[Primrose Bolger]

Ruby poked her head in through the door to the common room, catching Ginger’s attention with a small wave. ‘There are more customers come in,’ she whispered to Ginger once she’d got close enough to hear her. ‘Miz Aman is off somewhere and I’ve sent a number of the other servers up to freshen up the rooms. Can you come give me a hand?’

Ginger smoothed out the wrinkles on her apron and caught her curls back beneath her ribbon as she followed Ruby from the kitchen. Ruby returned to her place behind the bar and began to fill the empty mugs of thirsty customers with ale or cider as requested. Ginger put on her brightest smile and went from table to table, taking orders as she went along.

‘What were you all talking about?’ Ruby asked on one of Ginger’s trips to the bar for a tray of ale filled mugs. Ginger giggled and drawing her close so as not to be heard by others, filled her in on Cook and the stories and tea with brandy. Ruby laughed and nodded her head as she listened.

‘You know what this means, don’t you?’ Ruby said. Ginger shook her head. ‘Cook will have a flaming headache by late afternoon and we will be the ones getting the supper meal readied and served.’ She tsk’d and laughed again. ‘The brandy spirits always do this to her!’

‘Miss! Oh, Miss!!’ The shout rang out, cutting off their further conversation. ‘Coming, Sir!’ Ginger called out, her feet already in motion.