Chương 48: Their Story Checked Out

While it would take about two weeks to travel from Horizon to Moss Hill in King's Harbor, the westernmost city on the continental empire, they wouldn't have to navigate around or over any mountains. The road to Anlar was quite smooth and every day Tori woke up to fields or rolling green hills. Sometimes, there were forests or lakes, just to keep it interesting. Of course, several days of the same scenery could get boring, especially when she was looking at it from inside of a moving carriage.

Tori began to look forward to their stops not only to get out and stretch her legs, but also to look around. The road led directly to Moss Hill and King's Harbor, and was a very well kept and developed commercial road. There were plenty of places for them to stop to rest, not only for the night, but for meals. Today, they were at an inn next to the largest lake in the Central Corridor. It straddled the border between the Central Corridor and Anlar.

The inn was on the Anlar side and nestled against some rolling hills. Because they were taking their time to get to Moss Hill, Kasen arranged for several multiple night stops at scenic locations so Tori could explore. I really do have the best brothers, Tori thought to herself as she walked along the edge of the lake holding a parasol embroidered by villagers in the delta. It had only been a few days since she left, but she was already becoming antsy about leaving it behind.

It wasn't as if the delta was unsupervised, either. With the summer break, there were more people from Université there, not to mention Instructor Ignatius had practically set up a tent on Anahata Island so he could tinker with their smaller projects there. The Bishop of Karap had regretfully left the day before Tori and Kasen did. When he boarded his ship to leave, Tori saw him looking at the island with longing.

He and Instructor Ignatius had registered each other on their comcrys in order to keep in touch and discuss more crystals. The Bishop ordered Instructor Ignatius to tell him when Master Ramos arrived and to keep him updated on what was going on. Brother Cassius joined her to see them off and Constantine was tasked with bringing some things from the Temple Mountain for the temporary shrines.

Constantine would return in the fall by ship to the delta so he could deliver additional prayer crystals, special incense, and altar pieces. Tori said she would be back by then and she'd have a carriage ready to bring any of his things back to Horizon, if needed. He thanked her and the two gave each other a firm handshake, though after seeing him every day and spending so much time discussing various things about their projects, a handshake felt too formal. However, she didn't think they were close enough to hug.

Perhaps it was because in her mind, he was still carrying the stigma of 'love interest' and she made a point not to act as familiar with him as she did other friends. She had no problems throwing an arm around Ewan or dragging around Henrik and Albert by the arms, but Constantine was different. Also, Kasen had been there and she was concerned he'd be irritated with Constantine if she showed any sign of affection, no matter how benign. She needed Constantine alive and helping her.

"Do you want to set up your watercolors here?" Tori turned around and saw her brother motioning towards a flat area under the shade of some trees. Behind him were two of her family's knights, one holding a folding table and chair and the other a box with watercolor supplies and a jug of water. She turned towards the lake and narrowed her eyes. The view from this spot was better than from the inn. Plus, she'd be able to paint part of the inn to commemorate her stay.

"Okay! It looks good!" She marched up to the shaded area and directed the knights on where to place the table and chairs. The rectangular table wasn't very big, but it was enough to hold her little half-sheet sized watercolor paper, the paint pan, a small mixing palette, and two cups of water. When Kasen told her that they would stay for an extra night or two in some places to sightsee, Tori wanted to get something to help her remember her trip. In her original world, she had multiple cameras.

She had a casual interest starting from when she took a photography class in high school. As an adult, she liked to take photos when she was traveling to chronicle her trip. The world of Soleil didn't have cameras, but it had paint. Tori couldn't paint people for the life of her. They would come out as strange, misshapen blobs, but she could watercolor still life and landscapes. She thought she was quite decent at it, though out of practice.

It was her specialty during her high school art classes and she'd revisited the art style multiple times as an adult. Kasen praised her paintings, but she was sure that if she flipped her mixing palette on to a piece of paper and said the spilled paint was a painting of the mountains, he'd tell her it was the best painting he'd ever seen. She loved Kasen, but she wasn't sure she could trust him to be honest about her art. Piers would tell me the truth.

She held back a small laugh as she sat down and began to lay out her things. Kasen held her parasol as the guards stood to the side to watch. From Victoria's memories, Victoria wasn't a very artsy person. She tried, but was lacking and would become impatient and quit before she could improve. At the very least, Victoria could dance very well. She didn't play any instruments, though not for lack of trying, and her creative work from sketches to embroidery to prose left much to be desired.

Tori had seen some of Victoria's work at the fortress. She had been filled with secondhand embarrassment. Tori was musical as a child, having played three woodwind instruments as a youth, but had stopped playing as an adult. She did try to learn another musical instrument as an adult, but was only one year into learning the guitar and didn't think she was very good. Tori didn't know if Victoria's singing voice was decent, either. Her family said it was, but once more, her family was shamelessly biased.

Tori started doing a small sketch with a pencil to get the outline of the scenery in place before wetting the paper. Quietly, she sat in the shade, mixing colors, and switching out brushes every now and then. It was an ideal, relaxing summer day. The weather was warm and not too hot underneath the shade of a big tree. There was a refreshing breeze coming off the blue lake.

The sound of the trees rustling, the birds chirping, the lake lapping at the shore, and the quiet conversations between a few people as they passed were all she heard. She planned to keep her watercolor cards as souvenirs; maybe hand a few to her friends. She bet Ilyana would be very touched. Mama and Papa may want one, too. And Sebby. I should give one to Sebby since he's stuck at home.

"That's quite a nice piece. Are you selling it?" A voice spoke up behind her and Tori nearly jumped in her seat. She gripped her paintbrush, afraid she was going to drop it, and turned around to see who had gotten close enough to speak to her. Kasen and the knights were just steps away. She saw a handsome face of someone likely around Sebastian's age. Unruly, thick brown hair, blue eyes, with freckles across his face. Tori's eyes went wide as she identified him from Victoria's memories.

"Andy?" The man dressed in unassuming brown pants, vest, and a clean white shirt chuckled.

"How are you doing, my little cousin?"

"Andy!" Tori put her brush down and, filled with an unexpected excitement and wave of affection, turned, and raised her arms. He laughed and bent down to give her a hug. Andrew O'Tuagh, whom Victoria referred to as Andy, was the youngest of the current Marquis O'Tuagh's children, and the only son. He had three older sisters; Eili, Bridget, and the eldest whose succession they were going to, Siobhan. He was closer in age to Sebastian.

"How has your journey been, so far?" he asked as he gently released her. He stood up straight and Tori noted he was about Kasen's height, but thicker.

"It's been fun. I'm seeing a lot," Tori said. Andy looked across from her and took some steps to Kasen before extending his hand. Kasen reached for it and the two seemed to pull each other into a mutual embrace.

"You bastard," Andy said with some playful annoyance in his voice.

"You said you'd send word when you arrived here to meet with me. I've been here for two days, waiting!" Kasen smirked.

"You could wait one more." Andy let out a little growl as they separated.

"You cheeky little...."

"Surely, the great Admiral of the Anlar Fleet can be a bit more patient." Kasen continued to grin and Andy rolled his eyes.

"I only took a month and a half of leave. I've already spent part of it coming all the way here to meet you two." Tori furrowed her brows.

"Cousin Andy, how far is Moss Hill from here?"

"With minimal stops, about another week," he said.

"But I heard you were sightseeing."

"I've never gone through here," Tori said. Andy stood behind her and looked at her painting.

"Have you been doing a watercolor every time you stop?"

"If the scenery is good, yes," Tori said. She paused.

"Do you want one? I can't paint people well, but I can paint landscapes."

"Well, if it isn't a bother," Andy said.

"Can I choose when we get to Moss Hill?" Tori nodded.

"Okay. I want to paint Moss Hill, too."

"It's a lovely old house. Very fitting for a painting," Andy assured her.

"You go ahead and continue. I'll sit over there and catch up with your brother." Tori wanted to listen in, but decided to let the two men catch up. She continued to paint and once she was satisfied, she cleaned up her work area while waiting for it to dry. As if noticing she was finished, she heard her cousin call out from behind her.

"Tori, is it true? You're the one building that village in the Cosora Delta?" She looked over her shoulder as she rinsed her brushes in clean water.

"Did Kasey tell you or have you heard about it?"

"I heard about someone building a village there, but I didn't know it was you," Andy said as he leaned forward from where he sat.

"Why didn't you say you needed bricks? We're famous for bricks here!"

"You say that about everything," Kasen said, holding back a scoff.

"No, I'm serious. There are many brick makers here and we have the best. Even bricks used in the Imperial Palace came from Anlar," Andy said.

"In fact, if you need help establishing a brick workshop, we can direct some manpower your way." Tori scrunched her face and pulled her lips to the side.

"I don't want to build one on the delta. It would be convenient, probably, but I don't know how that would affect the environment. We're already changing a lot by building on all those islands and the shoreline. I don't want to disrupt the ecosystem - I mean, nature, more than necessary. Not to mention that the upfront costs to prepare a site, buy the materials needed to get it started, and train the people to consistently make bricks good enough to use in that climate would make it expensive and time consuming.

I don't have time for that. I'd much rather pay a premium to get the quality goods, and quickly, so we can move at a steady pace and don't have to go back and re-do anything later." Andy looked at her curiously.

"You've considered it?"

"I've considered many industries that could provide a livelihood for the refugees that would have minimal negative effects to the region and the people," Tori said.

"I don't want to dive into something, wreak havoc on the natural resources, and then come to regret it later." Andy looked at Kasen, who nodded.

"If she can buy it, then we told her to buy it." Andy raised a brow, but nodded. He looked back at Tori.

"Then, if you need anything shipped, tell us. In case you forgot, our family has an extensive shipping network all along our coasts and into the gulf." Tori paused as she laid out her brushes to dry. She looked back at her cousin.

"Where in the gulf?"

"All over." Andy grinned, as if knowing she was intrigued.

"From the King's Harbor, the port below Moss Hill, an average-sized trading ship can make it to Karap in four to five days. The Cosora Delta is, perhaps, another two or three days from Karap." Tori narrowed her eyes.

"How much would it cost?"

"Tori, you're family," Andy said, shaking his head.

"For you, it would just be the loading and unloading costs, and the fees for the crew. The total is far cheaper than land transport, traveling for the same duration of time, if you go through the family."

"What about security? For guards to escort the cargo?" Kasen asked.

"Right now, Tori is paying quite a bit to ensure things are delivered safely, without any trouble."

"Many of our crew members joined after their time in the navy. We make sure they are trained twice a year once they contract into Iron Head Shipping," Andy said.

"Bridget can tell you more exact calculations, depending on what you're shipping, when, and to where." Tori would be lying if she denied she wasn't getting excited. Not only would this option be cheaper, but likely faster. Best of all, it would be out of the reach of the cow-man and his little cow company. What was more difficult than dealing with a marquis family? Dealing with two. Tori stifled her internal cackle.

"I might just take you up on that. Do you have any recommendations in terms of brick makers and suppliers?" Tori asked. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"There are a few closer to Moss Hill that I'm familiar with, as they work often with the family," Andy told her.

"But, again, Bridget is best for this sort of information." He reached into the pocket of his vest.

"Let me give her a call and see if she can get a list ready for you." Tori nodded and fished into the pocket of her dress for her own comcry.

"I'll call our architect and let her know. She's supposed to be in Anlar about now. Perhaps she can meet up with us to look over some of the suppliers." Andy got up to make a call a few paces away as Tori slid her finger across her crystal.

"Call Sigrun Ebbadottir." She didn't have to wait long for Architect Ebbadottir to answer. The comcry pulsed twice before the woman answered.

"Greetings, my lady. How is your journey so far?"

"Hello, Architect Ebbadottir," Tori said as she touched the edge of her painting to see if the paper was dry.

"It's going well. I'm getting a lot of watercolor practice in. Do you have a moment?"

"Of course, my lady. How can I help you?"

"I was wondering if you would be able to meet with me while in Anlar. That is, if you're still in the region."

"Yes! I most certainly am! My lady, I'm glad you mentioned such a thing. I was hesitant to contact you, as I know you are on a family trip," the woman said, almost breathless as her voice rose excitedly.

"But I've found bricks in the Anlar region! It's a relatively small maker, especially compared to the ones used in Horizon, but the quality is more than suitable for construction in the delta. It may be the make-up of the clay they use in the region that is producing these high-quality bricks." Tori sat up straight in her chair.

"What is the name of the supplier? I will cross check it with my cousins here." And by 'cross check', she meant to do an informal background check.

"It's a small supplier in the heart of Anlar called Stackhouse Bricks," Architect Ebbadottir said.

"Of all the samples I've reviewed so far, even those of superior quality, their bricks are the best. They are made in smaller batches, but they currently have massive surplus as the result of several orders falling through. They're willing to sell them to us cheaply."

"It sounds almost too good to be true," Tori said as she crossed her arms and looked out towards the lake.

"I'll need to look into them."

"Are you nearing the center of Anlar yet, my lady? Perhaps you would like to take a look."

"I will be in a few days. I'm currently at Reflection Lake on the border. Where is it? If it's not too far away from the main road, I can ask my brother to take me there to see it," Tori said.

"Then you're only a few days away!" Architect Ebbadottir let out a breath of relief.

"The nearest village is quite small. It's a small farming community, but as I'm nearby, I can arrange for a place for you and your party to stay."

"I'd really appreciate that, Architect Ebbadottir. Let me discuss with my brother to see what the minimum number of beds we need will be."

"Wonderful! Then, my lady, it should take you another three to four days to arrive in Chetterswickshire." She knew there was a catch. She knew that the high-quality bricks being sold cheap must've had a catch. And she was right. Four days after Architect Ebbadottir told her that the brickmaker with the best bricks she'd found for the delta was in a small, farming village, Tori found herself in said small farming village, tense and suspicious. She couldn't help herself.

The four days in between the brutal end to her happy vacation and now, Tori tried to prepare herself. Her first step was to tell her brother and cousin, who was still on a call with Bridget when she finished her call with Architect Ebbadottir, about the brickmaker. Bridget was able to confirm that Stackhouse Bricks was, indeed, a small, family-run brickmaker just outside Chetterswickshire village.

Anlar had strict regulations on the quality of various manufactured items and Stackhouse Bricks ranked first in terms of quality. They more than met the minimum requirements for usable bricks. This normally would've been prestigious, but two years ago, the family patriarch passed away and left it to his son, who tried to use their reputation as having the best bricks in Anlar, to raise their prices. That didn't go well with their patrons and numerous orders were cancelled.

They were unable to sell the thousands of bricks they had and were deep in debt. In order to pay off debts, the son went off to do labor, leaving his widowed sister and their families to try to keep up the family business by doing little batch orders for the few remaining customers they had. Their story checked out. They were simply a desperate family business trying to sell their surplus to get out of debt.

If the bricks were as good as Architect Ebbadottir said, then Tori had no problem buying what they had and then getting assistance from her cousins to pick up the bricks and ship them directly to the Cosora Delta that very day. If they weren't as good as expected, then she simply wouldn't buy. The entire process, no matter the outcome, would take a few hours at most and they'd leave for the next town and spend the night there.

The sooner she could get away from Chetterswickshire, where she knew Alessa was, the better.

"What's the next town from here?" Tori asked as she rode in the carriage, seated next to Kasen. Andy was across from her, reading a book.

"From Chetterswickshire?" He looked up and thought for a moment.

"Woodhaven. It's a relatively large town. Lovely wood buildings and cottages, cobblestone streets...."

"That sounds very scenic. Will we have time to look around after we get there?" Tori asked, hoping her question didn't make it too obvious that she didn't want to be in Chetterswickshire. Architect Ebbadottir was willing to make arrangements for them to spend the night in the village, but Tori stopped her and said they would take care of it themselves. Andy looked up and chuckled.

"We aren't staying in Woodhaven tonight." A small voice in her head screamed and she narrowed her eyes.

"There aren't any inns in the village. It's a small, rural farming community." A small ball of dread turned in the pit of her stomach. She had a very bad feeling.

"We're not staying in the village," Andy told her.

"Even if we could find room amongst the villagers, we'd likely be separated, as no one will have room to house all of us at once." Tori nodded. That made sense.

"Then, are we camping for the night?" Andy laughed and shook his head. He reached across the carriage and ruffled her hair affectionately.

"Do you think I'd make you camp for the night? Of course not! We're staying at the manor of the local lord." She could feel the blood drain from her body. She felt weak and a small voice left her.

"The local lord?"

"Yes, Baron Hart. We'll be spending the night at Hart Manor." It was a punch to the gut and Tori wasn't sure if she was angry and frustrated or sad and frustrated. Cutting through Chetterswickshire and visiting a local brick maker located outside the village itself was one thing; there was a chance she wouldn't run into Alessa. However, staying at Alessa's father's house? There would be no avoiding it. Tori shook her head.

"I want to stay in Woodhaven."

"Woodhaven is another few hours or so away. Hart Manor is closer," Andy told her with a gentle, reassuring smile. If Tori didn't know any better, she'd think it was a set up. However, Andy didn't know about her 'relationship' with Baron Hart's daughter, Alessa.

"Is it okay to intrude? I heard the local nobility was quite impoverished. We'd be straining their resources." Tori persisted.

"Of course, it's okay," Andy told her.

"Before the prevalence of inns, we would simply stay in the homes of local lords. It's a common practice in Sur, too, isn't it, Kasen?" Beside her, her brother continued to review some documents. He didn't raise his eyes as answered.

"Yes, although we tend to stay in garrisons. Sur has many garrisons and fortresses, so we just stay there."

"You see, it's fine," Andy said.

"Besides, Baron Hart is already expecting us." Tori couldn't bring herself to respond and sank down on the carriage bench, silently lamenting her luck. As they approached a small farm with several buildings, Tori leaned closer to the window to try to see if Architect Ebbadottir was waiting for them at this farm's gate. She didn't want to think about Alessa or the Hart Manor. Focus on today's objective, Tori. Alessa and her father are not as important as bricks.

She took a deep breath and looked out for Architect Ebbadottir. The older woman had spent the night at the Stackhouse family's home in order to wait for them. As they got closer, Tori could see a sturdy brick building surrounded on three sides by rows and rows of bricks laid out in the sun. Smoke was coming out of several chimneys, and further back, there was a large barn, likely where the surplus of bricks was.

As they got closer, Tori could see a woman standing beneath a tree at the edge of the property, next to a broken wooden gate. Tori slid the glass to the side to stick her head out the window.

"Architect Ebbadottir!" She stuck out her arm and waved. The woman waiting looked excited and waved back.

"Hello, my lady!" Tori turned her head towards the driver's seat.

"Turn into this farm!"

"Yes, my lady."

"We've already arrived?" Kasen asked. He looked up from the pile of paper he was looking over and Andy closed his book to look outside.

"It's not a bad size," Andy said.

"Tori, if you like the bricks, we can call Bridget and tell her to send over our workers to pick them up." Tori nodded as the carriage turned into a narrow dirt lane that led towards the brick building. Architect Ebbadottir cut across the area where bricks were laid out, awaiting to be baked, and got to the front of the building before they did. As the footman opened the door, she was eagerly waiting.

"Welcome, my lady. Thank you for taking your time to come."

"It's fine. This has to be done. What have you told them?" Tori asked as she straightened out the sleeves of her dress.

"That I am representing a construction company in Horizon. We are looking to buy for a project near water," Architect Ebbadottir said.

"Your name has not been mentioned. What shall I refer to you as?"

"Miss Sophos," Tori said. It was her mother's maiden family name. She lifted her hand to the two men who stood beside her.

"This is my brother, Young Master Sophos, and my cousin." Andy winced.

"Tori, if you were going to keep a low profile, I should stay in the carriage-""Is that Admiral O'Tuagh?" Someone gasped his name from further away and Tori closed her eyes.

"Andy... are you popular?"

"When you say it like that, it sounds like a bad thing...." Tori let out a low breath.

"Okay, forget it. Just tell them who we are and we'll discuss privacy when we go through the contract. It doesn't matter if people find out I was here looking for bricks if we don't buy any." Architect Ebbadottir nodded and turned to call forward several individuals. From the building and around the yard, people came to the carriage. There were two middle-aged women and six young men of varying ages, but all likely younger than Andy.

Their arms and legs were caked with clay or soot and their worn clothing stained and had a few holes.

"This is Lady Guevera, who is our company's... buyer." Tori gave them all a small nod of her head.

"Good afternoon," she said, polite.

"Thank you for having us. I apologize if we get in the way of your production today." All at once, several voices sounded to both welcome her and assure her that she wasn't getting in the way at all.

"Lady Guevera, this is Madam Voss. She is one of the owners of Stackhouse Bricks." Architect Ebbadottir introduced them. She motioned to the woman beside her and then to the woman beside Madam Voss.

"Her sister-in-law, Madam Stackhouse. These are their sons." Tori gave each woman a nod and then turned to the half dozen young men who seemed uncertain about her. Once more, it was understandable. Amongst all the adults, she wasn't even fifteen yet.

"This is my brother, Kasen de Guevera, and my cousin, Andrew O'Tuagh, who is escorting us through Anlar," Tori said, lifting her right hand towards her brother and her left one to Andy.

"It is Admiral O'Tuagh!" One of the sons seemed to inhale sharply as several eyes landed on Andy's figure. He wore a neutral expression, but gave them a nod to acknowledge his identity. Architect Ebbadottir looked worried. Many of the people who worked directly under Tori knew she was traveling with Kasen, but didn't expect her to be traveling with Soleil's largest fleet's admiral. Tori felt some nervousness in the air. She took a deep breath and then clapped her hands together.

"Well, let's get started shall we? Architect Ebbadottir has told me about your superior bricks and upon inquiry, it seems that Stackhouse Bricks makes the best in all of Anlar." Madam Voss snapped out of her surprise and stood up straight.

"Yes, my lady! Although we are a small maker, we are proud to make the best bricks in Anlar. Would you like to see samples of our work?" Tori gave her a nod and she was led forward. Tori was first shown the clay that they were using and given a demonstration of how they were formed into the molds and then prepared to be baked in small batches in the ovens. The Stackhouses were very careful about consistency and there were always two people watching the ovens and checking the heat when the ovens were being used.

They were then taken to the barn and upon opening it, Tori nearly sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of the near wall-to-wall rows of sturdy, red bricks. Madam Voss picked a few up to hand to Tori, Kasen, and Andy. Architect Ebbadottir explained why she wanted to get these particular bricks: they were hard and dense and wouldn't absorb much water, which would deteriorate bricks. However, Tori wasn't an expert. At best, she could give her opinion on the visual appeal of the bricks.

She liked their consistency in color, shape, and quality.

"What do you think, my lady?" Architect Ebbadottir asked tentatively. Tori was quiet for a moment and looked towards Madam Voss.

"How many do you currently have in your surplus?"

"In this barn, we have 110 thousand pieces," Madam Voss said.

"We have about 400 thousand in storage elsewhere on the property." She led them outside and motioned to a large 'u' shaped barn next to a two-story brick and wood house.

"At the moment, we can produce a few hundred per day, but we can hire more workers who have worked for us before and use the additional ovens."

"Can you maintain the quality of the bricks when increasing the quantity of production?" Tori asked.

"Yes, my lady. Stackhouse Bricks has always maintained the highest quality of bricks," Madam Voss told her. Tori could hear the eagerness in her voice.

"We would rather make less bricks at the same quality than more that are inferior." She looked at her brother and saw the corner of his lip curled up. Tori took a deep breath and quietly walked out of the brick-filled barn. Confused, Architect Ebbadottir and Madam Voss followed behind her. Before they could ask if something was wrong, Tori spoke up.

"My brother, Lord Kasen, will negotiate the terms of sale for the current half million or so brick surplus and the contract for bricks for the next three years," Tori said. She watched as the woman's face lit up. Architect Ebbadottir looked excited and Madam Voss looked so relieved, she had tears in her eyes.

"But please be prepared. Our contract terms are very strict and breach of contract is grounds for not only immediate termination of the contract, but financial compensation."

"Yes, my lady, I understand!" Madam Voss bowed her head.

"For now, slowly increase production to keep the quality the same. We do have other suppliers we are working with, but, as Architect Ebbadottir has pointed out, yours are the best. I would like to make you one of our suppliers." Madam Voss nodded.

"Thank you, my lady. Please, follow me to the house. We have lunch waiting for you."

"Excellent, we can discuss the terms and contract there," Kasen said. He lifted his hand and one of the knights escorting them followed.

"Bring me my bag from the carriage."

"Yes, my lord."

"Once it's finalized, shall I call Bridget?" Andy asked, looking at Tori. She nodded and tried to hold back her smile.

"Once it's finalized, I want these bricks on the way to King's Harbor and shipped to the Cosora Delta as soon as possible." Andy looked very pleased with this.

"Next time I take a leave, I'm going to visit and take a look at your work, little cousin." Tori beamed.

"Give me at least another year or two. Right now, it's all just tents and construction." They headed towards the two-story farmhouse with the thatched roof in the distance. As they approached, they saw a horse grazing on the grass in the yard and a tall, blond man standing awkwardly by the door.

"Madam Voss, are you expecting anyone else?" Architect Ebbadottir asked as they neared. Madam Voss, who had a wide smile on her face, looked ahead and noticed the man. She drew her head back as her eyes widened.

"Baron Hart?" she called out. Tori almost choked on her own breath. She barely steadied herself before her brother could notice and fixed her eyes on the man waiting by the house.

"Angela!" His face brightened at the sight of Madam Voss. Tori heard her cousin mutter Madam Voss' name with interest, as if a show had caught his attention.

"My lord, what are you doing here?" Madam Voss quickened her step and Tori purposely slowed hers so she could stay back and observe. Madam Voss didn't look angry at all to see Baron Hart. She seemed nervous, but her cheeks were red and her eyes fixed on the amber-eyed man.

"I heard the Admiral and his guests were coming to visit Stackhouse Bricks today," Baron Hart said as he seemed to restrain himself from reaching for Madam Voss and instead turned to the trio from marquis families. The baron lowered his head.

"Good afternoon, Admiral O'Tuagh."

"Baron Hart," Andy said pleasantly.

"Did you not get my message? We were to arrive later this afternoon at Hart Manor."

"I did, my lord, but I thought I would come to meet you here." Even as the baron said this, eyes moved over to Madam Voss and there was a glint of affection in his eyes. Tori's mouth was open. So far, this journey had given her many surprises. From seeing her cousin early to finding a brick maker and securing supplies, to entering enemy territory. Yet, despite all of this, Tori was not prepared to walk into the background of Alessa's father's romance story.

She couldn't help but wonder if Alessa knew and how she felt about it.

"Baron Hart, allow me to introduce you," Andy said as he took a step forward to present his cousins.

"These are my relatives, who are here for my sister's succession ceremony. Victoria and Kasen de Guevera, children of Marquis Guevera." Baron Hart immediately took a step back to give them a proper bow.

"My lady, my lord. It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for coming and considering purchasing from Stackhouse Bricks. No brickmaker in all of Anlar is as good as them."

"Baron, there is no need," Madam Voss said. She lifted her hand and placed it on his upper arm.

"Her ladyship has agreed to purchase our entire surplus and even wants to have a contract for the next three years. We were going inside to go over the terms and sign a contract."

"Really?" Baron Hart's face filled with relief. His hands shot forward and, completely forgetting that Tori and her brother and cousin were standing there, grasped Madam Voss' hands and squeezed them.

"This is wonderful, Angela!" He released her hands and looked at Kasen with an elated look.

"Thank you, my lord!" Kasen shook his head.

"I was not the one who made the decision," he said before he looked over at Tori.

"My sister has agreed to the purchase." Baron Hart's ecstatic face turned to her without losing any enthusiasm.

"Thank you, Lady Guevera. If there is anything else that Chetterswickshire can offer you, please don't hesitate to let me know. I, and my village, are at your service." Tori forced a tired, strained smile on her face. Well... so much for keeping my purchase a secret from the cow-man.