“What is it?” Mira asked curiously once she couldn’t see the horse cart anymore.
“Must be tools.” Jack guessed as he opened the sack.
Sure enough, the sack had 4 spades of two different sizes each, 2 hoes, 2 rakes and a pitchfork.
“This….” Mira had a conflicted expression as she looked at the items. This would cost more than 10 gold coins.
“Like Dad said, we must repay this kindness with our actions.” Jack knew there was no point in being conflicted. He swore inwardly to return this kindness when he had the ability.
“Umm.” Mira nodded with determination.
“Wife, has the fish soup finished?” Jack asked with regret as he saw the empty bowls on the table.
“No. I have left a tiny portion for you.” Mira giggled as she took the bowls to the kitchen to wash.
She bought a bowl full of the last portion of the fish soup after washing the bowl
Jack walked around for a while before he returned back home. The walk cleared his head and there was a smile dancing on his lips as he entered. Mira was waiting anxiously, she kept pacing back and forth in the front room.“Jack” Mira’s voice was strained as she rushed to him. She was stepped back in confusion as she saw his smile. She knitted her brows with a pout.“Wife, you are right.” Jack chuckled as he gently knocked on her forehead.“I know I am right.” Mira pouted as she rubbed her forehead “What are you talking about now?”“That you were too stupid.” Jack chuckled as he embraced her.Mira pursed her lips into a resentful pout as she gently fisted on his chests.“Do you want to hear what I figured out?” Jack tapped her nose with an affectionate gaze.“Um.”“Do you remember saying that you thought I stormed out of the room because I overheard your conversation?”“Um…mm” Mira nodded confidently.“That’s why I said my love is too stupid.”“Huh??”“Think about it…. you told me what
The next few days were without events. Mira completed all the embroidery work that she had bought home by the time Jack returned home on Thursday.“I will come to the city with you tomorrow.” Mira informed Jack as they sat for supper.“So fast?” Jack raised his eyebrows “Didn’t your Madam give you 10 days?”“Um” Mira nodded “But I finished them early.”“Love don’t tire yourself. I will work harder.” Jack frowned. He knew she was straining herself too much.“Not hard.” Mira smiled “The stand you made for me is too good. I don’t get tired that easily. We need to pay our debts and get better.”“I will make those stands.” Jack pursed his lips “Let me do the hard work.”“We will work together.” Mira smiled sweetly as she leaned onto his shoulders.“Um” Jack nodded with determination. He would work harder so that his wife didn’t have to tire herself.“The seedlings have all grown.” Mira remembered as they laid down.“Um” Jack nodded. “I will go to Godfather’s to pick up the horses for ploug
Mira was so happy, she literally skipped all the way to Almera’s shop. “Someone’s very happy.” Almera spoke with a lopsided grin. “Your brother called you a dragon.” Mira giggled and whispered. “And he’s the baby dragon.” Almera scoffed. “What are you going to do with this?” Almera asked curiously as she saw Mira playing around with the cloth, she took from the rag section. “I was still thinking.” Mira kept fiddling with the cloth before asking with a curious expression “How long does it take to make a neckerchief normally?” “Varies on the pattern and experience.” Almera shrugged “My most experienced worker might take a day for a complex pattern with embroidery. The less experienced can take 2 days.” “Um” Mira nodded pursing her lips. “Do you embroider?” Mira asked curiously. “Yes… but only my own clothes.” Mira nodded as she carefully took the watch pendant Almera gave her, like a precious treasure and opened to look at the time. It was getting almost 2 pm. She decided to sl
Jack hurried over to Uncle Harry’s place. He wanted to get back to his wife quickly. He saw Uncle Harry loading sacks on to a cart. Jack rushed over to help. “Godfather” Jack called out as he bend down to pick a sack and load it. “Jack…” Harry laughed “I thought you guys have forgotten when I didn’t see you yesterday.” “That…” Jack scratched the back of his head; his face filling with an unnatural color. How could he tell Godfather that he forgot time staring at his wife? “Ha….ha….ha….” Harry laughed even louder without giving him any face. “Godfather, can I borrow the plough horses again this week?” “Yes… yes… I have got everything ready for you.” Harry pointed at the cart that was loaded. “This….” “It is the manure that you need. I had to go to Larkin’s and got it along the way.” Harry lied with his eyes wide open. “There’s 10 bags of cow manure, sheep manure and hen manure. You have to mix it properly before spreading it.” Harry started to explain but soon sighed shaking hi
“Love, what are you doing?” Jack raised his hand to tuck a loose strand of hair that fell on to her face. “I am getting dinner ready.” Mira smiled bashfully before raising her eyebrows in concern “Hungry?” “Um” Jack nodded truthfully; He lowered his voice and asked, “Is there enough for everyone?” “Um” Mira nodded “I have used all our eggs and fish.” She added in after thought “Luckily we went fishing yesterday.” “Um” Jack chuckled “My wife is clever.” “I have made a special something with the eggs.” Mira smiled mysteriously as she lowered her voice and whispered, “This is something I learned in my previous life.” “Love, I am even more hungry now.” Jack feigned a pitiful expression. “There is enough for everyone.” Mira tapped his hands that were extending towards her but sighed softly “I hope.” “Help me bring the table from the outer storeroom.” “There’s a table in that room?” Jack asked in surprise. He had never really paid much attention to the things in the room. “Um… ther
Mira opened the second room and started to work once everyone went. She finished the neckerchief for Godmother before the daylight went off and then with the light from the fireplace, she started to look at the work she bought back from Almera. She chose one that she thought was easier. The pattern was a floral design starting at the waist going all the way down to the hem of skirt of the ball gown. This had to be repeated eight times. The design was a narrow single vine near the waist and would grow thicker as it went down, ending up at least 5 inches wide for a single pattern. The hem of the skirt was a single vine connecting all the vines radiating down. The cloth was a royal purple in color; Mira chose to use darkest shade of purple for the inner shadings of the flowers on the pattern while the parts were done in a lighter shade… almost close to pink… like a purple pink. The vines and leaves were done using dark and light shades of teal green. Jack cleared the backyard; He tidie
She lighted the rushlight and placed it near the stand. She examined the next 2 works before deciding on which one to start. She looked at the time on the pocket watch, it was 6 and a half hour, she scribbled the time on her cloth. The one she selected to work on, required a floral pattern all over the skirt; it was 5.5 yards wide and 1.5 yard long. Mira drew the pattern on skirt; the pattern was 1.5 yard long and 1 yard wide. She divided her work into 5 parts and set the task for her to finish one part today. Jack came in another 2 hours later “Love, I am hungry.” “Um.” Mira nodded as she quickly finished the stitch she was doing and got up after scribbling 8 and half on her cloth. “Finished?” Mira asked curiously; She had not seen him the whole day. “Um” Jack lips curled up slyly as he saw her walk out of the room. He quickly entered and opened the back door. He came out and locked the door near the front room as Mira always does when she leaves the work room since learning the r
“How are we going to take the slate stands to the city?” Mira frowned as she ate her breakfast and thought of the troublesome problem. “You stay.” Jack hurried to the carriage ride stop. Sometimes they would be carts for hire at 50 silver pieces for a day. Luckily there were two; Jack needed only one. He decided to spend the money. He paid from the pouch Mira had given him and rode back home. Mira was waiting anxiously at the door. “How did you get it?” Mira asked as her frown disappeared. “Hire for a day.” Jack pursed his lips “Wife, I have spent 50 silver pieces.” He handed the money pouch back to her. “That’s okay.” Mira smiled although her heart was bleeding; She knew there was no other way for them to carry the frames. Jack loaded all the five frames and helped Mira into the cart before getting in. They talked all the way and rode at a leisurely pace. Along the way, Jack taught Mira to ride the cart. Even so, they reached earlier than normal. Jack left the cart with Mira so
“So, are you saying that your highness didn’t know that this was Jack’s when he announced the prize?” Almera exclaimed in awe.“So, are you saying that this was originally cousin’s property?” Martin exclaimed at the same time as Almera and continued patting his chest in comfort “So, we don’t have to find the heir and hand it over making all of cousin sister-in-law’s hard work mount up to nothing…. this is good…very good…. hur…hur… ”“Wow… so the property found its own owner without anyone doing anything…” Martin continued his mindless chatter, his eyes widening in wonder.“How is it that no one did anything?” Beth slapped the back of Martin’s head as she chided “Isn’t it all because of the sleepless nights your sister-in-law spend, working tirelessly for the competition?”Cornelius chuckled seeing Martin’s innocence and opened his mouth to clarify at the same time as Beth “I truly didn’t know who he was, until Mira announced her fifth request.”Martin rubbed the back of his head with
The next morning, everyone gathered around the dining table for breakfast, filled with renewed energy and full of fighting spirit as they all knew the agenda for the day; even young Anne-Marie’s eyes were filled with excitement.“Good morning, everyone.” Cornelius and Aglaya were the last to join the table; Jack nodded towards Harrison, in a gesture that conveyed ‘Get everyone away from this area.’Harrison nodded in acknowledgement before he started to retract the maids and manservants who were serving towards the back of the house.“Keep an eye on the front so that no one interrupts the Lord’s business.” Harrison called on Lazarus before withdrawing to the back himself “I will keep the household engaged at the back.”“It would be better if you could get your men to watch around the room, close enough to guard and yet far enough to not intrude on the Lord’s privacy.” Harrison added as an afterthought. Although he didn’t know what they were going to discuss, he knew Jack didn’t want a
The long journey had worn everyone out and they decided to rest early as Martin was yet to return; Jack had promised Martin that they wouldn't start before he came back.“I made a fool of myself.” Mira pouted unhappily once Mira and Jack were alone in their room.“Nonsense… who said my wife’s a fool?” Jack feigned disbelief as he looked around;he didn't even blush as he spoke, he wasn't lying; his wife could do whatever she wanted.Who would dare to say anything?Mira hmphed as she sat with an unhappy expression for a few seconds before she got distracted with her thoughts, she turned around, her expression still wrinkled in a pout “What are we going to do about Martha and Seirra? I don’t think that we can get to them as we previously planned now that everyone is here.”She leaned forward and whispered, “They don’t seem to have any plans for leaving any time soon.”Jack chuckled as he stared dotingly at his wife’s innocent face that was filled with a gossipy aura.Her eyes widened with
As Cornelius sat mulling over the past, reeling in guilt, the carriage reached the gates of Southamberston. Aglaya accompanied him silently, she was the keeper of his soul. She knew that this was the greatest regret and pain in his life. She gently patted his hand in a comforting manner as she heard Winkle announcing their identity at the gates, trying to pull him out of despair. She waited for him to nod acknowledging that he was fine before she lifted the curtains to look outside.To her surprise, well not surprise, she should have expected this, this was her wildflower, unlike the other duke and duchess who along with their household would be waiting at the entrance of the manor/castle to greet them, what greeted her eyes was Mira, who was running over to greet them even before their carriage reached the front entrance of the castle. It was not hard to guess, where Mira was, Jack wouldn’t be far behind.“Ha…ha… ha…” Aglaya couldn’t help laughing, shaking her head, peaking Cornelius’
Cornelius and Agalya set off in the royal carriage along with Orseus to visit the Southamberstons early the next day. As the path started to become familiar to that in his memory, Cornelius raised the divider to question the footman-“I said we were going to Southamberston duchy.”“We are my royal sovereign.” Winkle, the footman replied bowing politely although he didn’t understand why the sovereign was angry.Cornelius frowned in distrust as he turned to Parker “Care to explain?”Parker rubbed his nose in embarrassment as he forgot to update Cornelius about the results of his investigation yesterday and spoke in a soft voice “Apologies for my royal sovereign.”Cornelius raised his eyebrow impatiently.“Stormwall was re-named as Southamberston when the previous king reclaimed the dutchy following the death of the old master.” Parker hurriedly explained as he noted the impatience on his master’s face.“Why was the dutchy reclaimed? Isn’t the right of inheritance for the Haribeort from f
Once the king and the supreme rulers had taken the seats in the chamber of secrets, the chiefs of each governing body in the country entered for their private meeting with the king once their names were called out by the royal messenger. This solemn ceremony was the rite of passage where the new king is entrusted as the keeper of ancient secrets of the country from its inception, things that were for the king’s ears only. The other curious thing was no two chiefs entered at the same time. Each had only knowledge of the matter they were entrusted with. The only living person in the entire kingdom who had knowledge of all the secrets was the king and the supreme rulers.The rite passage ceremony went on till late through the night. No matter how anxious Cornelius was to get to his godson and blast the hell out of the household of Southamberston, he had to wait for the next day.The next day, Jack called everyone to the study very early in the morning. No one thought much of it till they
“What wrong?” Jack asked as he smoothed the frown adorning his wife’s beautiful face as they sat in the carriage on their way back to the Southamberston estate.Mira shook her head to indicate it was nothing although the confusion on her face didn’t disappear.“What is it that troubles my wife?” Jack tilted her chin to face him “Something is bothering you from the time of the crowning ceremony.”Mira raised her eyebrows in surprise. She never expected Jack to notice. She thought he was distracted by everything around them and that she had covered it well.“Nothing can distract me from you.” Jack chuckled looking at his wife’s silly expression.“Smooth talker.” Mira pouted as she rested back in his embrace although her heart felt it was dipped in honey. It was a blissful feeling to know that the person you loved also had only you in their eyes.“What is it?” Jack wasn’t going to give up without an answer.“Nothing… it’s just…” Mira bit her lips hesitating whether to speak but decided to
Thomas and Jack looked at their wives who were giggling foolishly and shook their heads helplessly. Thomas introduced Jack to the other gentry helping him build connections while the ladies gossiped. The hot topic for the ladies was of course, the fabulous gown that Mira and Almera were wearing. Everyone wanted to know where the materials were purchased and how long it would take to get them made.Matthew and Harry mingled with old acquaintances introducing their wives and John. Martin and Oden stood politely by their side. Both felt extremely awkward and overwhelmed as they had never attended such an affair in their lifetime although Oden kept a calm façade given his training at Slegh’s.Joan stood in the periphery of the hall with Emma staring viciously at their family that was dressed like the nobles, enjoying everyone’s admiration. Joan couldn’t understand why she had to stand in a corner forgotten even though she carefully planned for herself to rise to prominence. She couldn’t st
Cornelius’s eyes narrowed as he spotted Harrison behind Jack before sighing in a whisper “Kids! Didn’t we tell them to keep it quiet?”He turned to signal Parker as he realized that there was only Harrison following Jack. Of course, he knew Harrison represented the Hariebot’s and thereby Jack’s maternal home.“Wasn’t the edict awarding the dukedom passed on to Southamberston?”“Yes, your royal supreme majesty.” Parker bowed respectfully.“Then why isn’t the butler here to receive and guide the lord?” Cornelius’s temper rose “I need an explanation for this arrogance. I will visit the duchy after the feast. I want to see who dares?”“There…. There….” Aglaya gently tapped on Cornelius hand “Let’s deal with it later. Don’t spoil the festivities with your temper.”“Haiiii” Cornelius sighed before sitting back.Orseus hooked his eyebrows towards Bernard as he noted the change in his parents’ expression. Bernard shrugged before turning to look at his father for an explanation. Parker blinked