Page 26 of Dragon Heir

“Mama, what’s going on?” Sarah wailed as she clung to her mother’s leg. “Why is Daddy in there with all the smoke? Is he in trouble?”

Emily turned and knelt in front of her daughter. She grasped Sarah’s shoulders and gave her a shaky smile. “It’s alright, dear. Daddy is doing some cleaning in the barn with Lord Thorn. They’ll be done very soon and then we’ll have some supper, alright?”

Sarah nodded. “Alright.”

Vargas turned to face the barn and nodded. “You will get that supper soon. They are just about finished.”

Very little smoke came out of the windows and Steven, Will, and Raines emerged from the barn a few minutes later. All three were covered in smoke and ash, their faces blackened faces of work with sweat lines that trailed down their visages to create ghastly streaks. Emily and I could barely contain ourselves, so eager were both of us to run over to our husbands.

Steven came up to his bride and gave her a white toothy grin that stood out from his dark face. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the loft as clean as that since we moved in.”

Emily grasped his arms and looked him over. “You are absolutely filthy. Come along and let me help you get cleaned up.”

Steven nodded. “Sure thing, Emily.” He glanced at Will and his smile faltered. “Thanks for your help.”

“There’s no need to thank me, but I would like to know if the old-timers still meet at the pub at around seven in the evening,” Will asked him.

Steven nodded. “That they do. Why do you ask?”

Will’s eyes twinkled but the corners of his lips had a tension to them that belied the seriousness of his intentions. “Tell them I’ll be their guest tonight to trade some old stories and listen to some of their own.”

Steven’s mouth fell slightly agape before he clamped it shut and bobbed his head. “Yes, My Lord. I’ll do just that.”

“Thank you for your help, My Lord,” Emily spoke up as she bowed her head.

“I will be sure to send over the fresh hay in a fortnight,” Will replied as he half-turned toward the barn. Allard and Ware, seeing that the deed was done, approached us. “The air should be cleared up by then for the first load.”

“We’ll be ready for it, My Lord,” Steven promised before the family left us for a good scrubbing.

Chapter Sixteen

Will could definitely use one himself along with his soot-covered manservant.

“Is the work here done?” Ware huffed as he sauntered over to us. His cheeks were red from the exercise and he was definitely more winded than his slimmer companion.

“Yes, and thank you for the help,” Will replied. “The animals would have made themselves a nuisance otherwise.”

Allard clapped a hand on Ware’s back and grinned down at his herding companion. “The pleasure was all ours.”

Vargas wrinkled her nose as she looked over Raines and Will. “Do you intend to return home in that state?”

Will patted his chest and a puff of ash rose from his clothes. He sheepishly smiled at the rest of us. “I may have to ride on the box.”

I grabbed his arm. “Then I’m riding with you.”

“I would rather you be in the carriage,” he insisted.

I leaned back and looked him over with a sharp eye. “Why should that matter?”

Vargas cleared her throat. “What Lord Thorn fails to mention is that-”

“Not here,” Will spoke up as his eyes flickered around the barnyard.

Vargas waved a hand at the chickens. “Are you afraid the chickens will overhear us?”

“Would you like to inspect the coop to see if there is anything more than chickens in there?” Will challenged her.

She wrinkled her nose. “I would rather ride atop the carriage than do such a thing.”

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