Dangerous Territory by Lindsay Schopfer

Author:Lindsay Schopfer [Schopfer, Lindsay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781092751186
Publisher: Lindsay Schopfer
Published: 2019-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12 – Loose Ends

Keltin kept himself busy the rest of the day and into the next helping prepare the farmhouse to entertain all of Yull’s workers. He focused all of his attention on every menial task, from weaving together decorations of maize stalks to setting out cutlery and finding additional chairs for everyone. Of course, his mind remained firmly on the task ahead of him come the morning, but with nothing more to do to prepare, he did his best to lose himself in the spirit of the special holiday.

Wendi had truly outdone herself. Keltin was amazed as she laid out platters of fried potatoes, buttered maize, spiced sausages, and stewed squash. Loaves, rolls, and biscuits were in abundance, with sugar crumble pies and apple cake waiting in the wings along with pitchers of milk, cold cider, and mulled wine . Yull and a few of his men had butchered an impressive hog, spending the better part of the day slowly roasting the meat until it was nearly sliding off the bone. When the time came to begin the carving, even Keltin had to admit that he was driven to distraction by the intoxicating smell of roasted pork.

Ross was at his side for the majority of the day in their preparations, with Kuff following along behind and eyeing the growing feast with the sad longing of an animal too well-trained to steal food, but not above a little begging. Harper remained cloistered in his room for the majority of the day, only emerging late in the afternoon to sit down with an exhausted sigh. Keltin looked at the man sucking deep breaths of air as if he’d been running a league, and wondered just how hard writing truly was. Harper appeared too humble to talk about it, and only made a single announcement with tired pride.

“Well, I finished the piece. It will go with the courier when he leaves in the morning. Do you want to read it?”

“I’ll see it in the paper when we get back.”

Harper nodded, and Keltin saw in his eyes the same unspoken statement that he had thought to himself.

If we get back.

“I’ll make sure the Gazette saves you a copy.”

The workers began arriving as daylight started to fade outside. There were more than twenty men all together, but somehow they all found places to sit either around the dining room table or in various chairs scattered throughout the parlor. The farmhouse was soon filled with the din of talking and raucous laughter, though they refrained from touching the tempting food spread out before them. Once the last man had found a chair and Wendi had brought out the last pitcher of cider, Yull stood up at the head of the table and called for silence, which he almost immediately got. The foreman cleared his throat, showing perhaps more familiarity with barking orders than giving speeches.

“Well, the season’s officially done. You’ve all done a hexed good job out in those fields. The food we brought in will feed a lot of hungry people.

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