time there were biscuits to carry.
He felt for her. He understood all about having an ex you didn’t want to see. He gave her a short reprieve. “I’ll have a biscuit now with my coffee before I leave. What kind of jam is there?”
“Blackberry jam and peach preserves. But is that all you want? I could make hot cakes. With cod sausages and baked sugar beans and some of those buttered mushrooms you like.”
“As tempting as that sounds, I’m fine with just a biscuit and coffee. Blackberry jam, please.” Finding the appetite for a biscuit was one thing. Finding it for a full goblin breakfast was another. Although he gave Mrs. Applestock credit for learning to cook such a spread. She’d adapted her skills marvelously to his tastes.
She brought him a plate with two piping-hot biscuits, along with a crock of butter, a crock of blackberry jam, and a knife.
There was no point in telling her he’d wanted only one biscuit. He already knew he’d eat both. Her biscuits were that good, especially when they were hot from the oven. Warm and buttery with the kind of soft, crumbling texture that made them melt in his mouth.
Their deliciousness was exactly why he took them to the mine with him whenever he went. They made the miners happy to see him, and he much preferred to keep people happy.
He split the biscuits, spread them with butter, then added a thick layer of jam. This would hold him until he got back, that was for sure.
“Mrs. Applestock, have you seen Mrs. Baton? She’s not in her—oh. Excuse me.”
Robin glanced up to see who the voice belonged to and looked into the most interesting green-gold eyes he’d ever seen. “Hello.”
She stared at him. “Hello.”
She was wearing Gallow House livery, but he’d never seen her before. And there was no way he would have forgotten that beguiling face or those eyes. Or another goblin in the house. She had to be with that hair and those ears and those braids. “Did Elswood hire you?”
“No, I’m—”
Mrs. Applestock stepped closer. “This is Theodora, Your Lordship. Just arrived. She’s here to—”
“Your Grace,” Elswood interrupted as he strode into the room. “My apologies. I was just coming to find you to let you know about the new girl.” He glanced at her. “Mrs. Baton is waiting for you in her office.”
Theodora shook her head. “I was just in there, and she wasn’t—”
“She’s there now,” Elswood snapped.
“Yes, sir.” She did a quick, clumsy curtsy and left.
Far too soon for Robin’s liking. “I didn’t know we were hiring a new girl. I approve. Although I’m not so sure of that term. She looks more like a woman to me.”
“Yes, Your Lordship.” Elswood smiled indulgently. “She’s come to serve a year’s indenture.”
Robin shook his head. “I don’t recall anyone owing me a year’s service.”
“It’s quite an old indenture, my lord. It was produced nearly twenty years ago.”
“Twenty? But I’d only just become…” His long-gone title didn’t need to be spoken to be understood.
Elswood knew. He nodded. “Yes, Sire, you had.”
“Sounds like rubbish. There’s no way I would have indentured a child. She couldn’t have been more than six or seven, then.”
“Nine, I believe. And you didn’t indenture her. It’s her father’s order. She’s fulfilling it for him. He is unwell, apparently, and unable to do it. And the terms of fulfillment were nearly up. Another few days, and he would have been in default. Such a thing would have sent him straight to the dungeons.”
“Not likely. I’m no longer king. I can’t very well claim any rights to payment or send the man to jail.”
“No, Sire. But the queen can.”
“I see.” But he didn’t. Not fully. Didn’t matter at the moment. What mattered was the incredible loyalty this woman had to her father to give up a year of her life for him. Loyalty like that, a rare commodity in his world, intrigued him. And although he had no interest in an indenture, the idea of someone new in the house was welcome. “She’ll be here for a year, you said?”
“Yes, Sire. I’ve put the document on your desk.”
He nodded. “I’ll look at it later. When I return.”
Elswood hesitated.
“What is it?”
“If I may, Your Lordship…there are only a few days left on the indenture. If you don’t sign off on it soon, the clock will run out.”
“I promise. As soon as I return.”
“Very good, Sire. Is there anything I can do for you today?”
“No.” The things Robin needed, no one could