A Daughter's Love - Book 2 The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Twenty-one

"Read me what you have written, Jobyna," Elissa asked, "and after each word, tell me how you used to say it."

The girl's forehead wrinkled in concentration. She read down the list, "I am ... I says, I said, I's. F... f...fam-i-ly, fam'ly ... family ... not flam-i ... I can't say it how I used to, Mother!"

She looked up to see her mother smiling.

"Good! Now, keep pronouncing them correctly. Soon, you'll never forget them," Elissa said with assurance.

"A-pol-o-gize, apologize. Diff-er-ent; different. You; and; what would; foll-ow-ing, following; ar-k, asss-k, asked; ran; taught; ev-er-y, every; be-cus, be-cause, because; last; ekkk ... ex-speck, exspeckt, expect; doctor; hear-d, heard; ei-v-er, ei-th, eith-er, either. An' - and Ellie, she said she had some more to add to my list."

At her mother's request, Jobyna read the words again and again until she no longer hesitated.

"Now, it's the time your father said to meet him in the library. He has an assignment for each of you."

Elissa rolled the parchment and told Jobyna to put the quills and ink away, to tidy the desk. Three weeks had passed since Radbert's visit. Jobyna had not fainted again.

Baron Chatelain had explained to the adults of the household the doctor's conclusions and he also told his children but Jobyna herself did not know Radbert's prediction.

Sir Louis told his household that everything would continue as normal, but unnecessary excitement would be avoided. Jobyna must have someone with her at all times. If she began gasping for air, or said she felt faint, she was to be supported and made to lie down.

"She has already injured herself once when faint, and we don't want it to happen again."

Aside from complaining about being 'follered round,' Jobyna was unaware as to the reason for the extra concern shown her.

When she fell asleep at the meal table, during evening reading and prayer, members of the family no longer shook her or scolded to wake her. Once prayers were completed, the baron carried his small daughter upstairs where the mother tucked her snugly into bed.

King Leopold wrote that he was deeply grieved to read of Radbert's diagnosis, but due to his mother's worsening illness, he could not spare a doctor to give a second opinion. In a few months, an apprentice would be ready whom he would commission permanently to Chanoine.

"We join you in your hopes and prayers that Doctor Radbert's prognosis is incorrect," the king's message concluded.

Sir Louis decided, "When we can spare a few days, we'll take Jobyna to Litton, to the physician there."

All five children waited in the library with their mother, wondering what task their father was going to 'assign' them? When he arrived and explained, they were all filled with excitement, that is, all save Ellie.

"The king left a large amount of frencs with me and I've been advancing them as loans to the citizens and farmers, in the hope they'll increase the amount. In three months, the final harvest will take place and we'll hold a five-day fair, the first in Chanoine for over twenty years.

"Each of you will be given one hundred frencs to use and spend how you choose.

"After the fair, I expect to receive from each of you, one hundred and twenty frencs. One hundred and five will be repayment of the loan with interest; ten frencs will go to the king for tax and five frencs will remain in the Chanoine coffers. What you make above the twenty frencs, you keep.

"You're all expected to keep your lessons up, but you'll have the four weeks before the fair, free to finalize your chosen project. Of course, on the Lord's Day, you'll not work. Do you have any questions?"