He turned at the sound of Lily’s voice and smiled at Charlie on the way around. When his gaze came to her, he felt as if his body was being drained of himself and then filled again, better than before.
She was like daylight piercing the gloom, spreading warmth despite the rain.
“I was gettin’ some wood with Charlie.”
“Why? We have plenty of wood in the shed,” she informed him with a curious scowl.
There was plenty of wood – “In the shed? Who went into the shed?”
“I did,” she told him. “I cleaned it up and then Estrid, Clare, and I chopped some wood. ‘Tis an excellent way to get rid of some things.”
He nodded. He couldn’t help but grin at her. She had chopped wood. She and her friends…her sisters. What was better than a wife who would not perish without him? But with Bertram still out there, it was dangerous for her to be so far away, alone.
Cleaning the shed was mayhap even more dangerous.
“Did ye wear yer mask?” he asked.
“Of course,” she thankfully replied. “So, now will you sit and eat with me, Annabelle and Simon?”
He hadn’t known she’d be preparing any meals today or he would not have been late. “Forgive me.”
She graced him with a smile and then turned back to the kitchen from where she came. Elias washed his hands in the well, a habit he’d irritatingly picked up because of Lily, and picked a few splinters from his skin. He hurried back to the kitchen and then slowed at the door and let Charlie enter first.
The room smelled wonderful with mixed herbs and spices, chopped and roasted roots, like carrots, dandelion, and turmeric over rice. He saw that everyone at the table already had their bowls, so he went to the pots and prepared his own bowl. Charlie did the same—after he held his clean hands up to Lily.
There was cooled bread on the table and melting butter.
Elias was starving and helped himself.
“How is everyone feelin’?” he asked, looking them all over.
They agreed that they did not feel sick.
Elias closed his eyes in thanks and then began to eat.
Lily smiled at him then turned to Simon and nodded at something he said.
Should he ask her tonight or wait for a less busy day? Would there be anymore less busy days? Aye, when the pestilence ran its course. Did he want to wait until then?
“This is delicious,” he let her know. She returned her attention to him and smiled again. “Ye cook verra well.”
Charlie covered his mouth and laughed into his hand. He stopped when Elias glared at him.
She was still smiling. Mayhap harder. Was her mourning over then? What should he do?
He ate. He watched Charlie eat and was happy the boy was well. They complimented Lily a number of times, and laughed when Lily’s cat leaped up into Simon’s lap and Simon and the catandthe chair all fell over backwards. After that, they enjoyed a few stories from Elias about Simon’s terrors with various cats throughout his life.
And then it was time to wait no longer and go see to the dead.
Chapter Fifteen
The candlelit service held outside was the same as it was the last time they held one, and the time before that. Today, though, a little girl was among the dead.
Lily did everything she could to comfort Charlie but, in the end, like her, he wanted to be alone.
After Cecily and Osbert’s services, Norman was appointed the new reeve of the village and sent everyone home for their supper. What they had would last even longer now that there weren’t many of them still able to eat.
On the walk home, Elias invited Charlie to go hunting with him tomorrow. Charlie agreed. Lily wanted to hug Elias for all he was doing for the poor boy. Losing his mother had to be hard enough. Lily knew what Cecily meant to her brother.