Chapter 12
The BridegroomDuring the early hours of the following morning the rain petered out and from headland to headland beacons blazed out to greet Fiona’s bridegroom.
In the great hall all was finally ready for the celebration, the tables scrubbed, new straw on the floor. In the kitchen the cooks were preparing the feast. The tired kitchen boys sleeping on the flagstones, dreaming of cauldrons and steam and knives amongst the greasy smells, were shaken awake. Mountains of feathers plucked from ducks and chickens occupied a corner, an old skin thrown over them to keep them from drifting about with every draught. Ingrid had wanted them kept to stuff a mattress, but had not intended that they should stay in the kitchen. Someone would receive a sharp word no doubt when they were discove
