“It’s almost like cake,” Tabitha enthused, “except it isn’t sweet. It’s sort of cheesy and light.”
Mark leaned back. He had already finished everything he had been given. “I have to confess I never would have imagined having a salad for breakfast, but it went surprisingly well with the cheese thing.”
Will smiled. He’d made a salad with bitter dandelion greens and a sweet vinaigrette, then he’d topped it with crisp slices of sweet apple and added crunchy walnuts toasted with honey. The combination of textures and fresh, sweet, and sour flavors made the salad a perfect respite from the light but rich soufflé.
Surprisingly, Armand wasn’t a sore loser. After the winner had been decided, the two men returned to the kitchen and ate the remainders, each eating the other’s food. Will complimented him. “I couldn’t have made a tart like this. It’s absolutely perfect.”
Armand grunted. “It’s just time and practice. Where did you get the idea for that salad?”
“My grandfather. I think he traveled a lot. He was very demanding about his food, but he taught me as much as he could.”
“I’d like you to show me how you made that soufflé, if you don’t mind.”
“Sure.” He explained what he had done, then added, “I can return sometime and make it again with you if you wish.”
“William,” Agnes was calling to him from the other room.
“I’d better go,” he told the cook. Returning to the dining room, he sat across from Laina.
“You weren’t going to eat with us after all the effort you went to?” asked the baroness.
He grinned sheepishly. “Actually, I just finished. I tasted a lot as I was cooking, and Armand and I just traded our dishes with each other.”
Laina snorted. “He’s married to a princess, but he eats in the kitchen like a farmhand.”
“And cooks like a god,” added Tabitha, a dreamy smile on her face. “Will you be visiting us again, Will?”
He wasn’t sure how to answer, and his eyes went to the baron and baroness to gauge their reaction to the question. Mark Nerrow frowned faintly, but his wife was firm in her response. “You can visit us any time, William. You are always welcome in our home, and I’d be delighted if you made it a habit to drop by frequently.” She smiled to reinforce her words.
Tabitha nodded in agreement. “And if you want to cook something, I don’t think anyone here would complain.” When her mother looked askance at her, she added, “That was a joke, Mother. Naturally he’s welcome whether he cooks or not.” She turned back to Will. “Tell Selene to come with you next time too. I miss her.”
Didn’t Laina tell her anything? He glanced at the older sister, and she shook her head negatively, warning him to refrain from getting into that problem. “I’ll try to do that,” he said, answering Tabitha as honestly as he could.
The baron eased his chair back and stood, stretching his back in a gesture that seemed contrived. “I’m sure William has a lot to get back to at Wurthaven, and we’ve imposed on his time for long enough. Can I offer you a ride back to the college?”
Tabitha let out a disappointed groan and her mother glared at the baron. “He hasn’t been here long, Mark. Let him stay a while.”
“Oh, I wasn’t trying to hurry him off,” insisted the baron. “I was merely offering. It’s up to you, William.”
Will met his father’s eyes. The man’s eyes reflected seemingly genuine warmth, but he knew the baron was acting for the benefit of his wife. Will turned to the baroness with an apologetic look. “I’m truly sorry, Your Excellency, but the baron is correct. I really must return to school.”
The baroness growled at him.
“Agnes,” Will corrected immediately.
She patted his arm with an affectionate smile. “That’s better. If you must return then by all means do so, William. We won’t keep you, but please do return soon. My invitation was sincere.”
He felt something warm form in his chest, and to his surprise Will realized he felt a certain fondness for not just his sisters, but the entire family. It was a wistful sensation, and he replied wholeheartedly, “I would like that, Agnes. Thank you.”
Tabitha moved in quickly, and before he could react, kissed his cheek. “Hope to see you soon, Brother!”
Will froze, staring at her. How does she know? A glance at his father showed him that the older man was similarly stunned. Laina merely seemed irritated by the comment, but Agnes rebuked her daughter, “You really are too much, Tabitha! What will I ever do with you?”
Tabitha laughed. “We’ve always said Selene was our sister, so if he’s her husband then that makes him our brother-in-law, doesn’t it?” She winked in Will’s direction.
Hearing her explanation, Will relaxed, but the panic receded only to be replaced by another more difficult emotion. His vision blurred slightly, and he turned away. “I really do need to be going.”
The two sisters followed him and their father to the door, and before he could step out, Laina leaned in and said quietly, “Thank you for everything, but please don’t do anything like last night again. Selene would murder me if anything happened to you because of me.”
He paused and gave her a serious look. “I thought you didn’t trust me.”
She glared at him. “Maybe I was wrong. Truce?”
Will nodded. “Truce.”
“Don’t follow me again,” she warned.
Having spent a considerable amount of time around the fae, Will circled the question. “After last night I can’t imagine anyone would be foolish enough to do that again,” he replied. Then he turned to Tabitha. “Thank you for your kindness.” Following Mark Nerrow, he was out the door before Laina could make up her mind whether he had answered her question properly.
Chapter 11
Once they were safely ensconced in the carriage and on their way, the baron gave Will a stern look. “You seemed rather comfortable with my family.”
The deliberate use of the word ‘my’ stung. It was true, obviously, but it still hurt, for it clearly delineated the separation between them. Laina, Tabitha, and Agnes were Mark Nerrow’s family, not Will’s, nor would they ever be.
Will had never really wanted to be connected to his father, but his half-sisters were a different matter. He hadn’t had any hope to speak of, but his recent stay at their home had filled him with emotions that he still hadn’t sorted out. He had no idea how to reply. “You have a splendid family. Your wife and daughters are delightful. You must be very proud.”