“We need people on staff who can hit the ground running,” I said. “Perhaps I should discuss things with Moritz?”
“It might certainly be worth a try,” replied Whateley. “I’m not sure how much we can expect from him, though...”
“Then how about Lord Gerhard? A military family, yes, but I’m sure they have trade connections too.”
Namely, as they pertain to very particular foods I enjoy...
“I daresay none would turn down an introduction that came by way of the Bahre family. But we shouldn’t lean too heavily on their generosity, especially when we have little to repay them for their favors—certainly nothing that would be considered truly satisfactory.”
“Then I’ll talk it over with Rio and see how things go with the ingredients we intend to order.”
“Why Rio, my lady?”
“That’s top secret... I’m kidding, Whateley. I just can’t say anything with certainty until we see the product for ourselves.”
Gerhard and I shared a common interest when it came to our taste in food. Another discussion might result in new paths opening to new foods, which, I’ll be honest, was just perfect.
After we’d gone over a number of other matters in detail, we took a break. I headed to a room on the second floor. The desk inside was covered in documents, the shelves filled with books we’d bought upon our arrival.
“Lady Karen? There’s no need to come personally,” said Martina, looking up from the desk. “You need only call for me if you need me for something.”
“There’s something I wanted to ask you, Martina, and I’d prefer nobody else hear about it.”
“What is it? Can I help you with something?”
“It’s about Whateley. I’m worried about that cough of his. Has he seen the doctor recently?”
Martina spent the most time with Whateley, and she did not need much time to think upon my question.
“He visited one about a month ago,” she said, shaking her head. “But that’s the extent of it. I keep recommending it, and he keeps saying he will just as soon as he can make time, but that’s as far as it goes.”
“What does his schedule today look like?”
“He has a meeting with some people working with the West Burhan Trading Company, but nothing pressing,” replied Martina, who had caught wind of where I was going with my question. “I’ll see to rearranging things—we can likely send somebody else in his stead.”
“Do you mind?”
“We have the free hands, it’s just a matter of arranging the details. The meeting is not with anybody especially important, and so I don’t expect any issues if we send a representative in place of the professor. If necessary, we can prepare gifts to express our apologies, anyway.”
Martina’s ability to quickly discern and judge the various power hierarchies at play in our dealings showed that Whateley’s influence was having a positive effect.
“That’s a relief, I must say. We’ve a doctor visiting today, and I intend to have him take a look at our steward. I’d like it best if he took the day off.”
“Leave the rest with me, Lady Conrad.”
“Oh, and as for you, Martina...”
“Please don’t worry, I’m making sure to rest as I need to. My siblings and uncle and aunty are also helping out at home, so everything is going rather smoothly.”
Now that she was working under his tutelage, Martina had come to call Whateley “professor.” Whateley was a touch embarrassed, but he also seemed to take a liking to it at the same time. Martina was throwing herself into a whole host of work to which she was rather unaccustomed, but she looked fit and healthy—there was a lively shine to her person, a certain “calm within the storm” I thought of as unique to women.
“By the way,” mused Martina, “might I inquire as to the little bird nestled in your hair? Is it a new pet?”
“I suppose so. Don’t let it bother you—I had to bring it along or Charlot would have used it as a plaything.”
“It looks very comfortable up there...and if I’m not mistaken, quite satisfied to have gotten up there too. Oh, it’s so plump.”
Black Bird was sitting on top of my head, nestled into my hair. It was a strange sensation, as the creature felt neither hot nor cold.
“I don’t really understand it,” I commented. “Just moments ago, it could barely stay balanced on my shoulder. Oh, and that reminds me—you’re not to mention a word of it to anybody outside of the house, please.”
“Your secret is safe with me. But you should really get some rest, Lady Karen. You’ve only just awoken, and you still have a fever.”
“I intend to. But first I’d like to thank you, Martina,” I said, giving myself a pat on the back for not forgetting. “You brought Marie to the house, and I was all the better for it. So thank you.”
“Oh, er, no... I suppose I should apologize for not asking permission...”
“It was thanks to her that I could tidy myself up and stand back on my feet. She was just what the doctor ordered, so to speak.”
When I had turned into a rock that refused to leave my bed, Marie had arrived to boot me from it. That was thanks to Martina. She had seen me chatting with Ern and Marie over tea and happened to see Marie out in town while she was running some errands. When Marie learned of my condition, she stormed on over. The rest, as they say, is history.
“She’s a bit abrasive, but she has a big heart,” said Martina. “She said you owe her a day out and a cup of tea.”
“That sounds just like her, though I doubt a cup of tea will be the end of it.”
“Just show her that you’re better and recovering. I’ll do some digging and see if I can find some sweets she might enjoy.”
Once I finished on the second floor, I called upon Elena and Haring for a discussion. Haring had a message from Reinald, and he and Elena were in the back garden as Emil played with Jill.