After making some friends, life becomes less tedious.

I've exchanged letters with Shannon Lynn a couple of times before the tea party. I also hear from Anne Mary Wilhelm through her husband.

Jeffrey Wilhelm visits my Duke rather often. I don't like it. Why does he need to stick around my husband? Doesn't he have a fief to manage or official duties to carry on?

However, I can't complain to Alexander because he's always careful that I don't lack anything. When we can't see each other during the day, he's especially dedicated at night. When we cross paths in the afternoon, he stops whatever he's doing and walks to me for a greeting.

I've gotten used to suddenly becoming the centre of his attention, so I don't blush in embarrassment when strangers stare at us and wonder what has happened to Lord Kyre.

The servants in Stoneyard are really careful while attending me, and the other residents bow when they see me. Every time I catch someone's deference, I reply with a gesture or a movement of my head, just like when I was in Polis. All of this makes me feel like back then, when I was worth something.

After a couple of weeks of lazy working, I've finished checking and adjusting the old budgets, and I've caught up with the new one. I've started making sense of Kyre's currency, so I stopped throwing money around like a spoiled brat.

The little kid with a liking for eggs has started working in the castle. He's around five or six years old, and once cleaned up, he turned out pretty cute. I found out his name is Olly. I'm not sure if it's the shorter version of Oliver or something, but the child didn't know any other way people called him where he came from.

Once, the maids sent him in my study with a platter with mid-morning snacks. Needless to say, there were some boiled eggs on it.

He leaned the plates on the table and obediently stood at the side. He avoided looking at the food until I gave him one of the eggs.

«Is my Lady asking me to peel it?» he inquired, a bit confused.

«No, I'm offering you one of my eggs. You don't need to steal them, here.»

«I wouldn't dare!» he exclaimed. Then, he calmed down and sat on the sofa next to me. «The maids said I could have those my Lady wouldn't eat,» he whispered.

I also found out that men aren't allowed in the Lady's office. Not even the Lord.

I realised that the rule is valid also for Alexander after the third time I found him waiting outside. He was sitting in the waiting room and drinking tea, but he had the beaten expression of an abandoned pet. I felt a bit guilty for making him wait, even though I didn't know he was there.

It's weird, but I've grown so used to him that I miss him when we don't see each other for the whole day. Luckily, it doesn't happen too often because we have lunch all together.

Sometimes, Alexander has to go out for work, and I don't see him till late in the evening. I find myself waiting on the sofa, next to the fire, those times.

When the time for my first tea party in the north comes, I collect some books from my private library and move them in the resting room. Lady Shannon is already here. She has come earlier, in fear she wouldn't make it in time.

«Here are a couple of publications that I find enlightening. They shouldn't be too difficult to understand, but they introduce a lot of words gradually. You'll be able to talk back to Sir Johnard once you've finished reading this.»

She accepts the books with shining eyes, and I sit down on my armchair.

«How has your work been, lately?»

«I've reviewed the accounts for the second time already, but I already know the Lord is going to reject them again,» she cries.

«How do you know?»

«Active and passive voices don't match,» she whispers.

«You sent a bugged budget in?»

«The deadline was approaching. Regardless, I'm already working on the issue. The accounting books are a mess. My husband often forgot to write down the financial writing of costs and revenues. It's gotten better now that I'm the one doing the accounting, but the years he was left alone... Ah, we're still paying old debts that aren't supposed to exist.»

«Your husband is lucky that you're the one doing the work,» I chuckle. «I've also just finished reviewing the old records.»

«I guess they were immaculate,» she sighs. «I bet the Lord is as precise with his accounting books as he is with the reports we underlings send once a year. It must be tough for you as well, my Lady. Is the Lord checking your work every day? I mean, you're closer, and he wants to have everything under control...»

«Not really. My husband indeed likes to have a grasp of the overall situation, but he hasn't checked any of my tasks yet.»

Also, I'm proficient in the job, and he knows it. I'm just administering the castle, so the damage a mistake can do isn't as disastrous.

«However, I'm looking for a way to spend my allowance.»

«I can suggest a few tailors and jewel shops. They're quite exclusive, but they'd die to serve the Lady!»

«I don't need clothes, I already have enough of them. I was thinking about investing. Or making some good where the Lord can't reach...»

«Oh, charity? Well, I'm not the right person to ask about that, my Lady.»

«You seem the right person to talk business with, though.»

«I have thought about opening a business, actually, but I've never had the courage to go in that direction. My husband isn't suited for that, so it would all be on my shoulders.»

«I would bet on you, lady Shannon. What were you interested in?»

«Honey,» she whispers, in such a low voice as if she was afraid of my reaction.

«Oh, seems nice. If you ever start producing honey, I'd like to be a client,» I exclaim with a smile. «You can become the official honey provider for Stoneyard.»

«That would be a hell of an advertisement,» she says absent-mindedly.

«Also, you can count on me if you need advice. I'm not a businesswoman, but I know a thing or two about accounting and economy.»

Shannon Lynn smiles brightly. Our conversation is interrupted by my lady in waiting and the other guest walking in.

«Sorry for being late,» Anne Mary Wilhelm mumbles when she notices Shannon Lynn and me already talking closely.

She's early as well, but just by a few minutes.

«You're perfectly in time, lady Anne Mary.»

«You can call me Anne Mary,» she mutters absent-mindedly. «It's shorter, and my Lady doesn't need to be polite with me.»

«Me too!» the other adds. «My Lady can call me Shannon. It would be such an honour.»

Am I making friends, right now? Should I ask them to call me by name as well? Although, I don't feel that close to these women yet. We've just met, and it's better not to rush things now.

«All right,» I nod. «I asked you two to come a bit earlier so that we could talk a bit. The other guests will arrive in an hour or so.»

«It won't take them so long,» Anne Mary whispers. «They'll come sooner.»

«I didn't know people were so punctual in Kyre,» I giggle.

«Rather, they can't wait to meet with you, my Lady,» she mutters. «It's a rare occasion to get closer to you, I don't think anyone could resist the wait.»

«I'm not such an interesting company,» I reply.

«I don't agree on this. However, were you ladies talking about numbers?»

«More or less... Do you have any suggestions for me, Anne Mary? I'm looking for a way to spend money.»

«Sapphires. With your skin and your eyes, sapphires are perfect! I would have already covered you in blue gems if I were Duke Kyre,» she exclaims.

«Not that he didn't try to,» I defend Alexander's name before this woman has time to slander him some more. «And not just sapphires.»

«Oh, then I guess my Lady doesn't like jewels that much,» she pouts. «If you're looking for a way to spend the money of your allowance, you should use it for some smart charity. Make the commoners hear your name, let them talk about how much you helped when there was no one else. I don't know, hospitals and wood for the temples should be fine. Temples are used to give a roof to homeless people, especially in the cities. If you fund them, you'll become famous without too much work from your side.»

«I don't hate working.»

«Well, then... You can build something. Stoneyard already has everything, but the big cities in Kyre sometimes lack places where to sleep or get cured. Not to mention the small villages. People there don't even have a place for aggregations, sometimes. It's a responsibility of the lower-tier lords to check the situation and report to the Lord of Kyre, but they often overlook these details... You can visit random places until you find one that needs your help.»

«Oh, I now have an idea. Thank you very much, Anne Mary...»