Madia saw her grin and shake her head. “And who is going to watch her?” she said.
“I can watch her,” the boy said.
“Aye, and sure there is more than one young man about who will help with that,” his father said, grinning.
“I guess that's right,” the woman said, apparently relenting. “She is not so large. Might not eat that much anyway.”
Madia did manage a meager smile now, a genuine smile. She didn't know if staying here was safe, and she had no idea what they would want from her, but peasant work had never seemed that difficult, and it had to be better than shivering and starving, or being set upon by more outlaws. “Thank you,” she said, adding, “and you, Faith.”
“Rous,” her husband said, introducing himself. “And this is young Aust, my son. Now, tell us who you are.”
Madia went to speak, saw the error in doing so and nearly choked on a hasty swallow. The three of them were waiting. Faith, she thought, seeing it now. . . . “Hope,” she said.
“Same as my cousin's daughter,” Rous said, b
“I can watch her,” the boy said.
“Aye, and sure there is more than one young man about who will help with that,” his father said, grinning.
“I guess that's right,” the woman said, apparently relenting. “She is not so large. Might not eat that much anyway.”
Madia did manage a meager smile now, a genuine smile. She didn't know if staying here was safe, and she had no idea what they would want from her, but peasant work had never seemed that difficult, and it had to be better than shivering and starving, or being set upon by more outlaws. “Thank you,” she said, adding, “and you, Faith.”
“Rous,” her husband said, introducing himself. “And this is young Aust, my son. Now, tell us who you are.”
Madia went to speak, saw the error in doing so and nearly choked on a hasty swallow. The three of them were waiting. Faith, she thought, seeing it now. . . . “Hope,” she said.
“Same as my cousin's daughter,” Rous said, b