A Servant's Security

Chapter 6

Once Isabel reached the fields, a man handed her a tool that would help them cut stalks of barley. As Isabel drew back the heavy tool, her arms felt weak. Why didn't she eat breakfast? That might've helped.

She tried to imitate one of the women's movements next to her, but the blade bent the stalks instead of cutting them. Hoping no one around her noticed her mistake, she swung the blade again. This time, she managed to cut through some of them.  

Isabel gritted her teeth and tried to focus. She watched, trying to mimic the other woman's body posture and how she held the tool. She drew back and swung, flattening the stalks, but they sprung back up. 

She exhaled in frustration. With all the progress she was making, she was bound to attract everyone's attention. 

"Well, Isabel Smith. Having some trouble?"

Her blood went cold as she turned around and saw Bailiff Richard.

"Let me show you how to do that." His hands reached towards her. Isabel shrank away from him and clamped one hand over the knife in her pocket. Bailiff Richard grabbed the tool and she let go.

"You've never done this before so I will teach you. You hold the handle like this."

He reached out and grabbed her hand, but she snatched it away from him and took a step back.

"I'm trying to help you. Are you too good for my help? Too prideful?" He stepped towards her. "Now take the tool and I'll show you how it's done!"

Taking the tool from him would only allow him to get closer to her. She couldn't allow this.

"Bailiff Richard."

At the sound of Lord Goodwin's voice, a frown appeared on Bailiff Richard's face. He plastered a smile as he turned around.

"I need you to go to the field behind the apple trees and make sure everyone is doing their job."

"Yes, my lord." Richard turned to Isabel and threw the tool at her feet and walked away.

Isabel released a breath she didn't know she was holding in, but soon she was nervous. What was the lord going to say? Did he notice her progress with her work? She tried to show nothing but respect as she lowered her eyes to the ground and picked up her tool.

"Forgive me, my lord, but I'm afraid I don't know how to cut down the stalks."

He reached out and took the tool from her. Once empty, her hand started to tremble. She quickly hid it in the pockets of her skirt.

He cleared his throat. "It takes practice to master this technique. Since we need every pair of hands to help with the harvest, you will walk behind the workers and pick up the stalks on the floor and tie them."

"Yes, my lord."

"Follow me."

She kept a safe distance behind him as he led her to a section of the field where three young girls were slicing the barley at a slow pace. He gave her a roll of twine, then he grabbed an armful of cut grain. He used his scarred arm to hold the stalks to his chest while he gathered with his right. His dark brown hair glowed in the sun as he wrapped the twine tightly around the stalks and tied it.

She started gathering the grains awkwardly and tried to mimic his movements. As she finished tying her first bundle, she looked up and saw him walking away. She sighed in relief, glad he wasn't watching her.

She continued gathering the barely, still thinking about her second encounter with Bailiff Richard that day. Thank goodness Lord Goodwin came when he did. It was almost as if he knew Bailiff Richard was making her uncomfortable. 

Glancing up, she saw a familiar form bending over the barley stalks. Thomas was working near her, also gathering and tying barely. He straightened to wipe sweat from his face. Isabel quickly looked down, hoping her brother didn't see her.

"You just couldn't go along with my plan. Huh?" Thomas said, coming to stand behind her.

Isabel pretended to ignore him.

"You couldn't do this one thing for your family, could you?" He sounded angry.

"You're the one who tried to force your only sister to marry a man who she didn't want to marry. I am helping the family by serving Lord Goodwin." She continued her work while she spoke. "And even if I had married Bailiff Richard, he wouldn't have saved you from your share of work. He wasn't planning to pay your debt at all."

"That's a lie!"

"If I were you, I'd lower my voice and get back to work. Lord Goodwin doesn't tolerate people who don't do their share."

Thomas huffed and stomped away from her. Her heart ached to think that her own brother didn't care about her. Father would never have let him treat her this way.