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He hadon to the next question

“and that?”

“Our resident slass here?”

“Aye, we do”

“I re once that people in this ti I noticedsurfaces are some type of iron Do you know if they contain lead?”

“So hi surfaces”

Duncan nodded at her “Aye, I will”

The scent of baked apples filled the air “Mood?”

“Mrs Claunch She naled for a nearby lad to fetch the leads of his horse after he dismounted

Duncan took her by the waist, and helped her from the horse

“Thank you, my Lord,” she teased

“The pleasure is ers in his hand, and brushed the back of them with his lips

They stared at each other

You sure have thethen, Tara love?

Instead of answering, she kept his hand fro heart You tellof so her lips He turned to see Mrs

Claunch dusting flour froirl so Tara possessively around the waist, he led her to Mrs Claunch “She sht you have sory travelers?”

Mrs Claunch, long past her lass days, blushed at his words

Tara sent Duncan a hidden ‘you big flirt’

he heard her “Mrs Claunch, I want you to meet Lady Tara”

“I had heard of a new Lady at the Keep ’Tis nice to match a face to the name” Mrs Claunch looked Tara up and doith a smile “Come, coe room with a cook’s fire It held a table with four wooden chairs A larger chair laden doith blankets was obviously where Mrs

Claunch spent her days A much smaller room appeared to hold a bed was toward the back

“Sit please Have ye eaten?”

“We ate before we left the Keep,” Duncan told her “No wonder your Lady looks like she does

Starving her, are ye?” Mrs Claunchthe object of thearoht “Can I help you?”

“No, my lady I have it”

“Call me Tara”

Pleased at the request, Mrs Claunch moved to place her hot skillet on the table