He strode off quickly, returning to the courtyard in moments. The meal was already laid out. Our originally four-person table now hosted an extra family of three.
The man and child were the pair I'd encountered earlier in the yard. The woman was the man's wife.
Seeing me, the man smiled and said to his wife, "Go bring the stewed cuttlefish and red date soup from the kitchen for Mrs. Harrington. This soup is good for the fetus."
I froze, forcing a smile as I thanked him. Jonathan Jared couldn't hide his disdain, muttering under his breath, "The babe's gone. What good is any soup now?"
Maxwell glanced at me—his look unsettled me. I worried he might hear something damning from this man. I turned to him gently. "You haven't introduced me to this gentleman yet."
I spoke softly, sweetly—lik
