“Don’t interrupt, man: I don’t like being interrupted. No, the point is that Underdown’s too busy to take care of this” – he made an expansive gesture that swept in the entire rose garden – “as well as I’d like it to be done. So, having watched you for a bit, I decided that from here on this is your responsibility. You’re going to have other chores in the grounds too, naturally; but this rose garden is yours to care for now.”
Edward nodded, both pleased (he was considered good enough to care for the, what was it, very heart of the Realm?) and anxious (what if he screwed something up really badly?).
“Bear in mind, Hogg,” said Lord Robert, his voice low and warning. “If anything happens to my roses, you won’t be leaving my Realm any time soon.”
Edward couldn’t help gulping. He wasn’t exactly intimidated by his – his master, but he had to admit that Lord Robert had such a commanding presence that it was hard not to be affected by it. “I’ll do my best, sir,” he said in as firm a voice as he could muster.
“You’ll do bloody better than your best,” Lord Robert huffed. “I doubt your best is worth a great deal.”
“I will,” promised Edward, trying to ignore the seething resentment that had suddenly erupted inside him. He realised that the Lord of the Realm, according to time-honoured practices no doubt, had every right to insult and degrade him; but to someone used to life with normal people, in the comfortable anonymous chaos of the city, being forced to bear insults like this was a distinctly nauseating feeling.
“Right,” said Lord Robert, frowning at Edward. “Get on with it, then, Hogg. I’ll be on my way.” He took one more long look at Edward: an uncomfortable sort of look that made Edward sure he was being sized up. Then the Lord of the Realm turned on his heel and retreated along the path that led to the rose garden gate.
[I am finally getting to the good bits in my novel, yay!]
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Edward nodded, both pleased (he was considered good enough to care for the, what was it, very heart of the Realm?) and anxious (what if he screwed something up really badly?).
“Bear in mind, Hogg,” said Lord Robert, his voice low and warning. “If anything happens to my roses, you won’t be leaving my Realm any time soon.”
Edward couldn’t help gulping. He wasn’t exactly intimidated by his – his master, but he had to admit that Lord Robert had such a commanding presence that it was hard not to be affected by it. “I’ll do my best, sir,” he said in as firm a voice as he could muster.
“You’ll do bloody better than your best,” Lord Robert huffed. “I doubt your best is worth a great deal.”
“I will,” promised Edward, trying to ignore the seething resentment that had suddenly erupted inside him. He realised that the Lord of the Realm, according to time-honoured practices no doubt, had every right to insult and degrade him; but to someone used to life with normal people, in the comfortable anonymous chaos of the city, being forced to bear insults like this was a distinctly nauseating feeling.
“Right,” said Lord Robert, frowning at Edward. “Get on with it, then, Hogg. I’ll be on my way.” He took one more long look at Edward: an uncomfortable sort of look that made Edward sure he was being sized up. Then the Lord of the Realm turned on his heel and retreated along the path that led to the rose garden gate.
[I am finally getting to the good bits in my novel, yay!]