Page 12 of Elemental Love
“And get some proper sleep, boy. You have a lot of hard work ahead of you and I can tell you’re tired. No partying.”
He grinned. “No burning the candle at both ends, huh?”
“Candles everywhere just quaked in fear. Get out of here.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Oh, Evrain?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten that table. The wax will be waiting for you tomorrow.”
He was out of the door before she could cuff him for his cheeky tone. Agatha watched through the small kitchen window as Evrain strolled down the garden path and out of the gate, shutting it carefully behind him. He moved with the ease of youth, and just for a moment Agatha regretted the passing of the years. True, her talents allowed her to stay healthy and few would credit her with the seventy-five years since her birth, but she was beginning to feel tired, her bones ached. Her driving need to ensure Evrain’s future kept her going but she looked forward to a time when she could relax in the knowledge that he was safe.
Chapter four
Dominic Castine straightened his slim frame and rubbed his lower back with a groan. Much as he loved his gardening business, sometimes it could be backbreaking work. It certainly kept him fit—he had no need of an expensive gym membership—but sometimes the aches built up enough that there was certainly some appeal in the thought of a sauna or steam room. “I’ll just have to make do with a hot bath,” he muttered. He took a step back and ran a muddy hand through sweat-dampened hair, taking a critical look at the herb bed he had been planting.
“It looks perfect, Dominic.”
Agatha’s voice at Dominic’s shoulder made him jump. He would never get used to the fact that she could sneak up on him so silently but he turned and smiled down at her diminutive frame. He stood almost a foot taller than her stooped five feet nothing but she still managed to make him feel like a little boy, eager to please.
“Thanks, Aggie. There are one or two plants that I haven’t managed to get hold of yet but I should have them by the end of the week. It’s coming together nicely, though. Should keep you well stocked with herbs for your medicines once everything takes hold. The ground here is so fertile I’m sure everything will thrive.”
“The earth works hard for your green fingers,” Aggie said. “The light will be going soon. Why don’t you come inside and have something to drink. I’ve also got some balm that you can take home with you to rub on your back.”
“How did you…? Never mind.” Dominic was sure Agatha hadn’t been there when he’d first stood up so how did she know his back was sore? She always seemed to know about his aches and pains, how he was feeling or if something was bothering him. He had decided long ago not to question her intuition. He suspected that she practiced some form of witchcraft, but whatever she did it was certainly benign and he’d never had cause to think that she meant him any harm. Quite the opposite in fact.
He followed her back toward the kitchen, stopping on the way to use cold water from the outside tap to wash some of the sweat and grime from his face and hands. He removed his heavy work boots, left them under the porch where they wouldn’t get wet if it rained, then went inside. In his thick woolen socks, he padded across to the kitchen area of the open plan room and sat in his usual spot at the table. A small bouquet of wildflowers nestled in a jelly jar was positioned in the center of the table. He recognized autumn crocuses and hebe among the blooms. The scent rose to tickle his nostrils. The warmth of the room wrapped around him like a hug.
“Something smells good, Aggie. What are you cooking?” Savory aromas drifted from the range, overwhelming the sweeter scent of the flowers.
“Vegetable stew, with some of your herbs of course. It does smell good.” She rubbed her stomach and grinned. “It’ll be ready in half an hour or so. There’s plenty if you want to stay.”
She didn’t push the invitation, and Dominic was grateful. Agatha never pressured him into anything or made him feel guilty for preferring his own company on occasion. He disliked making decisions unless it concerned where to plant a particular shrub or when to cut back a fruit tree. People were complicated. Dominic preferred clear instructions and loved the sense of satisfaction he got from meeting expectations. Social situations were a challenge even with someone as easygoing as Agatha.
He never charged Agatha for the work he did on her large garden. In exchange for his hard labor, she taught him about the many uses for herbs and plants. Her knowledge was extensive and she was a mine of information about natural pest control and the best way to encourage plants to flourish in difficult conditions. It was an arrangement that suited them both, and Dominic genuinely enjoyed her company.
Cupping his mug with fingers engrained with mud despite his attempts to clean them, Dominic listened intently to Agatha’s latest lecture on the medicinal properties of sage.
“Let’s see if you’ve been paying attention, shall we?” She sounded like a particularly stern junior high-school teacher Dominic had once been taught by. “Which herb family does sage come from?”
“The mint family. I don’t know the Latin name,” Dominic said.
“And which other herbs come from that family?”
“Oregano, lavender, rosemary, thyme and basil,” he recited, happy that he remembered.
“Very good. Now, can you describe sage for me?”
“Gray-green leaves and blue or purple flowers?” He thought he recalled other varieties.
“Yes, the flowers can be white or pink as well, though. What about some uses?”
“There are quite a lot. It has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties and it’s supposed to be good for digestive problems.”
“Very good. There’s also been some research into it improving memory and, though this won’t be of much interest to you, it’s good for controlling hot flushes in women of a certain age.”
