End of days

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Twould be easier on her if Ming Toy received his training here, rather than a another demesne. Would that be possible, milord?"

"Aye. I see no problem with that. However, it might be good from here. It might help him to grow up."

"You may be right, milord."

"Discuss it with Clare and let me know what you want to do."

"Aye, milord. I will."

for the lad to get away

After her exuberant greeting, Sadie had been silent in the presence of her mother and the other grownups, but she made up for it when she had Leah Rose's ear to herself Leah Rose smiled as Sadie regaled her about her new kitten, which she had finally been able to take home.

"I names her Blackie, 'cause she's all black," Sadie explained. "Blackie drinks lots of milk, but Mummy won't let me bring Blackie to the dairy when she's working 'cause she thinks Blackie will drink up all the milk for the cheese. Blackie eats fish. 1 likes to wrap her up in a blankie and pretend she's my baby, but she don't like that too much." Sadie scrunched up her nose in disappointment.

"Well, Blackie is not a baby anymore," Leah Rose sympathized. "You would to be treated like a baby, now, would you?" Sadie looked thoughtful not want for a moment before shaking her head. "Nay." "Well, neither does Blackie. But I am sure there are lots of games you can play with

Blackie that she would like." "Like what?"

 Leah Rose had reached the great hall and sat on one of the benches with Sadie on her lap. She was not accustomed to carrying a child and had found that Sadie's weight, although very dear, had become quite heavy.

"Oh, I am sure she would like to play ball with you. And usually kittens love to be stroked behind their cars, like this." Leah Rose tickled Sadie behind her ear, causing her to shriek and giggle. "Or you can pet her stomach, like this."

Sadie squirmed and laughed as Leah Rose demonstrated, causing her to laugh at the child's joyous abandon. She cuddled Sadie as the animated child gradually calmed.

"I have a present for you," Leah Rose announced.

"What is it? Let me see! Let me see!" Sadie bounced up and down in Leah Rose's lap in her excitement.

 Leah Rose pur Sadie down and took her hand to lead her to the herbarium in the corner of the hall. She unlocked the door and ushered the little girl inside. "Now, my present is very fragile, so you will need to be very careful,"

"I be careful," Sadie vowed. "What's fragile?" "That means it will break easily."

"Oh. I be careful," the four-year old

"Good, I knew you would be." repeated.

 Leah Rose went to her worktable and picked up a small basket. The basket had a pink bow tied on the handle and was lined with straw. She knelt in front of Sadie and held out the basket to her.

The little girl leaned over the basket, careful not to touch it, and peered inside. "Ohhh," she sighed in pleasure. "They're so pretty."

Sadie reached her small hand into the basket and delicately touched one of the eggs. Three eggs, decorated in colors to please a small girl-purple with blue flowers, green with yellow dots, and orange with red stripes-lay inside the container.

"Are they real?" Sadie asked in awe. "Aye. They are hard-boiled eggs, so you can break the

"Nay." Sadie shook her head. "Not eat. Too pretty." shells and eat them."

"Well, I am glad you like them, sweetheart. But the eggs will not keep for very long." Seeing the frown start to form on the little girl's face, Leah Rose said, "Shall we go find your mother and show her the eggs?" "Aye." Sadie's countenance cleared and a smile spread.

"Would you like to carry the basket?"

Sadie nodded enthusiastically and carefully took the handle from Leah Rose. Leah Rose followed the young girl through the busy hall, watching in fond amusement the exaggerated care with which the child walked. Once they located her mother and father in the noisy bailey, she rushed toward them swinging the basket wildly. 

 Leah Rose grimaced in alarm but was relieved that the eggs survived their journey intact. She left Sadie with her parents and wandered in the bailey, searching for Rayford. She him talking with Sir Hugh and walked over to join them. spotted

"Happy Easter, Sir Hugh," Leah Rose greeted the castellan.

"Happy Easter to you, milady." Belwick bowed. "Let me congratulate you on a splendid celebration. It rivals any that Lady Margaret officiated over." "Thank you, Sir Hugh," Leah Rose said with a pleased smile. "That is great praise indeed."

"Aye, Leah Rose." Rayford looked down into her eyes. "You have done a fine job."

"Thank you, milord. Most people seem to have finished the meal. I was thinking it is time for the skits."

"Whatever you would like to do is fine."

"I will go make arrangements for the mummers to perform, then. Please excuse me."

 Leah Rose smiled at the men before walking away to find Renwold. She finally located him directing servants in the great hall and spoke with him about having the mummers perform. Renwold had made all the arrangements with the men from the village who would perform the skit. It was considered bad luck for anyone besides the players to know their identities, so the mummers wore elaborate masks to depict their characters and to disguise themselves.

 Leah Rose stood with Rayford to watch the play. Saint George killed the Slasher, with much hilarity and gore. A doctor was summoned to resurrect the Slasher, but before he did so, he offered up a hilarious boast, claiming to be able to cure the pains of old age and broken bones, not to mention wives who make their husbands miserable.

Let him bring her here to me, And I will cure her instantly,

For with one pill I'll make her civil, Or I'll send her headlong to the Devil."