Blair had left the kitchen and slipped around to the back of the crowd as soon as the concert had begun. She overheard some of the townspeople wondering whether or not the performers had worked as traveling minstrels at some point in the past, but she didn’t say anything. The only thing she wondered about was how Theresa’s minstrel group had met up with Myron.
Kevin spent the evening with Rhianna. Rumors about their argument had spread like wildfire through Milhaven and the surrounding farms. Now that she was back, everyone was looking for some sign they were at least talking to each other again. That evening put any questions about that to rest.
Toward the end of the concert, Doreen joined Rhianna and Kevin. “Did you know they were going to do this?” she asked Rhianna.
Rhianna shook her head and looked at Kevin. “Did you?”
Kevin nodded. “But not until late this afternoon when I couldn’t find anyone around the castle.” After Rhianna and Doreen laughed, Kevin said, “Doreen, if you’ve got a minute, I’d like to ask you something. We’ve found some more captives, four women and three children. Three of the women have husbands who ended up at the mines and are now back in Camden, so they can join their husbands when they get here. But we have one woman I need to find housing for, at least until she can figure out where she wants to go. I could let her stay at the castle, but I think she’d feel more comfortable in a smaller setting. I was wondering if you’d be willing to let her stay here.”
Doreen nodded. “We’ll take her.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Kevin asked.
Doreen shook her head. “Not at all. It’ll make things easier on her to be around people who’ve been through that nightmare.”
“Thank you,” Kevin said. “And we’ll pay you.” When Doreen drew up to argue, Kevin shook his head. “No, listen. We’ll help with things like food, sheets, a quilt, maybe a few more lamps in exchange for her being able to live here. We did that for the host families when I brought all of you to Milhaven.”
“I didn’t know that,” Doreen said.
“Well, Jana and Wrenn wouldn’t take anything, but most of the families around here don’t have enough food for four or five extra mouths. And we provided mats and blankets for the children who gave up their beds. We always do that when we ask people to house guests. You wouldn’t believe the amount of food we sent out to take care of the guests for Laryn’s reception. Anyway, if you’ll let her stay here for a while, we’ll see to it you have whatever you need for her.”
Doreen nodded. “When’s she coming?”
“Monday afternoon.”
“One of us will be up at the castle to meet her,” Rhianna said.
“That’s fine, or we can bring her out here if you want us to.” Kevin looked at Doreen. “We’re still trying to rescue the others who were captured. I may want you to house someone again. Would that be all right?”
“We’ll be glad to do whatever we can,” Doreen said as she stood up. “Guess I should walk around and be sure everything’s all right.”
It was after ten before things started breaking up. The men dismantled the tables and benches and stored the wood near the shed while the women helped gather the dishes and leftovers and carry them to the kitchen. Jana and Joan insisted on helping wash up, but most of the other women were happy to leave it to them and head home.
As the men were leaving, one of the guards told Doreen they’d had a really good time and asked her when she was going to throw another party.
“As soon as the barn’s up, the stable’s built, and a pasture has been fenced,” she answered with a laugh.
He nodded. “Let us know when you’re ready to work and we’ll get it done.”
After everyone was gone, the four women who were now living at the house sat around the kitchen table with mugs of scog.
“I’m surprised there was any scog left,” Nan mentioned as she sipped hers.
Doreen grinned.
Rhianna narrowed her eyes at Doreen. “You hid some, didn’t you?”
Doreen laughed and nodded. “I knew I’d want some after it was all over, and I figured all of you would, too.”
Nan hoisted her mug in Doreen’s direction. “Good thinking.”
“Your food was a real hit,” Doreen said to Blair. “And I’m glad you decided to join us outside. I was afraid you’d stick in the kitchen all night.”
Blair felt her cheeks warm. “I would have if Theresa hadn’t made me promise to watch her sing.”
“They were good,” Nan said. “Surprisingly so. They sounded like they’ve done that before.”
“They must have,” Doreen agreed. “They all knew the songs, and I’d never heard a couple of them.”
“Some of the guards were talking about them,” Nan said. “It seems they all came here with Myron, but no one has any idea where any of them are from. When someone asks, they change the subject.”
Doreen looked at Rhianna. “Do you know anything about them?”
Rhianna shook her head. “The first time I met any of them other than Myron and Chris was here, in Milhaven.”
Nan shook her head as she stood up. “Well, don’t guess it matters. They’re entitled to their privacy, but they do put on a good performance.”
~ ~ ~ ~
Sunday morning when Kevin reached the canyon lands for his sparring match with Glendymere, the dragon was lying on the butte enjoying the sun. “Warren asked me to tell you Torrey wants to go back to Walnut Springs for the day tomorrow. Will you be able to take her?”
“As far as I know, but if I can’t, Chris can,” Kevin answered. “When does she want to go?”
“After breakfast.”
“Will you see Warren or should I drop by and tell Torrey?”
“He said he’d check with me later today.” Glendymere stood up and stretched his wings. “Are you ready?”
“Anytime you are.” Kevin floated down to the floor of the canyon. He had barely managed to get his feet on the ground when the dragon kicked up a dust storm and threw the first barrage of energy bolts his way. “Game on,” Kevin thought as he threw half a dozen bolts in Glendymere’s direction and raised his shields.
~ ~ ~ ~
Sunday afternoon, Nan was at Tolliver’s stocking up for the upcoming week and Blair was at the chapel. Rhianna and Doreen were in the kitchen having a cup of tea when Doreen sighed.
“What’s bothering you?” Rhianna asked.
“What makes you think something’s bothering me?”
Rhianna just looked at her, so Doreen shrugged. “I don’t know what to do for Jana. She was so nice to me, and believe me, the first couple of weeks I was a pain. But she put up with me, and she let me stay until I got the house built. I want to do something to pay her back for her kindness. Do you have any ideas?”
Rhianna thought for a moment and shook her head. “But I don’t know her. You lived in her house for over a month. Do you know of anything she needs? Did you hear her mention something she wants?”
“I remember her saying she wanted some way to have fresh herbs in the winter, but there’s nothing I can do about that.”
Rhianna grinned. “Actually, there is, if she’s got a little spare wall space in her kitchen. Does she?”
“Yes, but it’s small, maybe four feet across. It’s between the end of her cabinets and the wall. I think it was left open for things like brooms and dustpans, but she keeps those on the back porch.”
“Does that area get any sunlight?”
Doreen nodded.
Rhianna grabbed a piece of paper and started sketching. “First we make the backing.” She pointed to the L-shaped sketch. “Then we make a ladder and lean it up against the backing. If we nail it here,” she pointed to the foot of the “L”, “and then up here,” she pointed to the top, “we’ll have a sturdy structure.”
“All right, but how will that help her have fresh herbs?”
“We can use the steps as shelves for wooden flower pots. Fill the pots with dirt
, add the herbs, and she’ll have herbs growing in her kitchen all winter. And if we fix it so the flower pots can be moved, she can take them outside during warmer weather.”
“That wouldn’t be hard to do.” Doreen picked up the pen and made a few additions to Rhianna’s sketch. “If we add a couple of hooks to the back of the flower pots, and run either a narrow board or a metal rod across the back at each step, we could hang the flower pots on the rod and use the step to support them. When she wants to move them outside, she can lift the boxes up and they’ll come right off.”
“Each flower pot would need a couple of small holes in the overhang so extra water could drip out,” Rhianna said. “We’ll need drip trays since it’ll be inside.”
“If we set it up so the flower pot on top drips into the one under it, and that one drips into the one under it, and so on, we’ll only need a tray under the bottom one,” Doreen said thoughtfully.
“Want to build one and see how it goes?”
Doreen nodded. “Let’s see if we can get the brace done today. Maybe I can get Korman to make the hooks and the drip tray.”
“If he can’t, I’m sure Neiven can.”
“I can’t ask the castle blacksmith to do work for me,” Doreen said.
“Why not? He won’t mind. In fact, he might have some suggestions. He makes a lot of unusual stuff from what I’ve heard. We need to go up to the castle tomorrow afternoon to pick up the woman Myron wants to board here anyway. Why not talk to him then?”
“All right.” Doreen folded the paper with their sketches and stuck it in her pocket. “But first, let’s see if we can make the frame so I’ll have some measurements when I talk to him.”
~ ~ ~ ~
Torrey was packed and ready to go when Kevin got to Rainbow Valley Monday morning. He raised his eyebrows when he saw all the bags. “Are you moving back home?” he asked hesitantly.
Warren laughed. “I told you.”
Torrey rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t sure what I’d need, so I brought everything. Now I’ve got a better idea about what I need here and what I can leave at home. And no, I’m not moving back.” She cut her eyes at Warren. “At least not yet.”
Warren laughed again and put his arm around her. “Have a nice time, honey, and be sure you check on Colin and Ryan.” He glanced at Kevin. “You’re checking on them, aren’t you?”
“Once a week as requested. I had Chris put it on the calendar.”
“Good. He’ll be sure you do it. I was afraid you’d get busy and forget.”
Kevin looked at Torrey. “Ready?”
She nodded and put her hand on his arm as he used an outstretched hand to pick up her bags. Moments later, they were in Torrey’s living room in Walnut Springs.
“What time do you want to go back tomorrow?”
“Don’t you and Glendymere spar on Tuesday mornings?”
Kevin nodded.
“Why don’t you pick me up on your way out there? Then you won’t have to make an extra trip.”
Kevin nodded. “I meet him around nine, so I’ll be here a little before that.”
Torrey nodded as she picked up one of her bags. “I’m sure you’ve got plenty to do, so why don’t you run on. I’ll be fine.” As Kevin started to go, Torrey said, “No! Wait!” and opened one of the bags sitting on the floor. She took out a smaller bag and handed it to Kevin. “For you and Chris to have for a morning snack. I couldn’t let you return empty-handed. Chris would be disappointed. See you in the morning.”
~ ~ ~ ~
When Kevin got back to the office, he put the bag Torrey had given him in his bottom desk drawer and stepped out into the reception area to see what was going on. Before anyone noticed he was back, Joan walked in and nodded at him. “Good, you’re back. I need to see you for a minute.”
Kevin motioned her towards his office.
After they were seated, Joan asked, “Have you decided what you’re going to do when the women and children arrive from Wyndsor?”
“I thought that was settled.”
Joan shook her head. “I mean in the first few minutes, right after they get here.”
“I wasn’t planning to be there.”
“You need to be, to welcome them back.”
“Why me? Why not Karl? Or you?”
“You’re the Master Sorcerer.”
“What’s that got to do with it? I didn’t rescue them. Trivera and Gov. Shardin did.”
“They don’t know that. According to what Gov. Shardin said they don’t know anything. They were housed in a separate section of the castle and had duties in that area. As far as they know, they’re slaves.”
“She had them working?”
“She had to. She couldn’t put them up as guests, and someone had to keep their area clean, cook their food, wash their clothes, and see to the children. She didn’t have them doing anything they wouldn’t have done in their own homes, but at the same time, she didn’t tell them they were free. She left it to you to decide how much to tell them and when to do it.”
“Okay,” Kevin said slowly. “I want them to know Trivera contacted me and offered to bring them home. If nothing else, they owe her a thank you. And if Shardin hadn’t brought us a list of their names and where they were from, we wouldn’t have been able to have their husbands here to greet them.”
“Which they aren’t yet, by the way.”
“We told them we’d pick them up around one. And we told the one who decided to stay at the barracks to go to your office after lunch.”
Joan nodded. “That’ll give them time to settle down from the trip with the key before their wives get here.”
“Actually, they’ve traveled by key a bit now. They didn’t have much reaction to it last week. I’m hoping the women will be okay, too.”
“We’ll still have something for them to drink and a pallet for the children just in case, but back to the point. You need to be the one to tell them they’re free. And someone needs to talk to the girl who’s single and see what she wants to do.”
“Do we know anything about her family?”
Joan shook her head. “All we know is she isn’t married. Gov. Shardin didn’t ask about parents or anyone else.”
“Okay. Can you handle that?”
“If you want me to.”
“Please. With my luck she’ll either be too nervous to talk to me or she’ll start crying. I’m no good with tears.”
“Most men aren’t. I’ll find out as much as I can, but in the meantime, what are we going to do with her? Where is she staying?”
“I thought Chris told you,” Kevin said. “I made arrangements for her to stay with Doreen. She has some extra rooms, and that way I can send food, sheets, towels, and stuff like that down there without either Doreen or Rhianna getting their hackles up about it.”
Joan laughed. “Are you taking her down there or am I?”
“Rhianna and Doreen are coming up here this afternoon and taking her back to the house. They thought it might be better if she met them up here.”
Joan nodded as she stood up. “Guess I’ll get back to the office, but I want you there before two.”
“I’ll be there.” Kevin was going to walk her out but before he could open the door for her, there was a knock on it.
“I’m sorry,” Rhianna said as he opened the door. “I didn’t realize you were busy.”
“He’s not,” Joan said as she stepped out of the office. “I’m done. He’s all yours.”
Rhianna smiled at Kevin. “Could I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure, come on in.”
Kevin shut the door behind her and sat down in a visitor’s chair beside her. “What’s up?”
“Could I borrow Elin for a bit?”
“Sure, but...”
“I’ll be careful with her,” Rhianna interrupted. “I can imagine what a trauma that whole experience must have been. The main thing I want to do is apologize for upsetting her, and I’d like to give her this.” Rhianna pulle
d a slim box out of her tunic pocket and handed it to Kevin. The box held a delicate but deadly dagger. “And I want to offer to teach her how to use it.”
“I’m sure she’ll love it,” Kevin said, “but Joan helped her pick out a dagger shortly after she got back and she’s been teaching her how to use it.”
“I know, and I’m not giving her this to replace Joan’s. I carry three. It won’t hurt her to have two.”
“Three?”
Rhianna grinned. “Only one is obvious.”
“Why?”
“If you throw it, you’re left defenseless if you don’t have a backup, and I prefer daggers to throwing knives.”
“Don’t you carry knives?”
Rhianna pulled up her tunic sleeve. She had a small pouch with five knives anchored to her forearm. “I’m required to have them, but I still prefer the daggers. I don’t throw one of my daggers unless I’m fairly sure I can get it back, but I’m more accurate with them, probably because they have more weight to them. From what I’ve gathered, Darrell prefers the knives. It’s a matter of personal choice.”
Kevin frowned. “I can’t hit the broad side of a barn with either one.”
“But I bet you could hit it with an energy bolt.”
Kevin laughed and nodded.
“Just a matter of what suits you best.” Rhianna closed the box and stuck it back in her pocket. “I don’t want to cause any problems among your staff, so I picked up daggers for the other four pages, too. Heftier ones for Ariel, Isak, and Petri, and one that’s not quite so delicate for Cameryn.”
Kevin smiled. “Good. No one will feel slighted. Chris will thank you for that.”
Rhianna laughed as she stood up. “I’ll give the others theirs after I talk to Elin.”
“Are you staying at the castle until the women arrive from Wyndsor?”
Rhianna nodded. “Doreen’s at the stable talking to Neiven about some hooks she wants him to make for her. We thought we’d eat lunch here while we’re waiting for them.”
“Would you like to have lunch with me? We could take it out on the patio if the weather cooperates.”
“That would be nice, and if I’m with you, Doreen will feel free to join Rigel.” Rhianna opened the office door. “I’ll meet you here in a couple of hours.”
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