Now in my proper minstrel clothes with my lute across my back. I head out through the town to where the town crier had described it to be. The homes became less cramped as I moved through it. Little gardens littered in front of the houses as they grew more extravagant. Doors had elaborate carvings and windows started to have more than just shutters. The bottom floors no longer being businesses but proper living spaces. Throughout it all I looked for the emblem of the Rutherfords, a wagon fording a river.
It took the rest of my morning and some time into the afternoon for me to make my way around the more affluent areas of the town for me to find the estate. There must be a dozen rooms in this place and seemed almost as big as the Duke’s estate had been. I could see several servants busying themselves throughout the garden and through the windows cleaning and straightening out everything inside.
Settling the lute on my shoulder I approach the front door and knock softly to announce my presence. It wasn’t long before it was answered by one of the servants of the home. “Good afternoon sir. How may we help you here in the Rutherford home?”
I half bow and speak up with the most formal tone I can muster, “My name is Dolan Talespinner. I heard through the town that the mistress of the house was looking for someone to teach her children. I’m very handy with a dozen instruments and would love to start to teach the young ones so that they may one day impress themselves upon other nobles. I entertained Duke Ursal and his mother not too long ago.”
The servant looked a little flabbergasted as she looked at me and nodded, “Please wait here and I will fetch someone from the family to come speak to you. I believe Mister Rutherford is here for you to discuss it with him.”
As the door closed I stepped back and marveled at the front of the home. Large windows littered the left side of the home. Looking through the wavy glass shows the blurred look of a large dining table lit up by the natural light of the outside world. Thinner windows were on the right maybe to give light without exposing too much that could be private. A garden of bushes lay in beds along the front. The bushes started to bud with fresh growth.
I was waiting for some time and idly rubbed the strap of my lute and utilizing my patience when eventually I felt some eyes on me from a window and spotted the flash of an older man’s face before the door slowly swung open. An elderly man, hair grayed with a hunch in the back leaned on a cane. His clothes were immaculately sewn and fitted to his thin frame.
His voice was as old as he looked as he looked at me. It was dusty and seemed to be from a dry throat. “What can I help you with?”
“I was going through the town looking for work when I ran across a town crier that stated you might be looking for someone to teach your children some skills. I am a fantastic player of several instruments and would love to help instruct the next generation in the skills.”
The man stroked his chin as he eyed me up and down suspiciously. “What else have them gods be damned criers been saying? Bunch of rumor mongers all of them. If they were so good at getting word around town quickly I’d ask the lord of Greenstown to have them get rid of.”
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I fought off a laugh at the sudden vicious words. I had a good guess at what could have caused them, especially that nasty rumor of infidelity. I can see where some of it comes from with how old Mister Rutherford seemed to be.
I cleared my throat, “Not too much. Just that your family was looking for someone to entertain and teach your children while you go on a trip to the court of the king. I feel like I could be quite the great fit. As the name suggests I spin quite the tale as well as play my instruments quite well. I’ve even recently taught a little girl the beginnings of the lute and its splendor.” I straighten myself and do my best not to look down my nose as I mentioned what I thought could seal the deal. “I even played for Duke Ursal and his mother. They seemed quite enamored with my tales and even wrote me a letter of introduction to the court.”
His eyebrows crawled up his forehead at the mention of the Duke. We might not be in his territory but a noble’s name goes a long way. He grips his cane a little tighter and humphs a breath out. “If you have such a chance to go to court why are you stopping here to help my house? It makes no sense to me.”
I wave a hand across my front in demonstration. “These are the nicest clothes I possess and I feel that they wouldn’t really be great enough for something as prodigious as the court. I have an order for a much greater set of clothes that I’ll take to the capital.”
One hand strokes Mister Rutherford’s chin as he nods thoughtfully. “I was hoping to prepare some of my children to be introduced to the court next year. Their manners are excellent but they have no talents besides trouble making and distracting their father. Not quite what the court looks for. Maybe it would do a little good for them to get some discipline from a minstrel. We have a friend with some wind instruments over your lute. No offense but the court has been preferring flutes and such. Do you know how to play those and how to teach them?”
I nod without hesitation, “I know how to play most wind instruments and would love to teach the next generation in their use. How long would I be tutoring your children? I don’t have a year of time but I can get them started upon the road. I maybe have another week at best here in the town unless something else ties me down.”
“Like a woman?” There is more heat in his tone hinting at some anger.
“No sir, more like affluent clients willing to pay more than I deserve. Either way though I am destined to go to the court and ply my trade there. It was my master’s dream that his pupil would grow to such a height and success that they would play there. I am duty bound to seek it as soon as I can.”
His eyes narrow with suspicion. “I guess, well no matter. We may be gone for up to two weeks. It’ll take a day or two by carriage to the capital and then we have many meetings about our businesses and their growth. Then we have the annual meeting of the affluent and more deals. I’m sure that the ladies will be all fussy about my wife’s pregnancy. I bid her stay behind and rest but she never will pass up the trips to the capital to see her friends.” He finished the last of his sentences with an ungracious roll of his eyes as he looked around.
“Sounds like quite the handful of a wife. I wish you the best of luck with that. Would you like me to come and play an instrument to show my proficiency some time? So you know what you are buying with your coin?”
With a nod he steps back and waves me inside. He motions for one of his servants come to him and he has a quick word with her. “Fetch one of the wood instruments from the Grander’s home. They owe me a favor and let them know I am just borrowing it for now. If things go well I will buy some of our own.”
I step inside and am ushered to the large dining table I had seen through the window. In moments a fresh pot of tea is brought before us and some cups were poured. I sipped lightly as it steamed and my host seemed to not notice the scalding heat as he swallowed a mouthful.
As he almost finishes his first cup a lady of the home steps forward to fill it up and he speaks to her, “Bring us something to nibble on. Some biscuits to match our tea.” His eyes look at me and then to the lute I set aside. “Play me a tune while we wait. I haven’t heard a good tune in quite some time. We will worry about your demonstration once the instruments and my wife has returned. For now would you entertain me?”
“I would be honored.”
I scoot the chair back gingerly, avoiding any scraping sounds that I could. Then with the lute upon my lap I start my fingers dancing across the strings lightly as I fill the room with a jaunty tune that was written to celebrate the coming of the spring. I wouldn’t dare singing something like The Tawdry Wench here. Hopefully he will be entertained with the one I chose.