Page 17 of Ladybird

“Thank you,” he said, walking up next to her.

“What about the boy’s parents?” she asked. “Can’t they do something to control him?”

“Nay. They are both dead and I am his guardian now.”

“I am sorry. How long has it been?”

“I have been raising Luke on my own for the last five years. Right after my sister, Mary, passed away.”

“Do you have any more sisters? Or what about brothers?”

“Nay. It’s just me now. Mary was a half-sister, actually. She was a few years older than me.”

“How old are you?”

“I am twenty-nine, my lady. How old are you?”

Her head snapped upward. “I am not certain it is proper to ask a noblewoman her age, but if you must know I am twenty-one. Hunter, I am curious. Do you have any children of your own?”

“I would think that was an obvious no since I can’t seem to handle the boy I have taken guardianship over.”

“Then, you’ve never been married?”

“You certainly do ask a lot of personal questions.”

“If you are going to be living within the castle walls and working with me every day it is important that I know all about you.”

“Ah. I see. So you can…trust me?” He flashed her a smile.

“I am not sure that will ever happen,” she mumbled, turning to pay attention to her bird.

“No,” he said.

“No, what?”

“No, I haven’t been married. My life hasn’t been all that easy, you see.”

“What does that mean?” She turned back to look at him once again, seeing the turmoil in his eyes.

“My mother died when I was thirteen. My father raised me until he died when I was twenty. Then I was on my own until five years ago when my sister died too. That is when I took Luke to live with me.”

“I’m sorry for all your hardships.”

“Thank you. It is a part of life, I guess.”

“Was your family free? Or were you serfs?”

“Neither. My mother and stepfather were farmers. They owned a small plot of land that produced our food.”

“Stepfather? What about your real father? The one who knew my father?”

“That…doesn’t matter.”

“My father said he once worked right here at Shrewsbury Castle. As a dungeon guard, I believe.”

“Yes. That’s correct. He was a guard here before he left Shrewsbury Castle to raise me.”

“Why did he leave?”