I could picture the toddler earl, peeking into his mother's lap and flashing those wee pearls at her exquisite embroidery. When we married, I would try to imagine that he was almost as young as his teeth.
Leaving my side, he turned eagerly to Father.
"You could not hold such a position as I heard you express yesterday, my friend," the earl said. "I hope you will explain yourself more fully."
They were discussing punishments for bandits. The earl thought they should be shown mercy. Father believed they should be treated harshly, put to death even, as an example.
"If a bandit came here and made off with these valuables" -- Father waved his hands at the things he was in the process of selling -- "I'd be unnatural if I weren't enraged. And unnatural if I didn't act on my rage."
"Perhaps you couldn't help being angry," the earl answered, "but you could certainly stop yourself from repaying one offense with another."
I agreed with the earl and thought of an argument tailor-made for Father.
"Suppose the thief didn't steal outright," I said. "Suppose he robbed you through deception. Would that thief deserve the same punishment as a bandit?"
"A different case entirely," Father answered. "If I allowed a rogue to cheat me, I would deserve my fate. The knave would deserve some punishment perhaps, but not a severe one. I would have been a gullible fool and not worthy of my wealth."
The earl nodded at me. "The cases are not so different," he said. "If an armed bandit made off with your possessions, you might be at fault for failing to protect your home. You might then also not be worthy of your wealth. Why should a robber sacrifice his life for your carelessness?"
"Your logic is irrefutable, although its foundation isn't sound." Father smiled.
"Two opponents are more than I can defend against. You have much in common with my daughter, Wolleck. You are both soft hearted."
Neatly done, Father. Now the earl and I were a pair.
Dinner was announced. Father led the way to the dining room, leaving the earl to offer me his arm.
The torlin kerru appeared in our first course, as a salad accompanying chilled quail eggs.
"The mushrooms are elf-cultivated," Father said. "Our cook found them in the market and I wanted to serve them to you, although, frankly, I detest fungi.
Try them, Ella."
The mushrooms were bland. Their only flavor came from the lemon and sage Mandy had sprinkled on them.
"I'm sorry, Sir Peter," the earl said. "Mushrooms of every variety make me ill. I do enjoy quail eggs, however."
The torlin kerru's effect was rapid. By the time Mandy had whisked away my plate, I was wondering why I had thought the earl resembled a hound when he was really quite handsome. I was liking Father too. By the time we reached the soup course, I was calling the earl "sweet Edmund" in my thoughts and smiling at him after every spoonful. When the fish stew arrived, I suggested to Mandy that she give him an extra ladle.
Father struggled not to laugh.
Even without mushrooms, the earl warmed to me. "Your daughter is charming, Sir Peter," he said during dessert.
"I had no idea she'd grow up so well," he answered. "I must marry her off quickly, or spend all my days looking over her beaux."
Back in the study after dinner, I drew my chair close to the earl. Then I picked up my embroidery and tried to make my stitches so tiny that they were invisible.
Edmund and Father were discussing King Jerrold's campaign against the ogres.
Father thought the king's knights weren't aggressive enough; the earl believed them to be valiant and praiseworthy.
Although I wanted to pay attention to my sewing, I couldn't. Every time the earl or Father made a point, I nodded my agreement, even though they disagreed.
Then I noticed that the room was chilly and settled back into my seat for warmth.
"Perhaps we should build up the fire, Father. I should hate for our guest to catch cold."
"I've never seen Ella so solicitous," Father said, adding a log to the fire. "She seems enamored of you, Wolleck."
"I am," I murmured.
"What did you say, dear?" Father asked.
Why shouldn't he know how I felt? I wanted him to know. "I am enamored of him, Father," I said clearly, smiling at sweet Edmund. He smiled back.
"This isn't the first time I've sampled Sir Peter's hospitality and his superior table, but you were never here before." He leaned toward me in his chair.
"She was away at finishing school,"