Page 69 of The Tart's Final Noel
Wearing warm wool and an apron instead of her usual fashionable attire, Verity worked the book into her capacious apron pocket.“Rafe might like to see the recipes, thank you.”
As official leader of the church ladies, Mrs.Jones clapped her hands.“I think we’re all here now.Shall we start withGod Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen?”
Minerva snickered.This would definitely be a merry evening that would leave half the parish hung over for Christmas services on the morrow.
“I’ll take Daphne and Danny back inside.We only came out so they wouldn’t be afraid when a mob shows up at the door.”Verity ushered her charges from the stable ahead of the singers, slipping in through the inn’s kitchen door.
Knowing what she did of the orphans’ parentage, Minerva worried for her friend.But this was Christmas Eve and they had much to celebrate.
With the newly-formed choir to hold the tune, the motley group paraded through the inn yard singing.By the time they reached the inn’s front door, Rafe was there in his best uniform coat to welcome them.A reception line of finely-dressed ladies and gentlemen ushered the carolers into the pub as if this were the manor and they were the hosts.
The children broke rank first, racing to admire the treats set out.Under the direction of Patience and Mrs.Jones, the rest of the carolers ran through their practiced tunes, with everyone joining in on a finalDeck the Halls.The Huntleys made a brief welcome speech and the dowagers actually handed out the first wassail cups, enjoying the opportunity to play ladies of the manor again.
“Verity should be here, enjoying this,” Minerva murmured to Paul when she realized Rafe was here but his wife was not.“Let me see if she’ll trust the children with me for a bit.”
Paul scanned the crowd.“Brydie and Kate aren’t here?”
“They wanted to spend Christmas Eve at home, out of the weather.So much has happened...they need their routine.Besides, their chickens need feeding.”Minerva grinned and gestured at Rafe.“Verity stole Willa’s hens and rooster, with Brydie’s aid.Damien and Rafe have to decide if they must pay Parsons for theft.”
Paul laughed.“Now that Cooper is out of Willa’s cottage, Parsons has moved in, says he’s guarding it.We’re still trying to determine who owns it.Go, help Verity.”
Minerva kissed his freshly shaven jaw.“I am glad you are not a curmudgeon about commandment breaking.”
He shrugged.“Chickens would have starved or been eaten if left alone.Verity will take care of them and Rafe will feed the hungry with their eggs.”
“I love your pragmatism.”Minerva left him to his parishioners while she traversed the hall to the Russells’ private quarters.She could hear the children giggling in their room and knocked on that door.
Verity answered, holding an iron poker at her side.“Is anything wrong?”
Her anxiety was so strong that Minerva wouldn’t have told her if there had been.“Everyone is having a wonderful time.As the curate’s wife, I shouldn’t be indulging in punch, so I thought you might like to enjoy the festivity for a while.Will you trust me with Daphne and Daniel?”
Verity bit her lip, cast a glance to the pair bouncing from bed to bed in some game, then down at her faded attire.“I should, I know.But Daphne is finally talking and I—” She gestured helplessly.
“Ah, then might I join you?If we could have them talk a little about that day, it might help the captain to ask questions later.Then you can put them to bed and I’ll read to them while you take a look at Willa’s recipe book to see if it might be copied.”Minerva knew she was manipulative, but sometimes, people needed a little shove.
Verity nodded and let her in.“They’re playing some game their mother taught them, but it’s time for them to settle down.You’re good at questioning.I’ll see if the book is legible enough for copying.The ink looked terribly faded.”
Should Minerva and Paul ever have a child, they could learn a lot from Verity’s calm authority.She watched in awe as Verity persuaded the excited duo into their night clothes.They brushed their teeth in the wash basin and wriggled beneath the covers, still giggling and hiding under sheets.They were a joy to behold after this week of tragedy.
When Minerva sat on the chair between the beds with their book, their heads popped out to listen.As a librarian, she approved.Books were a form of magic.
Verity settled at the small school desk Rafe had brought down from the manor attic.She lit a candle to better study the battered ledger.But the instant she set the leather tome on the desk, Daphne cried, “Mama’s book!”
“Is not,” Daniel said in scorn.“Mama’s is prettier.”
Minerva exchanged a glance with Verity.They had only brought children’s books from their home, until the disposition of the estate was settled.She hadn’t noticed a thick leather ledger like this one, but then, she had been looking for documents.
Verity rose with the recipe book in hand.Minerva set aside the fairy tales.Did they dare hope the orphans were ready to talk?
Settling on Daphne’s bed, Verity showed them the heavy notebook.“Your mama had a book like this?”
Daphne nodded uncertainly, wrinkling her nose.“Mama’s had pretty drawings.That’s nasty.”She picked at the peeling leather.
Drawings instead of recipes?Possibly a journal or family tradition?
“Told you.”Daniel sat up against his pillows.“Mama’s had shiny gold letters with her name.It had pockets inside.”
Pockets?Minerva studied the cover.It did, indeed, seem to have hints of gold lettering.The darker leather where the letters had once been might have spelled Bartlett, which made sense, if this contained the bakery’s recipes.Willa hadn’t been able to read it, so she’d thrown it on top of the cabinets, out of her way—because Willa never threw anything away.
