Children of Toil ✔

Chapter Ten

When Lucan returned to the house the boiler in the back yard was bubbling furiously and was filled with suds and clothes. He looked at it as he put his hand on the rail of the steps, thought twice, grabbed his axe, and then dragged some of the wood away from the flames to slow down the fire and hopefully get the water to a simmer.

As he mounted the first step, he copped a face full of dust. Lucan gaffed and coughed.

Meggy grinned with the broom in her hands. "Sorry, dinnae see you there."

He wiped his face and pulled a small twig from his tongue. "Just got here."

"Have you men never swept the place before?" Meg handed him a wet cloth.

"Once or twice." He smirked, shrugged and wiped his face.

She put her hand on her hip. "I can tell, and you better bang the bottom of ya boots before you come in."

Lucan did as he was told and couldn't help but smile. The table was covered in flour. A ball of pastry was sitting amongst it. More pastry lined a pie tin and there was a pot bubbling away on the stove, the smell made his mouth water. Bread dough was rising in the loaf tins.

"You've been busy." He lifted the lid of the pot. "Smells good."

"Thought I'd better show you I can do more than beans." Meggy grinned. "I used the meat that was in the safe. I hope I did right."

He nodded, looked at her approvingly and shrugged. "I'm sure Thaiter won't care. Anything will suit him as long as he or I didn't cook it."

"Dinnae talk too soon because you mayn't like what I've made," she chuckled, "I'll make tea, the waters hot."

Lucan sat down and watched as she bustled around the kitchen. A warm feeling of satisfaction ran through him. This was going to work. He felt the pressure of being a single father lifting from his shoulders. Lucan hadn't felt like this even when he thought he'd marry Lillian. If anything, the burden had felt heavier. He watched Meggy as she stirred the pot, her backside shaking just a little. A different glow of warmth ignited.

She placed a mug in front of him and sat herself. "I'll bake the morrow so you'll have something to go with it."

"Thaiter and the bairns will love that." He looked at the loaf tins. "There is a bakery here. Thaiter and I usually just buy the bread."

Meggy grinned. Her eyes sparkled with humour. "That'll be because you cannae make bread. I'll keep it in mind when I've nae time."

Laughing, Lucan nodded, his eyes met hers. The warmth he'd felt a moment ago flared in his senses.

Meggy took a deep breath and said, "So when are you expecting to be wed?"

Lucan frowned.

Meggy felt the question had angered him so she added, "I'm just askin' because I need ta know how much time I have to get meself sorted."

"It's not been decided. It'll be a while." He didn't want to tell her of his plans to finish it with Lillian, not yet anyway.

"Will she be coming to live here with you?"

"Like I said, Meg, it ain't been sorted." Lillian. Everything to do with Lillian was an intrusion to him. Lucan felt the comforting warmth he had experienced cool.

Meggy sensed his irritation, she was asking because she was trying to make plans. If things didn't go well for her and she didn't meet someone, she wondered if Thaiter might like her to stay on to clean and cook for him.

"I think you got that boiler too hot," Lucan said. "I took away some of the fuel." He lifted his cup and took a sip.

"Oh no!" Meggy stood up suddenly. "It's boiling? I must have put too much wood under it. I better get the clothes out." She was about to rush outside but he grabbed hold of her forearm, his fingers pressed lightly against her skin.