tasks,” he said. “And some of the trainers have wives who would be happy tae teach ye what they know. Would ye be willing tae learn?”
“Do you expect me to be a beer wife?”
He chuckled. “Nay, but I expect ye tae understand I live simply,” he said. “That means ye’ll have tae learn how tae manage a home yerself.”
“I’ve never lived simply in my life.”
“Ye lived pretty simply as a captive over the past few months.”
“That’s different,” she said. “That is survival.”
“True,” he said. “But what if I told ye that it would mean something tae me if ye were tae try tae make a nice home for the two of us? I’ve never had one, ye know. I always thought my wife would make a nice, warm home for me.”
She shrugged. “I can try,” she said. “I cannot promise I’ll be any good at it, but I will try.”
“I’m sure ye’ll be perfect.”
Astria wasn’t used to praise or anyone having confidence in her. It made her feel uncomfortable, but also giddy. She couldn’t remember ever having been commended in her life—not by her nurse or tutor or even her parents. No one ever had.
But Payne had and he didn’t even know her.
They entered the collection of cottages, noting the children playing up ahead on the grassy area that comprised the village center. There was a well there, protected with an iron cage from nosy children or clumsy people. Some young boys were running around and watching them were two women, one with a baby in her arms. As Payne and Astria drew closer, two of the little boys spied Payne and ran at him.
There was a lot of screaming going on as they crashed into the man’s legs. Payne groaned loudly, making sure to hand the satchel over to Astria before he plunged to his knees. That only seemed to feed the boys’ bloodlust, because they began jumping on him, trying to knock him over.
He went down in a heap.
Gleefully, the children climbed on him, thrilled that they had managed to bring down a grown man. There were two other children playing about, and when they saw Payne lying on the ground, they joined the fun. Payne soon had four boys crawling over him and he lay there, stone-still, until one hit him in the nose.
After that, he was forced to sit up.
“You’d do better to remain down, Payne,” one of the women said as she walked over with the other lady. “You know they’ll try to choke you now.”
As predicted, one of the lads threw his arms around Payne’s neck and squeezed. Payne had to move the arms so they wouldn’t hit his Adam’s apple.
“Ye’re raising a pack of wild animals, both of ye,” he said. “These ruffians are going tae burn Blackchurch down someday and ye’ll be blamed for it.”
The women snickered. “I’ll only be blamed for two of them,” a tall, beautiful woman with dark hair said. “The other two are de Merest children. Gigi and Fox can take credit for their own bad parenting.”
“And I only have the baby,” the shorter woman with a lovely face and accented speech added. “I will ensure my son does not grow up like a wild animal.”
Payne grinned. “’Tis probably true,” he said. “Sinclair is an elegant man. Yer son will reflect his father.”
“And Tay is not elegant?” the tall woman said, cocking a dark eyebrow. “Be careful of your answer, Payne. Unless you wish to provoke me.”
