“Thank you, Mr.Martin,” Mantheria said.“Any word yet on my son?”
“No, Your Grace.None of the lads are back yet.But as soon as I know anything, I will come and tell you.”
“Thank you again.”
The proprietor bowed and followed the maid out of the room, closing the door behind them.Sunny sat down at the table and began to fill his plate.He was too tired and hungry for good manners.It was nearly four o’clock in the afternoon, and he hadn’t eaten since breakfast.Mantheria poured him a cup of tea and then one for herself.Sunny drained his in one gulp.He hadn’t realized how parched he was.As soon as he set down the teacup, Mantheria filled it up again.
Sunny thanked her and then began to eat his meat and vegetables as swiftly and politely as possible.He only stopped to drain another glass of tea and looked up to see that Mantheria had only taken two bites from the food on her plate.He watched as she sipped her tea.
“You’ve ridden hard all day.Your body needs nourishment if you are to continue the search for Andrew.”
Her expression was sheepish.“I usually do not eat a midday meal—it helps one keep slim and your mind sharp.”
“On Odysseus’s travels, a storm drives their ship to a tropical island where the people eat lotus flowers.When his crew eats the flowers, too, they forget all about their purpose and their home.”Sunny stuck his fork into the ham and cut off a bite-sized piece.“I can promise you that while the Pig and the Pot’s food is really good, it’s not good enough that you will forget about Andrew and finding him.”
Her lips twitched, and Mantheria set down her teacup and picked up her fork.She speared a slice of carrot.“Perhaps the seasonings are lotus leaves.”Then she brought it to her mouth and ate it.Then she took a bite of apple compote.
Sunny watched her take several more bites of both the ham and the vegetables.He wouldn’t have called it a large repast, but at least Mantheria had eaten something.Chewing his last piece of ham, Sunny hadn’t realized how difficult it must be for a woman.So much of a woman’s value in Society was based on her physical appearance.Mantheria was lucky enough to be born with a beautiful face and gorgeous hair, but she had to work hard to stay trim.Perhaps that was why his mother hid behind her black veils and her voluminous black crepe gowns.Mantheria had no physical protection from judging eyes and cutting comments.
He pointed to her apple compote.“Do you know that the entire Trojan War was actually caused by the goddess of trouble named Eris and an apple?”
“I did not.”
“Eris placed an apple on a table of the gods’ and goddesses’ feast with a sign,For the Fairest.Goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all tried to take the apple, believing themselves to be the fairest of them all.They applied to Zeus, who wisely did not choose between his wife, his daughter, or his sister.Instead, he suggested that a human, Prince Paris of Troy, decide.”
Mantheria took another bite of apple.“That was clever of him.”
“So, all three goddesses tried to sway Prince Paris to pick them as the fairest of them all.Hera proposed giving him political power.Athena offered Paris wisdom and strength in battle.But Aphrodite promised the love of the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“And Paris chose beauty.”
Sunny took a sip of tea before he continued.“That’s right.Aphrodite made Helen fall in love with Paris, and she left her husband, Menelaus, and the Greek city of Sparta to follow him to Troy.Bereft and angry, Menelaus called for his brother, Agamemnon’s aid, and the Trojan War began.”
Mantheria wrapped her arms around herself.She was probably feeling the chill from her wet gown.“Foolish Paris.Beauty is fleeting.”
“But love is not.It’s more powerful than politics or knowledge.Love is the most important thing in the world.”
There was a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Mr.Martin entered the room with a young woman with curly blonde hair who was dressed like a milkmaid.The proprietor bowed to Mantheria.“Your Grace, Miss Betsy has something that she would like to tell you.”
The girl twirled one of her curls around her finger.“I was doing the afternoon milking of the cows, and a lad asked for some milk to drink.His clothes were fine but dirty, and I didn’t think it would do any harm to give him a bit of milk.”
“Did the lad tell you his name?”
“Noman,” the maid said, twirling her hair tightly around her finger.“I thought that he said Norman, but the lad assured me that it was Noman.”
A short laugh escaped Sunny’s lips at the boy’s cleverness.
Mantheria swiveled in her seat to face him.Her countenance appeared to be both confused and angry.
Sunny leaned forward to explain.“Noman is the name that Odysseus tells the cyclops when he is trapped in a cave.It stands forNo Man.Odysseus and his men stab the cyclops in the eye and blind him, then escape dressed in sheep skins.When the cyclops realizes that his prey has gotten away, he curses No Man.It’s a terribly clever pseudonym for an eleven-year-old boy.”
Mantheria turned her attention back to the milkmaid.“Did the boy have black hair and blue eyes?”
Miss Betsy bobbed a curtsy.“Aye, Your Grace.Bright blue eyes that match a summer afternoon sky just like your own.”