Dragons of the Watch by Donita K. Paul

Author:Donita K. Paul
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780307729606
Publisher: The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group
Published: 2011-10-04T10:00:00+00:00

“Ellie, are you awake?” Bealomondore called from several aisles away. Ever since he’d kissed her in the library park, he’d been trying to keep a certain distance. He’d had to explain that society didn’t approve of a bachelor getting too familiar with a young lady when there was no chaperone. He didn’t go into the necessity for them to wed. One step at a time.

“I’m awake.”

“You’ve slept late. Breakfast is here, courtesy of Old One.”

He heard her sit up, or was that the bond? Could he possibly know that she sat up and ran her fingers through her tangled locks?

“Old One brought us breakfast?”

“Yes. Come to the rotunda when you’re ready. I’ll try to keep him from eating it all.”

A few minutes later she arrived in one of her outlandish outfits. He really needed to go look for more of her belongings. She smiled shyly at him, and he guarded his thoughts. He didn’t need her to misconstrue his opinion. Ellie wore odd combinations, but she managed to look comfortable, not self-conscious. He admired that trait immensely as he recalled the display of despair exhibited by society ladies when something minor jeopardized their elegant getup.

Old One sat in his chair, a plate in his lap and a tankard in one hand. He raised the tankard, toasting the new arrival. “Here’s to the lady who bakes. We eat whatever she makes. Her daggarts are scrumptious, without any lumps such … as would chase her lovers away.”

Ellie’s eyes grew big, and a smile quivered at the edge of her mouth, as if she didn’t quite know how to react to this type of poetry.

She contained her lips in a prim line and answered. “I’m hoping to lure some children into our care. And I’ve never had lovers who objected to my cooking.”

“Ah,” said the old man with mischief lighting his face. “So your many lovers didn’t object to your cooking. Very wise of them.”

Ellie clasped her hands together and twisted. “I meant that I hadn’t any lovers. Not ones who objected. Not ones who didn’t object. No lovers. My family liked my cooking well enough.”

“Well, quit dawdling,” commanded Old One. “Climb up to your breakfast so we can get on with the day.” Pushing against the chair arms to aid his struggle, he stood. “I’ll just go upstairs and get things ready.”

“Thank you, sir,” said Bealomondore. “Ellie, stay there. I’ll bring things down to you.”

A pot of tea and cups already sat on one of the stacks of thick books. Bealomondore balanced a plate as he descended from the wooden chair.

“Bacon!” Ellie took the plate and sat on a shorter stack of books. “I haven’t had bacon for a long time.”

“The toast and jam is good too.”

She took a bite. “Mmm. Razterberry.”

Bealomondore poured tea and then sat opposite her with the book table between them.

“What did he mean, Bealomondore? About getting things ready?”

“He seems to be in a jolly mood this morning. He plans for you to bake daggarts in his kitchen.”

“I don’t mind baking, but how do we get up there? I’m not eager to climb two flights of stairs.

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