Stomach grumbling, Amelia turned the fresh loaf of bread onto the cooling rack. It was not as light and airy as Cook's, but she found a certain satisfaction in having produced it using her own hands. After covering the loaf with a muslin cloth, she checked the gently bubbling pot of stew hanging over the fire before heading back into the garden.
As the sun rose in the sky, she paused from tying up the beans and was distracted by a movement near the track to Port Marden. A cow emerged from the side of the road, followed soon after by her brother without his normal retinue of guards.
She followed Damon and the cow around to the barn, where the new animal was moved into the stall beside Blaze. 'Damon, what am I going to do with that?' Amelia asked, gesturing to the black and white dappled animal, who turned and looked at her with mournful eyes.
'Cook said you needed a source of milk so you can make your own dairy products. My guards are following behind with a butter churn.'