All seemed to be in hand until mid-morning of the day of the dinner when Jarrod and Rolf walked into the main hall where I was busy experimenting with centerpieces. Though Patrick maintained fine vegetable gardens, the Volodanes grew no flowers, and I was having to make due with what I could find growing wild.
“Is everything ready?” Jarrod asked with an edge in his voice.
I turned to face him. “Yes, I think so.”
“It better be,” he warned. “I want Allemond impressed by what he finds here.”
I wasn’t certain anything would impress Lord Allemond, but I could at least make sure nothing went wrong. The salmon had just been delivered and were now in cold storage in the cellars.
My mind was so busy on running details through my head that I was caught completely off guard when Jarrod said, “And you know I’ll expect your help with this land deal. I want your best efforts.”
My eyes widened. For an instant, I couldn’t draw breath. My father had told him. Then my shock began to fade. Of course, Father told him. Jarrod had been expecting the beautiful Helena and arrived at Chaumont to find he’d have to make due with me. What better way to sweeten the deal than to tell Jarrod about my ability?
I had so much hoped to leave that part of my life behind.
With my mouth tight, I asked, “Who do you most wish me to focus upon? Allemond himself? Or is his brother handling the financial arrangements for him? I hope Father told you I can only read one person a day, and there are limits.”
Rolf frowned in confusion, and Jarrod’s expression went still.
“What do you mean by ‘read’?” he asked slowly.
In a split second I realized how foolish I’d been. My father hadn’t told him anything. Jarrod’s mention of my help must have referred to me using my manners and family influence to throw Allemond off guard.
“Nothing,” I responded, sounding nervous as I stepped away. “I thought you wished me to gauge his reactions and offer counsel later.”
In a flash, his right hand snaked out and grabbed my wrist. I gasped as he jerked me up against his chest. I’d never had a man use his strength against me before, and the pain in my arm was startling.
Rolf’s face flickered in alarm, but he didn’t move. I could expect no help from him.
“Don’t lie to me,” Jarrod ordered, speaking close to my face. “What did you mean?”
On instinct, I used my free hand to try and loosen his fingers. I don’t think he noticed.
I was terrible at lying, and he was no fool. The only option now seemed the truth.
“I would sometimes read people for my father,” I rushed to say, hoping he’d let go of my wrist. “To see if they were honest. The Chaumont women can sometimes do this. My great aunt could and so can I.”
He jerked my arm again, and I couldn’t help crying out.
“To see if they’re honest?” he pressed.
At this point, the pain in my arm was nearly blinding, and I had no choice but to keep talking.
“I can see the person’s intent and sometimes pick up flashes of images! How else do you think my father borrowed so much money with no one finding out? Before we ever mentioned money, Father would have me read a potential lender to make certain he was discreet.”
Jarrod’s grip loosened slightly. He looked to Rolf and then back to me. “So . . . you’re telling me you can read Allemond at dinner and let me know later if the deal he offers is honest or not?”
“Yes.”
Without warning, his grip tightened again. “And what’s to stop you from using this on one of us?”
“I would never! My father made me swear to only do readings under his direct orders.”
“And you’ll swear the same thing here?”
“Yes,” I answered and then added, “my lord.”
He smiled without warmth. “I think it’s time you started calling me Father.”
As soon as he let go, I fled from the hall and hurried down the passage toward the stairs to the tower. I wanted a few moments in my room. In addition to being unsettled by the scene in the hall—and having stupidly given away my secret—my wrist was turning purple, and I needed to change into a long-sleeved dress.
Unfortunately, I made it only halfway to the entrance to the tower when Betty came trotting behind me. “My lady.”
Holding back a sigh, I stopped. “Yes?”
“Lavonia is asking for you in the kitchen. She says the fish has gone bad.”
All other concerns vanished. By some miracle, Lavonia had actually volunteered to prepare and bake the salmon, leaving Ester free to focus on the sauces and other courses. But the salmon was to be the first, and therefore most important, course. I’d paid well for fish caught that very morning, and I’d checked them myself upon delivery.
“Gone bad?”
“That’s what she says, my lady.”
Poor Betty appeared distraught, and I couldn’t help a rush of pity. She was a good servant and didn’t like being the bearer of bad news.
“Don’t worry,” I told her. “I’ll go and see about it now. I’m sure she’s just being overcautious.”
I wasn’t sure of any such thing, but I did an about-face and headed west toward the kitchen. Upon arriving, I found it a busy place, as it should be with a formal dinner planned for that night.
Ester was rolling crusts for strawberry tarts, and two girls I’d hired for temporary help were scrubbing pots in a large washbasin. Cora sat peeling potatoes.
Lavonia appeared to be supervising.
Relations between Lavonia and myself had not improved, but so long as she followed orders, I had as little to do with her as possible.
“Betty says there is a problem with the fish?” I asked, stepping through the archway.
Lavonia turned with her usual poorly hidden sneer. “They’re spoilt. We can’t use them.”
Ester stopped rolling, and everyone was listening to us.
My nerves were already on edge, and I didn’t have time for this nonsense. “I checked them myself upon delivery. Those fish were caught this morning.”
“They’re down in the cellar, in the coolest room,” Lavonia said. “You want to come down with me to check them?”
Her eyes had narrowed and something in her voice caught my attention. My encounter with Jarrod had given away a part of myself that I would have preferred to leave behind. More, I had just promised him that I’d never read anyone without his orders, and all my instincts went against even considering such a thing.
Reading someone else’s intentions tired me quickly, and I could only do one thorough reading a day before I was spent. Tonight, Jarrod would expect me to do a deep reading of Allemond, so I couldn’t do a deep reading of Lavonia now.
Still, in this moment, I had little doubt that she was up to something.
Reaching out, using minimal effort, I tried to pick up only her surface thoughts, hoping I would see something useful without expending myself too much.