roxannerhoads

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Excerpt Two:

“Arthur’s going to assist with today’s lesson, dear, along with Jack.”

I want to ask why, but I’m not prepared to make Grumpy, grumpier. “Right, I’ll get something to eat and then we can start.”

“There’s no rush, dear.”

“Take your time, I’ve only been waiting three hours, what’s another three.”

I roll my eyes at Arthur’s comment.

“You’re being facetious. It won’t take me three hours to eat breakfast.”

Arthur folds his arms over his vast stomach. “Humph, I’ve seen what you can eat.”

I take no notice. The gnome will always need to vent out his opinions

“If I have to wait, I might as well have some elderflower water… warmed it’s cold out there.” He sends me an expectant look.

“Don’t look at me, I’m not your molly-maid, besides I don’t want to keep you waiting.” I pull out a chair next to Ethan, as Aunt Dot cooks my breakfast.

“You know where everything is Arthur.” The gnome huffs at Julian as he jumps from the stool.

“This wouldn’t happen in Faerieland. They look after gnomes there.”

“Doesn’t the word gnome come the from nineteenth century fairy tales?” I enquire, snagging a sausage off Ethan’s plate. “They use it in their stories to reference little people like brownies, or leprechauns.”

Arthur’s face reddens, angry at the downgrade in his status to the same as brownies and leprechauns.

“Alice.” Aunt Dot shouts at me and I drop the half-eaten sausage on the table.

“What?”

She shakes her head at me. “Never take food off a wolf.”

Everyone is watching Ethan.

I look at the sausage. “Oh, do you want it back?” I hand him the half-eaten stick. “I’ve only had a big bite.” My lips twitch.

Arthur walks over, pulling out a chair and placing his glass on the table. A low growl omits from Ethan.

“She took the sausage not me.” The gnome takes his drink backing away.
Amber sparks light Ethan’s eyes. The wolf coming to the surface. I place a hand over Ethan’s and his eyes meet mine.

“Sorry, wolf, I didn’t mean any disrespect.”

The room is quiet, everyone is waiting for a storm to hit, and no one’s sure how to break the growing pressure.

“We’ve shared before and I didn’t think,”  I say trying to explain my lack of thought and calm the wolf.

Ethan shrugs and the wolf recedes. The tension in the room relaxes. “Not to worry.” His fingers graze mine as he pushes the sausage in my hand towards my lips.
Arthur huffs.

“I think you’re the one he’s mad at for sitting too close to him, not me.” Meat swirls round my mouth.

Aunt Dot places a plate of food in front of me, and I pick up a sausage. “Here, have one of mine,” I say handing the sausage to Ethan.

“I don’t believe it.” Arthur throws his hands in the air.

“Ok, what did I do now?”

“Nothing, Alice, don’t worry,” Ethan says as he pulls his chair back, accepting the offered food.

“It’s getting late, we’d best go.” Ethan nods at Julian.

I watch the two men leave, tucking into my breakfast, aware something significant has happened, but not understanding what.

“Well, that was interesting,” Jack says from my right, making me jump.

“I thought we agreed you wouldn’t do that anymore.”