“And the third judge?”
Eppie eyed Fenella as she answered him. “Gordon, the King’s messenger.”
Brodie managed not to curse, but it was close, when Fenella’s eyes widened in what he hoped wasn’t fear.
Gordon was a worm, one he wanted to end simply because of the way he made Fenella feel. In fact, Brodie was surprised how viscerally his beast had reacted to the thought of her scared. Brodie had protected her—and then distracted her—the best he could.
For now though, he’d push aside thoughts of Gordon and focus on the task ahead.
“Well,” he growled, “let us begin.”
The sooner this thing was complete, the sooner they could send the dishes up to the table and get back to their lives.
Eppie waited until Fenella hesitantly dropped her chin in agreement, then the old woman reached for the rag covering the basket.
“The first ingredient ye must use is…”—she whisked away the cover—“cucumbers!”
Brodie watched as, slowly, Fenella’s shoulders began to relax. The worry in her eyes turned to thoughtfulness as she reached for one of the long, green cucumbers.
Apparently, just knowing the identity of the ingredient was enough to ease her anxiousness. He wondered if she’d already chosen a recipe.
As the others began to disperse in response to Eppie’s orders, Fenella’s attention remained on the cucumber, her lips curling upward.
“What?” he barked, curious as to why she was so pleased with this ingredient.
To his secret delight, she didn’t lose her smile as she glanced up at him. “Och, ‘tis naught. Just…”
His brow went up in challenge, and she shrugged, then waggled the phallic food.
“My sisters browbeat me into measuring some things a bit ago. I suggested using cucumbers as a basis of measurement.”
“And they didnae agree with that brilliant plan?” he asked blandly. “What sort of things were ye measuring in cucumbers?”
She placed the cucumber on the counter and reached for her knife, shrugging as she did so. “Och, different things,” she mumbled. And although she was still smiling, a blush darkened her cheeks until her freckles all but disappeared.
Interesting.
She began to slice, and he decided to assuage his initial curiosity. “Have ye decided what ye’re going to do with it?”
“Och, I can do all sorts of things with something long and thick like this.” She glanced up at him, her blush still in place, and winked.
God’s teeth, he did not need more of an erection, but it looked as if he was getting one anyhow.
“Lass,” he growled in warning, and her grin turned impish.
“Ye meant a recipe?” she said blithely. “Aye, I suppose that makes more sense. Well...” She took a deep breath, then bent over the cucumber once more, focusing on making her slices even. “’Tis difficult to make cucumbers taste right if I bake them, since sometimes they come out too soggy, aye?”
“Aye, I agree.” He folded his arms in front of his chest and watched her. “So ye’ll serve them fresh?”
She peeked up at him from under pale lashes. “Ye’re no’ just trying to get me to tell ye my plans so ye can steal them, are ye?” she teased.
And she was definitely teasing, which is why he allowed himself the slighted scowl. “Of course no’. I just want to ken what ye’re making, so I dinnae duplicate it.”
“Good.” She gestured with her knife as she listed the ingredients. “I’ll slice the hearty brown bread we made for the noon meal into small pieces, then lay a few thin slices of cucumber atop each one. I think I’ll garnish with beaten cream and dill.”
Brodie’s brows rose, impressed. “That sounds delicious.”
“And simple.” She pointed the knife at him in mock-warning. “Mind ye dinnae create a dish too similar.”