The Pillars Of The World

Ari’s mouth watered. “Neall, they’re wonderful. I haven’t eaten salmon since the last one Mother caught.”
    “Why not?”
    “In order to eat one, you have to catch it first. Water isn’t one of my branches of the Great Mother.”
    A puzzled look came and went in his eyes. “Do you know what to do with it?” he asked.
    It was foolish to let pride ruin a fine meal. “No. Mother always cooked the fish.”
    “Then I’ll make you a bargain. If you’re willing to share the smaller one, I’ll clean it and cook it.”
    She held out her hand so fast to seal the bargain he jumped. When he clasped her hand, he held it for several seconds. His hand felt warm and strong, more callused than a gentleman’s hands were supposed to be, but Neall had never shirked when work needed to be done.
    Feeling confused and a bit too warm, she turned away. “I— We could have what’s left of the bread drizzled with honey or jam.”
    “Sounds fine.”
    “And there’s some early greens ready to be picked.” She nibbled on her lower lip. “But there’s nothing to dress them with. And there’s no butter to cook the fish.”
    Neall said nothing.
    Would he make some excuse and leave now? Ari wondered. Gathering her courage, she turned to face him. He was staring thoughtfully at the salmon.
    “Fish doesn’t keep well. How’s the ice cellar?”

    “There’s enough ice left to keep most things from spoiling, but I don’t think the fish would keep for more than a day.”
    He nodded as if he expected that answer. “We’ll trade,” he said decisively. “Ahern is fond of salmon, and he grumbles often enough that the streams on his land don’t have fish worth the effort of catching them. If we wrap the big one in straw and cloth and wet it down well, I can ride over to his farm and see what he’ll trade for it.”
    “All right.” Ari hesitated. How much would a fish be worth? “Perhaps some butter and a little salt?”
    Neall hesitated, then leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Leave the bargaining to me.”
    A few minutes later, he had the salmon wrapped.
    Ari stared at the remaining salmon. Now that it had some room to swim in, it was acting more lively. A bit too lively.
    Neall stepped outside and latched the bottom of the kitchen door. “Ari,” he called softly.
    She didn’t like the way he was grinning at her.
    “If it jumps out of the basin, don’t leave it flopping about on the floor. Catch it and toss it back in.”
    “Jumps?” Ari said, snapping her head around to stare at the too-lively fish. She knew salmon jumped. Of course she knew that. She had seen them leap to get past small waterfalls in the stream, but . . . “It’s going to jump in my kitchen!”
    Ari leaped for the kitchen door, reaching it just in time to see Neall, grinning gleefully, put his heels to Darcy’s sides and take off around the cottage.
    “Neall!”
    Racing through the cottage, she scrabbled to get the front door unlatched and flung it open. Neall was already cresting the low rise on the other side of the road.
    “Neall!”
    The gelding went down the other side of the rise, and Neall was gone.
    Latching the door, Ari returned to the kitchen. Grabbing a small frying pan from its hook on the wall, she approached the sink warily. “If you jump, I’ll smack you.” She held up the frying pan to show the fish she meant it.
    The salmon thrashed in the basin. The tail lifted, flinging water right in Ari’s face. .
    Slowly, Ari set the frying pan down. Moving as far away from the sink as she could, she gathered the jars of honey and jam, then sliced the bread she had left.
    “He knew this would happen. He knew it. He’s probably just sorry he wasn’t here to see it.” She glared at the salmon. “You know, if he takes his sweet time getting back from Ahern’s, you’re not the only one who’s going to feel a frying pan.”
     
    Neall grinned as Darcy galloped toward Ahern’s farm.
    Ari’s lover was a fool. A wonderful, wonderful fool. Imagine getting squeamish about something so natural. The man could have had the pleasure of spending time with her, could have enjoyed just being with her. But he’d walked away because he couldn’t have the bed. Tomorrow the dark of the moon began, and Ari would no longer be obliged to open her door or her arms to this stranger she’d met somewhere at the Summer Moon.
    May the Great Mother bless the, man all the days of his life for being a wonderful, wonderful fool.
    Neall’s