Page 21 of Bound

“I will need my tools,” he observed, wriggling the post about more. “I could reset it, but it would be better to start with fresh wood. Go deeper into the ground.” He knelt, and she was fairly certain he wasn’t talking to her any longer, but was absorbed in the task she had set before him.

It was strange. And... rather nice.

And if he left, he very well might never come back to fix it at all. And she would have two hesperto track in the neighbouring fields when they realised they could simply push the fence over without the least effort.

Her throat tightened. And she reminded herself that she had managed, and she would manage only... she’d rather know. If she should keep this on her list or maybe, maybe it would be all right to allow it onto his.

Not that he’d have a full list.

This was only to make up for a single half-day’s lost coins.

One task, that was all.

And yet she asked. Not timidly, because this was her home and her pasture and her hesper that was continuing to nudge and burrow and would soon begin her bellowing.

Even so, she asked.

“And you’ll come back?”

She didn’t look at him. Watched Temperance instead as she pushed her head forward and nibbled at his sleeve, jerking his arm toward her in search of the treat that he certainly didn’t have.

But she felt his attention settle on her. Fought down the urge to meet his eye. “Tomorrow,” he affirmed. “With my tools. And wood.”

She smiled thinly. “Convenient. As you can be your own supplier.”

He grunted, rubbing at Temperance’s nose before she turned her head and attempted to bite him for his trouble.

Her cheeks flushed, and she pushed the hesperaway, urging her back to her sister. “Sorry,” she offered, because... she was. He was doing her a favour, and she couldn’t allow any of her animals to abuse him in the process or else...

She huffed. Tugged at her braid. If he didn’t come back, that was fine. Good, probably. Or else she might get used to the help and then it would be even worse when he thought his supposed debt repaid and went away again.

Then there was the further realisation that she had never asked his name. He’d taken hers during the trudge home from the ill-fated market, but she’d been spiteful and hadn’t cared to enquire after his.

Her mother would have scowled at her.

Another tug to her braid. Now that Temperance was not there to harass him, he paced out the length of the fence-line, testing more posts and shaking his head slightly as he went. “You aren’t,” she began, uncomfortable with his assessment. No. Embarrassed by it. For all that she had not maintained. “I didn’t mean you had to fix all of it. Just this one.” She wriggled the post for herself to remind him it was indeed the worst of them.

He glanced at her only briefly. “Better to do the job right the first time. Or so I’ve found.”

She flushed. Was that a criticism? Or was she simply prickly and overwhelmed?

“It’ll be worth more than I would have made,” she insisted. “Which means I’ll owe you for it. I’d rather we work out a price beforehand.” That way she’d know to confine him to the singular post, lest she not be able to afford the grain and goods she needed to keep everyone fed and relatively happy.

He stilled. Huffed out a breath, and she refused to accept the niggling voice that insisted she was bothering him. To let him measure and pace as he liked and allow him to do this for her.

“You needn’t worry,” he insisted, giving her a long look.

As if that sorted the matter. That he would take on too much and she would be in his debt and she should not carry the burden of the unfair exchange?

Most especially if her father succeeded with the Proctor. Then what?

She’d have to give him what coins he returned with. She would not profit from an accident.

“Maybe not, but I will. Unless we settle on the terms.”

Another glance. Another frown.

“The terms,” he repeated. His voice was deep and lacked the warmth she’d always known from her father’s timbre. It was enough to make her want to take a step backward, but did not allow herself to take it. “Consider it recompense for your injury.” She opened her mouth to object, but he fixed her with a hard look. “Do not pretend you were not harmed.”