Page 48 of The Ritual

“Yes, but it’s not like they talk about. We still got snow, and it still got quite cold in the winter. I didn’t know it was possible to have as much snow as we get here but, yes, it was warmer.”

A thought dawned on me, and I spoke it aloud before I could stop myself. “I’ve heard there used to be places called the beach. Is that true, do you think? Sometimes, books mention them, but no one I know has ever seen a beach.”

“I’ve never seen one, but it sounds like fiction to me. Oceans and beaches? I think it’s all made up.”

I knew they traveled nearly everywhere, so if they’d never found a beach, then beaches were pretend, which was sort of upsetting. I wanted everything wonderful to have once been real, even if it wasn’t anymore, but that was likely my childhood rearing its head. I always spent time in books to escape days that were too long. The trick was to not stay up too late reading, so the next day wouldn’t be too long again.

“Sloane.” The stairs leading to the doors of the manor came into focus, and I realized I’d wandered off again. “Where did your head go?”

I smiled. “I do that.”

“I know. I just want to join you there.”

I laughed. “No, you don’t.”

We got off the horse, and I stared back at the horizon. Where are the others? It wasn’t likely they would be far behind us.

“They wanted to stop to clean up. I ran off with you so I didn’t have to go with them. So many good reasons for me to want to be cuddled with you on the horse. Besides, it means I get to be the one to introduce you to everyone inside. I’ll also get to show you around.”

We walked inside together, but stopped at the door by a line of servants. A plump, older woman with a round face seemed to be in charge, but I noticed her eyes were bright and happy. Behind her, five women and five men stood at attention. I swallowed. Wow. It takes eleven people to run this house when there’s no one home for them to serve.

“Sir, you’re home.” The woman in front smiled broadly, and Freddie gave me a side-eyed glance before he answered her.

“It’s good to be here. We were matched.” He motioned toward me. “So I’m very happy to introduce you to our wife. This is Sloane. Sloane, I would like you to meet Mrs. Grey. She takes care of us all here.”

Mrs. Grey’s eyes widened as she stared at me, and a buzz started among the servants. They obviously didn’t consider the possibility that their Warriors might come back with a wife. It was so unheard of, so who could blame them, after they had lost a wife?

I offered my hand. “Ma’am, it’s a pleasure to meet you. This home is gorgeous. Obviously, you do a beautiful job running it. It’s much bigger and more impressive than anywhere I’ve ever lived.”

Her smile was huge. “Oh, no. I’ll call you ma’am, not the other way around.”

“Obviously, she doesn’t know what she’s doing,” someone whispered while another servant hushed her. I looked at my feet for a second before I forced myself to stop.

They were right. I didn’t know what I was doing. Back home, our servants were like friends, at least it seemed that way to me.

They can become friends, too. With that thought in mind, I offered my hand again. After a second, Mrs. Grey took it. “It’s so nice to meet you. Don’t call me ma’am. Call me Sloane, please. All of you, I’m Sloane. Okay?”

I put my hand out to each of them, and they each told me their names. I would likely need reminding a few times before I would be able to remember them all. Most of the staff seemed young, for the most part. At least as young as me, except for two of the maids, who looked like they were between my age and Mrs. Grey’s. Somehow, I would figure out how their household worked. I might be a poor noble woman, but I was one. I wondered if my mother initially felt similarly out of place in my father’s household. She’d been all but impoverished yet somehow she figured out how to adjust until everyone in our area loved her.

I would be okay.

Freddie offered his arm around me. “I’m going to steal my wife to show her around.”

Together, we walked through the house. He showed me their two kitchens, though he admitted one rarely got used, saved for when visitors came to the manor. I made a mental note to tell Mrs. Grey about Judge’s upcoming arrival. She likely would want as much time as possible to prepare for the visit. I wasn’t so completely inept that I didn’t understand that much. In a house with two kitchens, it likely made sense to have two dining rooms—a formal and a family. At the top of the longest staircase I’d ever seen, he led me through the second floor, which had at least ten bedrooms.

“You can choose whichever one you want.” Freddie motioned down the hall.

“I’m sure not any bedroom I want. Where do the servants stay? Some of these have to be your rooms, too, right?”

He laughed. “We have a second house out in the backyard, and that’s where the staff and their families live.” He pointed toward the window, and I looked outside. I hadn’t thought to ask to see the property. “The servants stay there, and we don’t go out there. It’s their private property.” It made sense, but was very different from where I lived. Our home was so close to town, all the staff went to their own homes in the evening. Then again, with how vast this estate was, and how far away it was from anywhere else, it made sense for them to stay there.

“Our rooms are here, but you can have one of ours, if you want it.” He knocked on the wall.

I rolled my eyes. “Why would I put you out of your rooms? That’s silly. Keep your rooms. Don’t be upset about this, but I don’t want to stay in Sadie’s room, either. That feels like it should be hers. There’s something a little off about that to me. So please give me an unused room.”

He nodded. “Okay, how about this one. It’s next to Truett’s. Maybe he’ll switch with me?” He ran a hand through his hair. “Fuck. I don’t like being so far away from you.”

I shook my head. “Am I likely to be attacked?”

---