Candace C. Bowen - A Knight Series 02 (15 page)

“What of the fair Mylla?” Albin grinned as a flush crept up Talan’s neck. “Has she made an appearance?”

“She is expected early this eve with her father to pay respects and salutations to Lecie, on the parting of her father and abrupt nuptials.”

“How convenient for you,” Albin observed.

“More like inconvenient, since it is I doling out ale while you deplete the stock.” Moving a little ways off to wipe up a spill, Talan returned. “When is the staff expected to arrive?”

“Within the hour,” Albin replied. “That should give you enough of a break to make yourself presentable for your Mylla.”

“Speaking of breaks, Lecie has not taken one since she started early this morn.”

“Has she not eaten?” Albin’s brows drew ominously together. “It is not the first time I have seen her overlook herself for others.”

“Hence my mentioning it,” Talan responded with a cocked brow.

“Right, I shall put my foot down immediately.”

“Albin,” Talan shook his head in exasperation. “You really do have a lot to learn about women, Lecie in particular.”

“Well what would you have me do?” Albin grumped. “Did you not just inform me she had not eaten all day?”

“Aye, I did. However, you cannot very well order her to take care of herself. She has been doing that for longer than you have been acquainted.”

“Then what would you advise?” Frustrated, Albin sloshed ale onto the bar as he snatched up his cup for a drink. “Plead with her?”

“I doubt with Lecie it shall ever come to that.” Wiping up the spill, Talan leaned close. “I think you will find the sweeter the request, the more amiable the response.”

“I do not have Guy’s ability to woo a woman with words.” Albin looked doubtful. “I am bound to louse it up.”

“Give yourself a little credit you have always managed well in the past.” Heeding a summons, Talan moved further down the bar.

Catching Lecie looking at him, Albin sighed as she abruptly glanced away. “How I long for the days on the battlefield,” he spoke to no one in particular.

* * *

Doing her best to ignore her husband, Lecie graciously acknowledged condolences while serving and cleaning tables. She paused in the act of clearing a recently vacated table when a group of people unknown to her walked through the front door.

Making her way through the crowd, her welcoming smile faltered as she drew up in confusion when Albin left the bar to greet the newcomers.

“If you will be showing us our duties, we shall get straight to work, Sir Albin.” A stocky red-haired man wearing a threadbare tunic who introduced himself as William spoke for the solemn group.

“This is my wife, Lady Lecie.” Albin waited for her to take the few remaining steps to his side. “She will instruct the lot of you as to your duties.”

Her confusion changed to surprise as the reason for Albin’s earlier absence became clear to her. Before she had a chance to voice her gratitude, the man called William doffed his cap to address her. “Lady Lecie?”

“You are William?” she responded with a smile upon hearing her title spoken for the first time.

“Yes, my lady.” William gestured to the two men beside him. “This here is Merek and Simon.” Gesturing to the three women standing behind him, he added, “These are our wives, Anne, Winifred and Mary.”   

Noting the tattered state of the women’s kirtles, Lecie looked up at Albin. “The men shall be splitting their time between tending bar, keeping stock of the ale and replenishing supplies from the village, the first being a new feather tick for the master chamber. Would you please be kind enough to show them their duties?”

“I will be more than pleased to do so, wife,” Albin acknowledged with a grin.

“Thank you kindly, husband,” Lecie dipped her head with a warm smile before addressing the women. “Please follow me.”

Leading the silent women up the steps, Lecie instructed them to wait while she climbed into the loft. Digging through her truck, she withdrew a trio of chemises and kirtles.

On the way down the ladder, their low conversation halted abruptly. “There is no need for formality,” she assured them handing each a chemise and kirtle. “I cannot vouch for the fit, yet I am sure they will suit better than the ones you have now.”

The eldest gray-haired woman named Winifred held up the clothing. “You are gifting us with these fine kirtles, my lady?”

“My name is Lecie.” She smiled. “And yes, I am gifting them to you.”

“Thank you, my…Lecie,” the youngest of the three, named Anne, spoke. “We are grateful for your kindness and the position you have given us.”

“The position was my husband’s doing and I am grateful to him for it as well,” Lecie acknowledged. “Do any of you happen to know how to cook?”

“I am learned in the task,” Winifred spoke.

“Fine, your service is most desperately needed in the kitchen.” Glancing between Anne and Mary, she continued, “I shall need one of you to assist Winifred in the kitchen as well as serve meals in the common room. Betta, Harsent and Gunilda see to the chambers, so the other may lend them assist.” 

Mary, the shyest of the trio stepped forward. “If I may, I would lend assist with the chambers.”

“Thank you, Mary,” she accepted with a dip of her head. “Gunilda and Harsent are often unreliable, so Betta will be most pleased to hear it.”

Showing Mary where the clean linens were stored in a cupboard at the end of the hall, she pointed out the chambers currently occupied. “The servants’ quarters are on the ground floor if you will follow me below. I am afraid they are none too clean since we have not had proper servants for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, owing to the crowd, I cannot spare you free time at the moment to prepare them for yourselves.”

“Please do not worry with that,” Winifred spoke as she was about to continue. “I believe I speak for us all when I say anything with a roof shall be an improvement over what we have had of late.”

“Aye,” Mary and Anne murmured in agreement.

“Very well,” Lecie acknowledged. “Please make yourselves at home the best you are able.”

Passing through the common room, Lecie spotted Albin talking to the men behind the bar. He glanced up mid-laugh as she passed. A flutter filled the pit of her stomach as she held his gaze until she passed out of his sight upon entering the narrow passageway to the left of the kitchen.

She waved a hand in the direction of the garderobe as she pointed out three far doors at the end of the dark paneled passage. “They will be the best of the five. The other two we use for storage and until quite recently, the room beneath the steps belonged to the tapster. I dread the state he left it in so please see to it when you can.”

“We shall make do with our deepest gratitude,” Winifred replied.

“No thanks are necessary,” Lecie assured her. “Mary, once you are settled please tend to the chambers. I shall send Betta to you before I show Winifred and Anne the kitchen and brew house.”

Bobbing her head, Mary was about to depart when Lecie raised a hand to stop her. “The three of you should also be aware that Harsent, Gunilda and on occasion, Betta, see to the needs of some of the men who visit here. I am unaware of your views on such things, yet thought it prudent that I mention it.”

“We take no offense, Lecie,” Winifred replied. “On occasions past we have been known to sup with camp followers.”

“I am relieved to hear it. For the most part, they are kind women who have unfortunately been given a sad lot in life.”

“We shall get along fine,” Winifred assured her.

“There is one other thing,” Lecie glanced between the women. “I would ask you keep a watchful eye on the children. The tapster who departed did not leave on the best of terms and threatened to do harm to them.”

“He would have to go through me first,” Mary spoke up. “God in his goodness has yet to bless me and my Merek with children. If permissible, I would treat them as my own.”

“Then I consider them fortunate for having such a devoted guardian,” Lecie agreed with a smile. “They were last in the kitchen if you would like to introduce yourself.”

Bending a knee, Mary rushed off.

“Of the three of us, Mary is affected most by not having a child of her own,” Anne confided.

“Do you not want children of your own?” Lecie asked as she preceded the pair down the passageway.

“It is not that Simon and I do not want children of our own,” Anne replied. “It is only that we felt it best not to have any until we are more settled.”

“I do not understand.” Lecie said pausing to look back. “How can you keep from having children if you are wed and share your husband’s bed?”

Anne blushed and looked at Winifred to explain. “Though I warrant it is too late for me in any case, our husbands do not plant their seeds in us.”

“I see,” Lecie replied not understanding at all. “Thank you for clearing that up for me.” 

A question that had often puzzled her over the years, at one time she asked Betta how she and the other women had no children to call their own. Clearly uneasy with the topic, Betta had sent her on her way with a promise to tell her when she was older.

Determined to ask Albin about it, she led the women into the kitchen.

Introducing them to Betta, she addressed the children surrounding Mary. “I see you have met Mary.” Directing her gaze at Osana, she added, “I expect nothing less than your best behavior when in her company.”  

“I am always on my best behavior, Lecie.” Osana giggled. “Can we show Mary the garden?”

“Of course you can.” Lecie smiled. “Be on your way.”

After Lecie gave Anne and Winifred a brief tour of the brewing shed, to her immense relief, Winifred took immediate charge of the kitchen.

Returning to the common room, Lecie felt better than she had in months.

Albin looked up as she approached and she tilted her head towards the front entrance as an invitation for him to join her.   

He slightly dipped his head, excusing himself from the conversation he was having with William and Merek.

Once they were alone outside, she turned to him with a sheepish smile. “It seems I owe you an apology and a debt of gratitude.”

“Oh?” Albin lips cracked into a slight smile. “And why is that, my wife?”

“You know very well why. I took you to task and laid blame at your feet when it turned out you were doing my family a kindness.”

“Our family,” he softly corrected.

“Aye, our family,” she agreed. “I do not always find it easy to have so much responsibility placed on me. The inn has been our livelihood for generations and is Clayton’s birthright. I often find myself another person when it comes to the running of it.”

“It is no less than any other would think or act in such a situation” Capturing her hand, he began to lead her away from the inn. “From this day on we shall share the burden as equal partners until Clayton can manage on his own. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” Casting a glance back at the door, Lecie hesitated as they crossed the road. “Where are we going? The inn is full of patrons.”

“And there is now a full staff to tend them.” Guiding her forward, he took in the colorful foliage around them. “This has always been my favorite time of year.”

Falling into an easy step beside him, Lecie glanced up at the billowing clouds high in the crystal blue sky. “My favorite time has always been winter.”

“I thought you would have preferred spring.” Looking askance to her, Albin led them across the rutted dirt road to the path leading towards the river.

“No.” Lecie shook her head with a soft laugh. “Too much work to be done. In the winter we always have more time for leisure.”

“You have had a hard life for one so young.” Clasping her hand tighter, Albin held back a tree branch that blocked their path.

“It has not been harder than any other alewife’s and better than most,” Lecie observed twining her fingers through his.

“May I ask you something?”

“Of course you may, you are my husband.”

“Hamon threatened you, did he not?” Glancing sideways at her, he slowed his pace. “I already know it, I would just like to hear it confirmed.”

“It is true,” she admitted. “He threatened Clayton’s life in particular.” Tears shimmered in her eyes as she kept her gaze forward. “What he threatened the girls with was not much better.”

“Say no more, I can imagine.” Albin’s eyes narrowed as he released Lecie’s hand lest he hurt her. Clenching his fists, he struggled to contain his anger.

They walked in silence until they reached the bank of the river. Observing the many vessels and barges dotting the flowing water, Albin frowned. “Market day must be approaching, I had hoped for some privacy.”  

Intent to recapture the earlier mood, Lecie smiled. “I know of a place, if you do not mind the walk.”

“Do you indeed?” Albin cocked a mischievous brow following her lead.

“Of course, if you would rather return to the inn…” Lecie trailed off.

Clasping her hand firmly, Albin inhaled the crisp cool air. “It is a beautiful day for a walk, do not you think?”