Chapter 305: Gossip in the Thorin kitchen.
"Starting with me." Lady Iryne joined them. She brought with her a string quartet and they settled down. "Mauve tells me that you are not in a good mood. I brought you some instrumentalists to play you some music. If you need someone to sing, I can hire the three beauties as well."
She did not give Sigrid a moment to say yes or no and instructed the instrumentalists to begin.
*****
In the kitchen meanwhile, a storm of gossip had already been initiated among the servants. They were all pretentiously lingering in the large kitchen under the guise of of doing kitchen related tasks. Some were sitting around a table, eating afternoon snacks and making last minute preparations before serving lunch.
The subject of East Ridley’s good looks was livelier than the clatter of iron pots and rich scent of roasting duck.
"I have never seen a man so handsome in my life." The head cook, muttered as she piled fried bread onto a tray. Her voice was rich with excitement and her eyes sparkled. "My God! it is such a shame that he is not a noble lord."
"He is still the son of a noble family Martha." Rex, a footman reminded the head cook. "Just because the word Lord is missing from his name does not mean he is less privileged than his brother that will inherit their father’s title."
Rosalind who had long grown used to life among the servants happily rushed down the steps leading into the kitchen. " Oh have you see Mister East’s jaw! His eyes! Like midnight and a storm rolled into one!"
"I did." Nina, a scullery maid, dramatically fanned herself with a cabbage leaf. "If our Lady was not the crown princess I would be rooting for her to take down Mister East. I saw the way he was looking at her before the peacocks took him for a run."