Chapter 11

Chapter 11

“Ahem.”

You shouldn’t be saying things like that here. The only person to whom a man should groan about his toxic relationship with his father is his wife. It was not a proper subject for a dinner with a woman with whom he had no connection.

I coughed. Daniel turned to the children. He grinned at me as he said, “Most father-son relationships are like this.”

“But he is still your father. I’m sure you are saddened by his passing.”

The girls’ gazes turned from Daniel to me and back to Daniel. They remained on Daniel. He said nothing until he appeared to register the girls’ eyes on him.

“That is true.”

Another silence ensued. I glanced at each of the children. They were watching me and Daniel talk, open-mouthed.

When they sensed the warning in my eyes, they lifted their utensils. Clinking could be heard at the table again. I stabbed a roasted vegetable with my fork.

“What about your mother, Lord Wilford?”

Daniel did not respond. The moment stretched into awkward silence, but he still said nothing. I looked at him. Daniel took a sip of wine.

“I am curious about your family as well, my lady.”

So you don’t want to tell me. I put a vegetable in my mouth and sighed internally. A man with many secrets. I suddenly recalled Gary’s warning yesterday.

Bad things happened to those he didn’t like. I wondered if there was anything I had done to make him dislike me.

“My parents have passed. And you have met my older brother.”

“Count Murphy.” A look of recognition passed over his face.

I felt a flash of annoyance, followed by casual interest. What could the reason be? Why doesn’t he want to discuss his family?

No, no. Don’t show interest. I pushed away any curiosity I had as I remembered Gary’s aggravating advice. I had no interest in this baron’s family situation, nor should I.

“How did you come to know my older brother?”

Knowing I could go on to talk about either my first husband, Baron Rivera, or my second husband, Vans, I still kept the subject on Gary.

Isn’t it a bit unfair of you to ask about my family when you won’t talk about yours? Whether or not he read my thoughts, Daniel grinned.

“He tried to scout the chef of my restaurant.”

“The chef of Fairy’s Spring?”

“Yes.” Daniel nodded.

Good god. I recalled Gary stroking his swollen belly. The food must have been quite delicious.

However, questions remained. The Murphy family was not that wealthy. Though I had never been to Fairy’s Spring, based on Gary’s story, I assumed they had many customers. I presumed the chef must earn quite a salary. Or am I wrong?

Astonished, I asked, “Could Gary have taken your chef?”

“Not my chef, the restaurant’s chef,” Daniel corrected me and went on. “To be more precise, he wanted the chef’s recipes, not the chef himself.”

Aha. He tried to steal recipes. Of course. How very like Gary. I giggled. “I hope you showed my brother his place.”

Daniel narrowed his eyes. A smirk tugged on the corner of his lips. “You are not taking Lord Murphy’s side?”

“Gary did something deserving of punishment. Did he not?”

A beating wasn’t enough to punish someone for trying to mine another’s trade secrets.

Daniel smiled. “He invited me over as an apology.”

“And that was yesterday.”

“Yes.” Daniel nodded and ate a piece of chicken.

I see. So this was why he warned me. I hoped Gary had been scared straight. When I thought of what he’d said to me yesterday, I hoped Daniel had punched him at least twice. Yet I remembered Gary’s chin looked perfectly unbruised.

I looked at Daniel’s plate. He was nearly finished with his food. He eats well. I turned to my plate and the girls’ plates.

I had bought and roasted three chickens. I’d marinated them in milk and rubbed them with garlic and salt. Then I’d stuffed them with more garlic and vegetables and put them in the oven to roast until he arrived.

The girls and I each had half a chicken, and Daniel got a whole one. The skin was crispy and the inside was tender from the water from the vegetables.

Those very same vegetables that had once been stuffed inside the chicken now garnished it. They were aromatic from the garlic and chicken fat. The mashed potatoes were soft and fatty from milk and a slab of butter. Just in case, I’d also added a bite of unseasoned leafy vegetables dressed with wine vinaigrette on the side.

“I also have an apple pie. Would you like some?” I said as I watched Daniel clean his plate.

I’d left the pie in the oven so it wouldn’t get cold. I knew it would be even better with a scoop of ice cream, but I had given up on that idea.

“I look forward to the pie if it was made by the same chef.” Daniel smiled with his eyes.

I glanced at Iris, signaling her to bring the pie and tea to the sitting room.

“Then you ought to look forward to it. I made both.” I smiled as I stood. I was about to suggest we go to the sitting room when Daniel raised an eyebrow.

“You made them?”

“Yes. Though I don’t have as much confidence in the apple pie.”

I had tried making apple pie a couple of times in my old world. I’d chopped apples and stewed them with butter and sugar. Sometimes, I added cinnamon.

The last thing was to put the apple pie filling between two thin slices of bread, then press the circumference with a fork. It could be eaten as was or baked slightly in the oven. If there was no oven, it could be baked on a pan over the lowest heat.

The recipe was not exactly quick, but it was easy. After living alone, I’d found several strategies to avoid wasting fruit.

The problem was that here, for a proper pie, I had to make a crust from scratch rather than making do with bread slices.

“I am looking forward to it then.” Daniel beamed.

I guess he can eat. I glanced at his body and nodded. Daniel was much larger than me and taller by a full hand. He seemed fully capable of eating a whole chicken, vegetables, mashed potatoes, and a slice of apple pie for dessert.

“If it would not be rude,” Daniel said, “could I look around your house first?”

Hmm. I hesitated. There were two problems: there were too many neglected rooms, and there were no servants.

If Daniel looked around, he might notice the lack of servants. This would tell him two more things: how impoverished this house was, and that only women lived in it.

However, it was possible to hide the fact that there were no servants. Servants who knew their place did not show themselves to their mistress and her guests.

What should I do?

Daniel saw my hesitation. “If it makes you uncomfortable, that’s all right. It was a sudden request. I understand if you say no.”

Ah, is that so? I leaned toward refusing him.

However, Daniel continued, “I simply heard that this mansion was quite old. I ask because I enjoy viewing antique buildings.”

Hmm? Hmmmm? I remembered Gary mentioning Daniel’s good eye. Gary had said he was good at appraisals. I’d had the same thought yesterday, wondering if I should invite Daniel over to see if there were any useful objects in the mansion.

Without further hesitation, I nodded. “That’s all right. But please keep in mind that this is an old house, so there are some neglected rooms.”

Instead of taking Daniel to the sitting room, I led him to the hallway. I glanced at Iris on my way out. One girl had to clear the dishes, and another had to follow me.

“Shall we?”

Daniel looked pleased as he lent me his arm. I looped my hand through his elbow and led the way to the hall.

Most mansions opened into a hall with a high ceiling. Because it was the first thing guests would see, homeowners gave it the most attention.

Mildred had liked the hall very much. She’d told Ashley to sweep and mop it daily and would not permit a speck of dust.

I liked it too. Walking through it made me remember that I was now part of a fairy-tale world. Not just some sad, sloppy fairy tale, but a colorful, beautiful one.

Even though I didn’t grumble too much about it, this world was uncomfortable in many aspects. There were so many layers of clothing to wear, and the skirts were long and dragged behind me. These hefty dresses had to be washed by hand. We beat them with a stick, but that still meant using your hands.

Maybe I should invent a washing machine. I tried to remember what a washer looked like. I think water entered the vessel as it shook...

“My lady?” Daniel called me out of my reverie.

Oh, right. I forced a smile and pushed the thought of a washer away. I’ll think about this later. I really should.

“The truth is my husband bought this house with everything in it.”

Daniel and I strolled around the hall, arm in arm. Like Gary’s home, the hall in this mansion was furnished with tapestries and paintings for guests to look at as they walked around. Some of the old tapestries had been changed out, but most of the paintings remained untouched.

Mildred did not know much about paintings. She had little interest in them. I suppose I was the same.

I observed Daniel’s face to see if any caught his eye. “The original owner was said to be a noble. He sold the house because he could no longer maintain it.”

“That was about twenty years ago.”

He knows.

Seeing the surprise on my face, Daniel grinned. “I told you that I liked viewing antique buildings like this.”

Antique was a nice way of describing it. This house was decrepit.

I smiled back. “Do you only like viewing? You don’t like buying?”

“Well.” We had made one lap around the hall. Daniel glanced at the stairs to the second floor. “It seems too large for just me.”

“What about your children?” I tried to not show my excitement. Just because Daniel lived alone did not mean he was not married. If he had married young, he could have a son around Ashley’s age.

“I am still unmarried.”

“Ah.”

Daniel raised an eyebrow when he saw my face darken. He seemed to think it strange as he asked his next question.