“‘Twas the best way to gain control, old friend,” Elias told him as he brought down his axe into the thick log. “I went to him because he couldna hurt me. I cut his muscles as my father and my uncles taught us. Bertram was helpless.” He yanked his axe free and reached for another log. “I showed him mercy and gave him a warnin’. If he returns, I will kill him.”
“I have no trouble with that, Eli. I just worry over you. I cannot help it. My old habits are difficult to change.”
“I wouldna have those habits change, Simon. I like havin’ my own guardian angel.” Elias winked at him and lifted his axe high over his head.
Simon put down his bucket and threw up his hands. “What does it matter? The Black Death is coming. We will all likely perish.”
“Mayhap,” Elias smashed his axe into the wood, splitting it down the center.
Simon took up his bucket, along with another that was waiting for him in the grass. He started back, his legs a bit shaky.
Elias left his axe and ran to help his friend. “Mayhap not.”
They exchanged a smile and Simon confessed that he was glad to see Elias happy again. The ravages of war would take time to forget, and mayhap they would never forget all of it, but the good Lord and a beautiful woman would help.
“I willna do as Richard wishes when it comes to his wife,” Elias told him. “I believe he would regret it and come to hate me. Not to mention, I’m not an uncontrolled beast.”
Simon agreed. “I knew that would be your answer. I respect it. You are a good man, Eli.”
“So is Richard Bennett,” Elias replied as they came to the kitchen door of the shop. “He wants Lily to be happy.”
Simon could do nothing but agree as they entered the kitchen. Richard was a hardworking, patient soul, at the beck and call of the sick. The warm days were giving way to cooler mornings and many of the villagers visited the shop in the day or the red-roofed house at night to stock up on remedies for ailments of their bones and aching limbs. Richard saw to them all with the help of his companion. No one was turned away. If they could not pay Richard for his services, they didn’t.
Agnes had offered a freshly-baked apple pie as payment for a small pouch of dried Mugwort leaves to ease her lady issues. Alfred, one of the merchants, had stopped by last night for a little St. John’s wort for a burn he received from splattering oil. He had no coin but paid Richard with a freshly-killed chicken. Everyone was a friend, a brother.
It made Elias want to serve him, a truly good man. It made him hate himself because he couldn’t quit thinking about the man’s wife.
“Good morning.”
He heard her voice and slanted his gaze to her. She stood at the table, bending over it to set down a third bowl of porridge. His task wouldn’t be easy. His belly churned. “Good morn,” he croaked out then cleared his throat. He didn’t dare look at Simon.
“Ah, good friends,” came Richard’s steady voice as he joined them from the other side of the house. “Thank you for the wood and water. You have both far exceeded payment to me of any kind.”
He sat down and smiled at his wife as she set down his, the last bowl, before him on the table.
“We want to do more,” Elias told him, taking a seat next to him.
“No.Hewants to do more,” Simon corrected, looking down appreciatively at their bowls of porridge dashed with cinnamon and topped in lemon rinds. “I want to do less. My body feels as if it might cease working altogether.” He looked up at Lily and his smile widened. “It smells heavenly.”
“And it tastes even better,” Richard promised with confidence.
“Eat the rinds,” Lily told them. “They are very beneficial for almost every ailment, and possibly for what is to come.”
“Aye, today we begin adding lemon rinds to our remedies,” Richard told them after they prayed and ate. “I will begin tending to my lemon trees around the hill and bringing the lemons to the shop where Lily…and Brother Simon—” he gave Simon a wink, “—will begin the peeling and drying process.”
“Leave the lemons to me, Richard,” Elias offered. “We need ye well, not so battered down with takin’ care ofeverythin’that ye can no longer do what ye are here to do. Keep workin’ and mixin’ and readin’ and leave the heavy work to me.”
Richard stopped eating, as did Lily. “I do not know how to thank you, Eli. This work means everything to me,” Richard confessed as if they didn’t already know.
“I will see it done,” Elias vowed.
He could feel Lily’s gaze on him and prepared to look at her, to smile at her, just as he would Agnes, or Estrid, or anyone. But when his gaze fell on the soft grace of her grateful smile, he felt his practiced smile fade, replaced by something warmer and more intimate.
“Let us not forget,” said Simon, “that you let us sit at your table and partake of your wife’s delicious food everyday.”
Elias agreed bringing a spoonful of porridge to his mouth. Richard was correct. It was heavenly. “Did ye add cream to this, lass?”
She nodded and grinned happily. “It adds richness.”