Chapter 480: Porridge and Other Matters

Chapter 479: Porridge and Other Matters

Lyria’s POV

I wondered what business had brought them here, for it had been but a few hours since I had spoken with Jim.

Every head turned as the two men entered the inn, and Corvin, from where he sat, spoke up at once.

"At long last, you condescend to favour us with your presence."

Obadiah and Thaddeus ignored him entirely.

Corvin’s jaw tightened.

"Are you quite bereft of your hearing?" he called after them. "Is there some affliction of the ear that prevents you from attending to a gentleman who addresses you?"

I spoke over him before he could continue.

"D-do tell," I said to the two men, "i-is there s-some matter that b-brings you both to v-visit us?"

Obadiah and Thaddeus halted.

Then, to my astonishment, they both gave awkward bows, as though quite unaccustomed to the gesture — which did not greatly surprise me, for when first I arrived in this town, no one had offered me so much as a nod. I wondered whether their presence was owing to the child I had saved, or to the conversation I had held with Jim.

Though, if I am to be perfectly honest, I rather doubted it was the latter. I doubted he had yet spoken with the townspeople at all.

"We bear a message from Jim," Thaddeus said. "’E suggests that this evenin’, if Yer ’Ighness is willin’ an’ at liberty, of course, we might all gather ter discuss matters. Wiv the ’eads of the town, that is."

I nodded slowly, absorbing his words.

"I u-understand," I said. "And w-where shall this m-meeting be h-held?"

Obadiah spoke this time.

"I’ll come ter fetch ye when the time’s upon us," he said. "An’ escort ye there meself."

I nodded again.

Then Thaddeus spoke once more.

"There’s another matter. Ursula sent us ’ere ter ’elp set the inn ter rights. So should ye ’ave need of us fer anythin’, we’re both at yer service."

Every one present stared at them.

"U-Ursula?" I said.

I knew of whom they spoke, but she had never introduced herself to me.

"W-who is U-Ursula?" I asked them.

"Me granma," Obadiah said. "She were ’ere last night. She owns the inn."

I nodded at that. "I s-see."

Then I turned to glance at Lucian, who gave me a small nod in return.

"I a-appreciate your h-help," I said, then pointed towards Elara. "She s-shall put you to w-work."

Elara was upon the point of leaving from behind the bar when Corvin spoke again.

"Now that the conversation with Her Highness is concluded," he announced, "perhaps you two might explain why I was served porridge."

Just then, the door to the inn opened, and Lucian’s lips curved upward.

I too could not help the smile that threatened to break free as Duke Thorncrest entered, yawning loudly though I noticed he was alone.

"How long has it been now?" he asked, theatrically. "How is it, my lord, that you are still complaining of porridge? You ate it, did you not? For I recall you left not a crumb. Why, then, do you persist in lamenting a dish you consumed, and, dare I say, enjoyed?"

Corvin’s face flushed at once at his words.

"Porridge ought not to be served to a gentleman of my standing," he declared at last.

Duke Thorncrest tilted his head.

"Indeed? Then it ought not to be served to me either, for were we to compare our standings, am I not the higher in rank, and the elder besides?"

"Your Grace," Corvin gritted out, "this has nothing whatever to do with age."

"Who spoke of age?" Duke Thorncrest asked him. "I speak of the standing, the rank, of which you are so fond of speaking. Is my title as duke not of far greater antiquity than yours? For was it not but some few years past that your territory was granted its marquisate?"

"Your Grace," Corvin growled.

"Let us leave off this talk of rank and standing, for there are those whose titles are older still than mine. And I must confess, I rather like porridge." He paused, then added, "Which I must point out, most respectfully, my lord, that for a gentleman of Westreach, you have a great deal to say about porridge. When, if I recall aright, Westreach lived almost entirely upon it, until some years ago, owing to a grievous shortage of food."

That was news to me. I had not been aware of it, and Duke Valenridge, too, had hinted only last night that all was not well with Westreach.

I turned to Corvin, who glared openly at Duke Thorncrest, his anger so plain upon his features that I was close to laughing.

Just then Marquess Silverwyn spoke up. I confess he was a gentleman I was still endeavouring to understand. He was not hostile, but I knew not yet whether he intended to become so, for I trusted no one save those I knew well enough to rely upon.

"Let us all compose ourselves," he said, then turned to Duke Thorncrest. "I am certain Marquess Hale intended no such offence. He meant merely that porridge was too light a fare, given how little we had to eat the previous night."

Then he turned to Corvin.

"Is that not so, my lord?"

Corvin, rather than replying, only clenched his fist, his gaze remaining upon Duke Thorncrest.

"If ye was offended by the food, my lord," Thaddeus said, "then I apologise. But it should be known that porridge is the only food Gallowshill ’as at present, given wot ’appened wiv the storm. We’ve all been livin’ on it fer days now."

"You n-need not a-apologise," I said at once, though I knew his apology to be hollow. "F-for providing us w-with food. Especially w-when it is what y-you have, we are g-grateful for it."

I paused, then added:

"A-at least a g-good many of us are. P-perhaps Marquess H-Hale, having e-eaten porridge s-so many times b-before, does n-not appreciate it as he o-ought?"