Turning away, Iliana headed out of the keep. Despite what her husband had said the night before, she fully intended on purchasing the spices. She had no intention of disobeying him. He had said only that she was not to use his coins to purchase them. Iliana had her own to work with. She had found them in a bag in one of her trunks when she had first rifled through the chests on her arrival. There had also been a letter from her mother and father, telling her that the coins were a wedding gift.

Iliana supposed the money had been placed there long ago, when she and her mother had first started the chests. Finding the gift and letter had brought tears to her eyes. The thought that her father and mother had done such a thing while her father still lived had made her unbearably sad. Now her thoughts when she pictured the sack in her mind were far more practical. If her husband refused to pay for the spices, she would do so herself. She would have her spices.

She also intended to use some of those coins to pay for a couple of women from the village to come up to the keep and help her start work on the garden. The extra help was needed. There was much to get done and Iliana was loath to pull any of the other women away from cleaning the keep itself. Hiring some extra help seemed the best option. Once she had those two necessities taken care of, she would turn her attention to clothing for her people. They would not look like paupers for any longer than necessary, but just now, due to the time of year, spices and a garden were the more important issues.

Half an hour later Iliana returned, well pleased with herself and the four women she had in tow. All of them were strong, able, and more than willing to work for a few coins. Entering the keep, she cast a glance and an approving nod at the women reworking the whitewashing. It seemed this time they were willing to listen to Ebba’s instructions. Though, judging from her maid’s expression of grim satisfaction, it had taken some work to impress upon them the need to redo the wall properly.

Leading the four new women, Iliana continued on into the kitchens. “Elgin?”

“Aye? Oh! Good morn, me lady.” Wiping the sweat from his brow, the cook smiled at her anxiously and gave a nod and a bow. “Did ye wish to break fast, me lady?”

The difference in his attitude from when she had first approached him was both noticeable and appreciated and Iliana showed it by beaming at him. “Nay. Thank you. Actually, I hoped you might show me where Lady Muireall had her garden?”

“Her garden?” He blinked.

“Aye. Yester morn ye said she had had a garden that had gone to rot and ruin—”