village? Are you ashamed of the way I look?”
SSSS
After the long talk with her mother the evening of the sword fighting nose bleed, Chantaya truly did try to begin to get more serious about acting like a young woman instead of a little girl, but she was determined that didn’t have to mean she couldn’t continue to play with Peyton at all the things she loved. She just made sure her hair was more neatly done and that she’d worn a more flattering dress that made her look more feminine as she did it. She wasn’t sure if her reasoning was correct, but Mordecai said she looked lovely and Peyton was positively tongue tied that whole first afternoon, so it worked.
She was careful to behave absolutely above reproach in the village and worked twice as hard at gathering the herbs and mushrooms, which was good because her mother tired so quickly in the woods sometimes. Chantaya was literally blooming and her more mature wardrobe required more money than they’d been making. Moreover, even though she went barefoot a good portion of the time, winter was coming on and she’d have to have new shoes.
She did wear the cloak into the village and the hood hid her magnificent hair while at the same time the cape somewhat hid her figure that was becoming increasingly harder to hide. Still, even with the cloak, her face wasn’t hidden and now that she was aware of her mother and Peyton’s concern, she did notice that more and more of the village boys and men took the time to speak to her. To Chantaya, the whole issue was a bit perplexing and she wasn’t sure whether to be complimented and excited, or be frightened and simply try to stay away from the others who began to pay more attention to her.
In a way, it made more sense to just have Peyton or Tristan transact all of their business in the village, but then the idea of becoming near hermits and never going out seemed wrong somehow. It went directly against Chantaya’s outgoing nature to want to stay away from all of their neighbors and friends.
In speaking with her mother, it was finally Isabella who made the final decision not to accept living in fear as she said, “Our Father in Heaven has blessed each with their own talents Chantaya, and He was so generous with you. ‘Twould be a shame to bury your sweet, happy nature just because of those few who would harm you. Especially when those who you truly need to be concerned with are seldom here in our village. 'Tisn’t the villagers, but the gentry who think they’re above behaving. No. Better to just be careful and stay with the boys where you can be yourself and still be safe.” So Chantaya typically went into the village with the boys who would see her to the shops she needed to frequent before going to run their own errands.
Not long before Chantaya’s fifteenth birthday, she took a gift of a mutton pie to a new mother nearby. That became a turning point in her life. The new mother was the daughter of the couple named Bealle who ran the small tavern in town and the next day the Bealles showed up at the Kincraig’s cottage. When Isabella opened the door, she smiled and invited them in, then was surprised when the husband asked her to come and work for them at their tavern. Perplexed, she said, “That is gracious of you, but pray, why do you need another cook? Has business picked up so that you need extra help suddenly?”
The wife shook her head and the husband answered, “Nay, but we’ve never in our lives tasted any mutton pie the likes of yours. Business would boom were we to have dishes that good to offer. Pray say you’ll come and work of a supper time.”
Unsure of whether to be glad or sad that her daughter was growing up, Isabella answered, “‘Twas not me who baked your pie, friend. ‘Twas Chantaya. She’s ever a better cook than I
SSSS
After the long talk with her mother the evening of the sword fighting nose bleed, Chantaya truly did try to begin to get more serious about acting like a young woman instead of a little girl, but she was determined that didn’t have to mean she couldn’t continue to play with Peyton at all the things she loved. She just made sure her hair was more neatly done and that she’d worn a more flattering dress that made her look more feminine as she did it. She wasn’t sure if her reasoning was correct, but Mordecai said she looked lovely and Peyton was positively tongue tied that whole first afternoon, so it worked.
She was careful to behave absolutely above reproach in the village and worked twice as hard at gathering the herbs and mushrooms, which was good because her mother tired so quickly in the woods sometimes. Chantaya was literally blooming and her more mature wardrobe required more money than they’d been making. Moreover, even though she went barefoot a good portion of the time, winter was coming on and she’d have to have new shoes.
She did wear the cloak into the village and the hood hid her magnificent hair while at the same time the cape somewhat hid her figure that was becoming increasingly harder to hide. Still, even with the cloak, her face wasn’t hidden and now that she was aware of her mother and Peyton’s concern, she did notice that more and more of the village boys and men took the time to speak to her. To Chantaya, the whole issue was a bit perplexing and she wasn’t sure whether to be complimented and excited, or be frightened and simply try to stay away from the others who began to pay more attention to her.
In a way, it made more sense to just have Peyton or Tristan transact all of their business in the village, but then the idea of becoming near hermits and never going out seemed wrong somehow. It went directly against Chantaya’s outgoing nature to want to stay away from all of their neighbors and friends.
In speaking with her mother, it was finally Isabella who made the final decision not to accept living in fear as she said, “Our Father in Heaven has blessed each with their own talents Chantaya, and He was so generous with you. ‘Twould be a shame to bury your sweet, happy nature just because of those few who would harm you. Especially when those who you truly need to be concerned with are seldom here in our village. 'Tisn’t the villagers, but the gentry who think they’re above behaving. No. Better to just be careful and stay with the boys where you can be yourself and still be safe.” So Chantaya typically went into the village with the boys who would see her to the shops she needed to frequent before going to run their own errands.
Not long before Chantaya’s fifteenth birthday, she took a gift of a mutton pie to a new mother nearby. That became a turning point in her life. The new mother was the daughter of the couple named Bealle who ran the small tavern in town and the next day the Bealles showed up at the Kincraig’s cottage. When Isabella opened the door, she smiled and invited them in, then was surprised when the husband asked her to come and work for them at their tavern. Perplexed, she said, “That is gracious of you, but pray, why do you need another cook? Has business picked up so that you need extra help suddenly?”
The wife shook her head and the husband answered, “Nay, but we’ve never in our lives tasted any mutton pie the likes of yours. Business would boom were we to have dishes that good to offer. Pray say you’ll come and work of a supper time.”
Unsure of whether to be glad or sad that her daughter was growing up, Isabella answered, “‘Twas not me who baked your pie, friend. ‘Twas Chantaya. She’s ever a better cook than I
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