sighed, forcing a smile.
'Fetch him back,' Frederick added. 'If you have to go yourself, then do it. Just make sure he comes.'
'I understand, Sire.'
'Of his own free will, of course.'
17
The Third Day of Midsummer,
Imperial Year 2332
'It's too hot for this, today!'
Winterburne swung the scythe from left to right and the grass heads fell to either side as he made his way slowly across the field. His bare back and shoulders had seen more sun this summer than he could remember them doing for many a year and his skin had changed colour through the season to a healthy tan. But then, he supposed it was understandable since there was never any time for him to enjoy the fair weather days in Highport. Those were the days when the most people were on the streets and the pickpockets made a killing. As a consequence there had been other things for him to concern himself over.
Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead and dripped onto his chest and shoulders, his throat burned as he looked across the field. Robert sat in his buggy, a book in his hand, engrossed with the tales from far away places that he enjoyed so much and which occupied so much of his time. He was a completely different person now, seemingly full of hope, no trace of the depression that had filled him when Winterburne had first returned home.
'Brother!' Winterburne's voice carried across the field to Robert and the man looked up from his reading. 'Bring over that water-skin will you?'
'What?'
Robert's reply returned on the light breeze.
'The water-skin!' Winterburne called again.
Robert pointed at his ears and shook his head, shrugging.
'I'll get it for you,' Marea said, looking up from raking the cut grass, her big eyes gleaming in the sunshine.
Winterburne had grown to like the young woman, she worked hard and had a strong spirit. Her long brown hair was tied in a tail behind her head, and as he watched her make her way across the field towards Robert he smiled. If he was ten years younger then he might have made a play for her himself. Then, he shook his head. Ten years younger, that was, and not already ensnared by Alyssa's charms. Although, he thought, whether it was still a possibility that somehow they might have some sort of future together he did not know. Certainly, while he remained at the castle nothing was ever going to happen. All joking aside, perhaps his men had known something about her that he did not and she might already have another beau. No, he thought, shaking his head, the men were never right about anything.
The leather pouch was running low on water as he took it from Marea's hand and lifted it to his lips allowing the liquid to fall across his tongue and fill his cheeks. It was warm, but it was wet, and it would have to do.
'Finish that off,' Marea said, 'and then I'll go to the well for more.'
The girl smiled at him and then glanced back at Robert, who happened to look up at her at the same time. Their eyes met for the briefest second and then they both looked away, Marea clearly embarrassed by what had happened.
Winterburne smiled as he noticed the silent exchange. The pair seemed to be getting close all summer and yet there was something that still needed to be broken down between them. Robert certainly talked about her regularly that was true, and Winterburne sensed that he was smitten although his brother had not said as much. Still something seemed to lurk at the back of his brother's mind though.
'Well?' he asked. 'Is it official, then?'
Marea looked up at Winterburne, her face showing a puzzled look. 'Is what official?'
'You becoming my sister-in-law.'
Marea laughed, her eyes becoming bright, and in that moment, as he saw her glance across at Robert again, Winterburne knew why his brother felt the way he did about her.
'I don't think that will ever happen, My Lord.' Marea still watched the man across the field, a half smile on her face. 'He is afraid of something, I think. Whether it is because I am just a farmer's daughter, or whether it is because he thinks himself half a man, I do not quite know.'
Winterburne watched her. 'Half a man?' he asked. 'In what way?'
'I wish he would realise that I care not whether he has the use of his legs,' she said. 'He is a good man. That is all I have ever wanted.'
'Then ask him yourself.'
Marea's head spun around to look at Winterburne, and she frowned. 'That may be the custom in the city, but out here it is not the seemly thing for a girl to do. I would be thought brazen.' Her face became darker. 'They would chase me from the village.'
'Surely not.'
'Well perhaps not chase me. But, nonetheless, it is not our way of doing things.'
'But you want him, do you not?'
Marea's face reddened. 'My Lord, I do not feel it right to discuss such matters.' She looked down, averting her eyes. 'Suffice to say that it would not be the proper thing to do.'
'Go on. Ask him,' Winterburne said, 'I dare you. What is the worst thing that could happen?'
'That I never see him again.' She still looked down at the ground, a sad look on her face. 'Perhaps it is just the thought of a future that he finds exciting and keeps him visiting. But I have such feelings for him, My Lord, that I could not bare it if he refused me. I don't know what I would do if that were to happen.'
'But if you don't ask then you will never knows? Life is too short to spend on wondering what might have been. I have always thought it better to regret what you do, not what you do not do.'
'Perhaps,' Marea replied. She looked up into Winterburne's eyes. 'Do you have someone?'
Winterburne handed the water-skin back to Marea. 'I thought so,' he said.
He recalled how Alyssa's face had beamed back at him as he held her when they danced together, then the thought was gone, and the memory of her tearful face filled his mind, as she left his rooms, running away towards the alleyways.
He added, 'But I don't know any more.'
'Why not?'
'I would have to return to Highport.'
'So go,' Marea said. 'Can that be so bad?'
'I have spent too much emotion in that city for me to just live there.' He paused. 'It wouldn't be enough.'
'What is her name?'
Winterburne paused for a moment before looking over at Marea. 'Alyssa.'
Marea nodded. 'That is a pretty name,' she said. 'Would Alyssa come here? It is a good place.' She held out her arms and spun around, allowing the sun to hit her face. 'In the summer at least. The winters are horrible, but you needn't tell her that.'
Winterburne smiled. In truth, he had not considered it a possibility, but if he had married her then she would be Lady Winterburne and then a share of this land would become hers by law.
'Anyway,' he said, 'until I am sure that my brother is taken care of, I cannot go anywhere.' He winked at Marea, and nodded in Robert's direction. 'Go on,' he said, 'do it now.'
'What? Marea gasped. 'Now? I can't do it now!'
'Why not?' Winterburne asked. 'Get on with it, woman. Stop procrastinating.'
'What does that mean?' Marea looked puzzled. 'I don't know that word.'
'It means that you should just do it.'
Marea put her hands to her face, covering it. 'Oh, my days,' she said.
Winterburne laughed. 'Go on.'
A sudden look of determination crossed Marea's face and she threw down the water-skin, setting off at a march, across the fields towards Robert. Winterburne turned over the scythe so that the blade pointed skyward and he began pulling off the cut grass, but still watching as Marea crossed the field. She looked back at him and a pained expression crossed her face.
He waved her on, 'Go on,' he mouthed, nodding his head in the direction of the cart.
The woman frowned and turned away, continuing to walk towards his brother.
As he watched Marea reach Robert, and the two begin talking, he wished he could hear the conversation. But this was their special time, he acknowledged, shared by couples throughout the ages many times over.
<
br /> The two carried on talking together for a minute or two and then, as Winterburne watched, Marea threw her arms around Robert's neck and pulled him towards her, almost dragging his brother out of the cart. They kissed each other, and then broke apart, their faces beaming and their laughter carrying on the breeze.
'About time too,' Winterburne said, smiling, as he watched the two of them together.
If only his own life could be so easy to fix, he thought, as he turned the scythe the right way up, readying himself to swing it from side to side again.
18
The Fifth Day of Hi-summer,
Imperial Year 2332
The stone chips in the dirt road leading out of Emlyn were hard on Winterburne's feet as he made his way back to the castle in the early evening sunshine. He felt pleased with his week's work so far, in more ways than one, but his role as a matchmaker gave him the greatest satisfaction. Until his discussion with Marea a couple of days ago, he hadn't realised quite how much he had actually used Robert as a tie to remain in this place; not in any burdensome way, but nonetheless as the only real reason he had to stay. He loved his adoptive mother and had relished the time they had spent together, for sure, but it was the kind of place where a man's mind could slow down to a stop, to forget that there was a bigger world out there with all of its problems, and to just be. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but he had grown used to more. A quicker pace of life had driven his days and day to day miniature battles of one kind or another had been the order of things in Highport. In truth he missed them.
The road wound on, towards the stand of oak trees in full