The food beneath our silver covers was revealed to be a generous portion of smoked fish lacquered with a dark purple glaze and served atop a salad of mixed greens and multiple varieties of nuts. From my first bite, I could tell it was by far the most exquisite meal I had eaten in decades, and the complete lack of conversation around the table told me that everyone else felt the same. I made a mental note to ask about every aspect of the dish, but by the time I took the next bite, I had forgotten everything except for the flavor.
Food and drink continued to be served over the course of the afternoon, and conversation arose as we eventually stuffed ourselves on additional courses of fruits and cheeses, plenty of mugs of ale, and a dessert of tea cakes with a bright red berry coulis. By the end of the meal we all spoke like old friends, including Marin, who seemed much more confident around Elise after the supplemental bravery of the alcohol.
“My goodness, is it that late already?” Elise asked when she noticed that the sun had taken on a deep orange hue outside. “I still have to make the arrangements for your new home!” She stood up from the table and stared at the door Bella had used. “B-Bella!” she hiccuped, “bring my wagon out front!” There was no response to the command, but she sat back down with a satisfied expression. “I just want to say...I’m so happy to see all of you. It’s been far too long, and I’ve missed you terribly.”
Hana cooed softly as she rushed around the table to give Elise a tight hug. “We’ve missed you too, Ellie. But now we’re here, and we’re here to stay. Our little family is back together again,” she said, looking around the table, “and it’s not so little anymore.”
Family. The thought spread a tingling warmth through my chest as I watched the faces of the people who had become my family. This is it. This is what we fought for. Lia’s eyes met mine, and she gave me a wide, genuine smile. It was worth it.
“Okay, okay,” Elise sniffled, wiping a tear from her face as she patted Hana’s arm. “My wagon should be out front; you can all go out and get comfortable while I stay here and make myself presentable again...and take care of paying the bill.”
The room began to clear, but Lia caught me by the arm as I moved to leave. “Aunt Ellie, do you have a second?” she asked quietly when it was just the three of us remaining in the dining hall.
“Of course, Marly. What’s on your mind?”
“When you order the construction materials for the house...could you double the shipment?”
Elise cocked her head to one side. “I certainly could. If you have a project in mind, it wouldn’t cost much more to have my contractors work on it for you. They’ll already be in the area, after all.”
I felt a sudden rush in my chest as I realized the intent behind Lia’s request. “That’s true,” I cut in, considering my words carefully, “but there are some things best not left to chance. Some facts better left unknown.”
“If the second delivery were made to look like a clerical error, and Marten chose to keep the materials for future renovations, I’m sure nobody would inquire further,” she mused. “Aside from me, of course. What’s your secret project?”
Lia slid her hand down my arm and laced my fingers with hers. “Our home.”
***
7. HOMESTEAD
“Please, make yourselves at home! I won’t be gone long, but feel free to indulge in any food or drink you can find,” Elise told us as she shut the carriage door behind us. “All of the bedrooms are open to you as well; just choose whichever ones you find most comfortable.”
“Really, Ellie, this is too much,” Hana insisted, as she had over the course of our trip to Elise’s house. “You’re already doing so much for us, we don’t need to take over your home as well.”
“I don’t want to hear any more about it,” she responded with a roll of her eyes. “It’s really the least I can do. Besides, I never have visitors, and the house gets so lonely all by myself!” She pounded on the carriage wall with her fist, and her driver immediately began to turn the wagon around. “Now, get in there and get comfortable! I’ll see you soon!”
Hana’s face clearly said that she wasn’t finished with her argument, as did the annoyed twitching of her puffy gray tail, but the carriage rolled away before she could respond and put a permanent end to the conversation. “It’s alright, darling,” Marten assured her, rubbing her hand lovingly. “We’ll be paying her handsomely for the services she’s promised us; you can consider our cost of staying here well and truly covered, if it makes you feel any better.”
As we approached the house, I was surprised at how modest the property appeared. Given the level of power and wealth Elise controlled, I had expected to find a sprawling, private estate with manicured gardens and marble fountains, but the building that stood before us was an unadorned two-story house located in the middle of a row of similar, though noticeably smaller, properties. Marten unlocked the front door with a large metal key, and we all pushed into the dark, empty house.
It became immediately apparent why the house was so lackluster as we passed through the entryway into the main living quarters: Elise clearly didn’t spend any time here. A thick layer of dust covered every surface in sight, and the kitchen was bare apart from a
