The Rugged Edge

Chapter 29: A Friend of William's

All that I hear
brings a sad tear,
a blurry clear,
another tier
of lonely gloom.
To dim the kingdom's fear
is what seems very dear,
but I feel evil leers
whenever up it peers
at fallen trial's combe.

. . . . .

"It was so beautiful!" said Corinne.

"Oh, it was!" Ebony chimed in. "Rosalie just couldn't keep away from the garden. One day Nevaeh told her that if she was so incapable of working pleasantly in the house and not running out to the garden every few minutes, she may as well be the gardener."

"And Rosalie took it seriously!" exclaimed Corinne. "She said, 'Of course, Ma'am, if you'd like,' and went off to put on a grass-stained smock!"

"At first Nevaeh only looked dumbfounded," said Ebony.

"And then she laughed," said Corinne. "And everyone else did, too!"

"We laughed for what seemed an hour, until Nevaeh told us - panting, of course, tears sliding down her cheeks for joy - to get on back to work."

The two women were laughing, too, at the memory.

"What a day!" said Corinne.

"And Rosalie has been just the most devoted little thing," said Ebony. "And the garden's flourished!"

"And when the Duke came," said Corinne. "He was practically gleeful! He'd always loved that garden. 'It's never been more beautiful!' he said."

"The Duke?" I asked. "You mean the Duke of Shermanel? The past owner of Vereniva?"

"Yes, Miss," said Ebony happily.

"He still visits?" asked Geraint.

"Oh, yes," said Ebony. "He comes to see how it goes here, every now and then. He doesn't stay the night, of course, but stays in Vilia in the little inn. But oh, he visits. And what lovely times we have when he does!"

"He's never looked down on us for being servants," said Corinne pleasantly. "He's so very kind! He comes straight to the kitchen to ask for pastry and we have a nice talk."

"Last time he came, he said he thought Vereniva was better kept than he'd ever seen it before," said Ebony.

"Oh... but that was so long ago," said Corinne. "I wish he'd come again. I used to work for him, you know, before Collum bought the place. I was very young. Nevaeh and I are the only ones that stayed." She said this with a tone of pride. "We love Vereniva, whomever owns it."

After our conversation with Corinne and Ebony, Geraint and I went out into the garden.

"Boy, do they talk," said Geraint.

"I love it," I said. "They're so pleasant."

"Do you know very much about the Duke of Shermanel?" asked Geraint.

"No," I said. "Only that he sold Vereniva. I wish I could talk to him. He sounds so much better than Collum."

What I didn't know what that I would meet him; that very day, in fact.

. . .

Geraint and I were in the library, looking at the assorted books and wondering at how clean it was, although none of the servants could read.

"Are you sure no one here reads?" asked Geraint. "I mean, what's the point of having these books so dusted and organized if no one reads? I bet Collum never even comes in here."