There was always so much to do. The fall harvest was almost upon them and once the vegetables and wheat from the fields were stored for the winter and the orchards were picked bare, then they would begin to slaughter some of the animals and preserve the meat for the coming winter. Alicia conferred with the steward on the state of the castle’s stores, the cook on the next day’s menu, the laundress on what linens needed replacing, and made a list on what storage rooms needed to be cleaned and scoured before the new harvest was brought in. There were candles and soap to be made, rushes gathered and a myriad other tasks, all needing her attention. As she worked, Alicia was often struck with the feeling that someone was watching her. On several occasions, when she looked around, she caught the minstrel watching her from a distance. The fact that he had traveled to their remote castle and taken a keen interest in the running of it bothered her. His curiosity about her made her suspicious.
