In The Beginning by Gail Daley (top 100 books of all time checklist .TXT) 📕

Jinks frowned. "I think there used to be. Draya Caramel was always looking for it. I don't think it's kept in the library though because her one regret was not finding it."

"Let's retire to your office so we can set up a schedule for the week," Rebecca suggested. "I would like to hold a communal meal for all the people who will work on near the house once a week also. It will give us a time to know them and for them to come to know us."

It was decided Rebecca and Jinks would meet in the housekeeper's office on the first day of the week to discuss meals and other household matters.

When she returned to the library, Rebecca found Selene curled up in one of the comfortable chairs with a book plopped on her lap, Mongo purring beside her.

"Did you find something good?"

Selene gave her a brilliant smile. "Oh, yes. This is about a girl who solves mysteries. There seems to be an entire series."

"Sarsee Jinks forewarned me you may find some material not suitable for a girl of your age in here," Rebecca told her.

Selene made a face. "You mean stuff with sex? Yes, I put a couple of those over there on the table."

"Well, if you run across a history of the house, I'd like to read it. I'll be out at the dairy barn if you need me."

Selene nodded, her eyes already dropping back to the book.

Dismissed, Rebecca left to talk to Anja Tobias and to Lorkeet's people to find out if there was anything they needed. Anja greeted her with a smile. "This is wonderful Rebecca, or should I call you Draconi?"

Rebecca laughed. "Rebecca will do. I feel we are old friends. Is there anything you need, any repairs needing to be made on your cottage?"

"Nothing but a few minor things, and Tobias will take care of those. There is even a fenced yard for Robern to play in. Is there a school here for the children?"

"Sarsee Jinks, didn't mention one, but there might be one in the village. Establishing a school to teach our children is going to be a priority. I intend to speak to Grandpa about it later today. From what Sarsee Jinks told us, everyone who lives here helps tend the kitchen gardens and is entitled to a portion of what is produced. As soon as Draya Catrin has inspected it, we will have a meeting of all the women to set up a schedule for tending the garden. If you don't need anything, I must go out to Lorkeet's people to find out if their accommodations are suitable, and to discuss starting to make cheese."

Sarsee Arella Lorkeet also asked about a school for the children, of which the Lorkeet family had several. She was delighted to go over the dairy barn with Rebecca, and agreed to go with her later to inspect the cheese cellars behind the laboratory.

This was a large household and they were going to need a lot of food stored to take them through the winter. Rebecca knew cheese took several months to cure. They needed to get started on it right away. She also needed to make an inventory of the other foodstuffs and find out how the keep usually prepared for the winter.

Afterwards, she would take an inventory of the food already stocked and find out about harvesting the nut and fruit orchards. Hopefully, Catrin would soon be through burying herself in the herb garden and able to help.

Despite her busy schedule, Rebecca found herself drawn back to the Warding Alcove several times during the following days. When Andre suggested they walk in Caramel's gardens one evening, she agreed because she knew they needed to talk. For a time they simply walked around enjoying the peace and tranquility, finally stopping under the flowering trees that provided shade.

All day, while she was busy with household tasks, a portion of Rebecca's mind had been preoccupied with what to do about Andre. She believed he was a man of honor, but there was such a lot he didn't know about her or the family. Well, she had to start somewhere, she thought.

"Andre," she said, "Either you are the most uncurious man in the world or you already know what I'm about to say. You never asked any questions about why we came to Ironlyn or why our family was traveling around Askela, not even when we found Selene."

"If you mean the lot of you are unregistered Magi and you were passing secret messages while we traveled, I had already figured that out," he said, pulling her down on the stone bench under the trees.

She took a deep breath. "You must have realized by now that Ironlyn is—different."

"You mean all the magical wards?"

"That is a part of it. Ironlyn has always been special to the Magi. There are powerful Ley Lines joining here. When the Magi Proctors was created, Ironlyn became one of the few places in Askela where hunted Magi could find a refuge from them or disappear."

"So Magi come here to escape from the Shan's Magi Proctors. What do you do with them?"

"Some we send overseas. Lands' End, the harbor below us, is a trade center of sorts. Boats from other Kingdoms come there to trade with us and to pick up refugees. A few remain here."

"I assume others escape over the border with the Trade Caravans?"

"Yes, that too. But—"

"Something else?"

She laid a hand on his and looked up into his face. She was sure he wouldn't betray their secrets, even if he was angry enough to leave when he learned about the trick they had played on him. "What I am about to tell you is our deepest secret. There is supposed to be a Gate here. A Gate to other worlds. Only one of the blood can open it."

He stared at her. "One of the blood? I thought Lewys bought Ironlyn."

She shook her head. "When Grandpa was a young man, his parents left Ironlyn