[Envinyatar]

In his haste to leave the scrutiny of Cook, Derufin ran to the safety of his domain without much attention to where he was going. Imagine his surprise as he ran into a line of wet clothing, flapping in the breeze on a line strung from the southern entrance to the stables to the lone ash tree that shaded the windows of his quarters.

‘By the One! What’s this?!’ he muttered, picking a raggedy looking shirt from his face.

Willowfain, seeing him run from the kitchen door, had followed him, and tried to shout out a warning. Derufin turned the shirt in his hands, and after a moment handed it to the girl. ‘Yours, I take it,’ he said, eyeing the one she had put on while her own dried. ‘Best you ask next time before borrowing clothes from people’s rooms. Though I don’t think the person whose shirt that was will be needing it any longer. Still, do ask first.’

‘I’ve been thinking – my assistant is gone for a while, perhaps you can help out in the stable until she returns, and after that, we can leave you to handle the hens, and perhaps assist the new gardener.’ He walked into the stable, the bright sunlight of late morning, fading to a cool shade. ‘Up there,’ he said, pointing to the loft, ‘if you don’t mind it a bit rough, is where you can bunk. Vanwe’s place is there on the left you can make a nest for yourself on the right.’ He pointed back up at the Inn. ‘Go ask Cook if she’ll let you into the attic. There are some extra mattresses up there you can bring in, and one of the maids can give you some linens and a blanket. Just tell them both I’ve sent you.’

‘Hurry now,’ he said, as she stood there with her hand in the shirt’s lower pocket. ‘We’ll need to see to the horses in the corral – take them out one by one and get them brushed up a bit . . .’