After Humanity

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Is Alice planning to join us?" Kathryn asked, taking a loaf of bread one of her friends passed her and breaking off a piece before offering it to Rachel.

"She came by earlier," one of the other girls answered. "She said she was thinking of joining Magnus for dinner."

Kathryn nodded.

"Does Alice eat with him often?" Rachel asked with surprise. Maybe Alice and Magnus were even closer than she'd realized.

The girl next to Olivia shrugged. "Sometimes. Sometimes she eats alone in her own house. She's hardly one of us anyway."

"Hush Jennifer," Kathryn said, casting a warning look in the girl's direction. "Of course Alice is one of us."

"There are nights when our Master requests Alice's presence," Olivia said, jumping into the conversation again. "She does act as overseer to all of us after all and manages the kitchen supplies. Sometimes they speak over dinner. Magus has been away on business quite a bit in the past few weeks. I'm certain they have much to discuss."

"Like Judith's death," one of others mumbled as she bit into the bread in her hand.

As an uncomfortable churning settled in Rachel's stomach at the comment, she watched Kathryn's eyes narrowed at the girl.

"So, Rachel," Olivia said, clearly trying to defuse the tension. "Kathryn told us that you came from a truly free settlement?"

Rachel looked down at her hands, not wanting to talk about Demin again. She wasn't certain she could do so without crying.

"I think Rachel is tired," Kathryn said, putting a hand on her lap. " Maybe another topic of conversation? I'm sure she will tell us all about her story when she is ready."

Rachel sighed, her body relaxing slightly at Kathryn's offer of rescue and she was grateful.

The meal continued without much more conversation of note and Rachel was content to simply sit in silence tuning out the talk of the older girls and retreating into her head.

She wondered how resentful the others might be. The older girl who'd mentioned Judith's death, in particular, seemed unable to meet her gaze. Yet in spite of her concerns, Rachel managed to finish the plate of food Kathryn had given her and even managed to get though a small plateful of berries and clotted cream offered for dessert. By the time she was through, she was comfortably full and very sleepy.

"Well, I promised to clean," Kathryn said, standing and collecting the dishes the other girls had piled. "If the rest of you wish to go back and relax you are welcome to."

"Humph," the older girl at the end of the table grunted. "She shirks her responsibilities all day to play with Magnus's new toy and then imagines any of us might volunteer to help?"

Rachel was surprised by the level of hostility. Everyone seemed to like Kathryn, and she hadn't really asked any of the others to volunteer. And the woman's comment about her was disturbing. Did they all resent her for having taken Kathryn from her work?

"I'll help you," Olivia piped up, giving a warning glance at the end of the table before turning back to Kathryn. "You shouldn't have to do all the dishes alone."

"Well I promised to meet Sarah," the sour girl said.

"And you are welcome to, Cynthia," Kathryn replied calmly. "I'm certain Olivia and I can manage just fine."

The girl turned and left without a backward glance. A few others following behind.

"Just ignore Cynthia," Kathryn said, leaning down to whisper in Rachel's ear. "She tends to be a bit more icy than the others but she'll come around."