The White Lily (Vampire Blood series) by Juliette Cross

Author:Juliette Cross
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Entangled; Amara, Select Otherworld, paranormal, paranormal romance, romance, vampire, vampires, vamp, vamps, Juliette Cross, fantasy, regency, historical, historical romance, bodyguard, protector, overcoming odds, redemption
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC (Select Otherworld)
Published: 2017-09-28T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

After she awoke next to an empty plate, ravaged of every edible morsel in bed the night before when Friedrich had left her feeling vulnerable, she dressed—in one of his dresses, not one of her own—and coiled her hair in a braided bun at the nape of her neck, grabbed her shawl, then shuffled downstairs. The children were once more nowhere to be found. She didn’t know whether to be exasperated or pleasantly surprised.

As she stepped out into the corridor below Pearl Tower, she glanced out the window, realizing the first heavy snow had fallen last night. They were settling into deep winter now. She sighed, thinking it fortunate timing. That is, if one could call the burning of one’s house coinciding with the winter break from school fortunate.

The town magistrate, Mr. Figgs, had spread the word that school would be out until she had recovered from the fire, but now that the first heavy snow had hit, there would be proper reason to keep the schoolhouse closed for the coming weeks. Besides, she hadn’t even broached the topic of returning to teaching, but she knew that would be another argument she’d likely lose with the duke. He was insistent that none of them leave the castle walls for the time being. And Brenna agreed.

“Oh, there you are,” said Sylvia, stepping from the hallway leading to the kitchen. “Did you want some breakfast? Cook has already started on preparations for dinner with Beatrice.”

“No. I’m not very hungry. But maybe some tea. I’d like to see Beatrice, though.”

“Oh, well come on, then.” Sylvia led them back down the narrow hall and down a short flight of steps. The aroma of savory herbs and roast lamb wafted up along with a wave of heat from the ovens. “I swear, that sweet girl loves to help in the kitchen.”

Brenna smiled. “She’s always had an affinity for cooking. She wouldn’t even let me cook our meals back at our home.”

A pang of wistfulness swept through Brenna, thinking of their cozy home that always felt overcrowded but full of joy. Since she’d arrived, she’d spent little time with her children, as they were scattered all over the castle grounds, cavorting from one place to another.

As they stepped into the steamy kitchen, Beatrice stood alongside the beefy cook who did indeed resemble a bear with his height and girth. He was folding small triangles of dough around dollops of some sort of stuffing while Beatrice watched him carefully and repeated what he was doing more slowly.

“No, girl. The bottom folds in first or the meat stuffing will cook right out and fall apart in the oven.”

“Oh, I see,” said Beatrice, seeming to be fine with his gruff correction.

Olog nodded with satisfaction at her next attempt as they strode closer.

“Good morning,” said Brenna.

Beatrice’s bright eyes popped up with a wide smile. “Morning, Mimi! I’m learning how to make proper trifold pastries. You know, like the pretty ones in Mr. Carol’s window.”

“That’s wonderful, dear.”

Beatrice spent many hours staring longingly into the baker’s window in Terrington.

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