Chapter Text
When Matthew first arrived in Mistria, it was right as disaster struck. The earth rumbled beneath his feet, his knees wobbling, feet stumbling as he made his way down the dirt trail to town. Walking around through the Eastern woods, the trees shook, acorns and pinecones falling all around him.
Matthew brushed his hair back, the warm brown strands hanging in his face swept away with the stroke. His dark eyes darted about, looking for anywhere to take shelter, but then the earthquake passed. Matthew continued on quickly, breaking out into a run, because he was sure the town needed help. That earthquake had been strong.
Approaching the edge of town, the bridge was out. So, he jumped across stones over the broad stream. Then, Matthew followed the road into town. What he saw relieved him, because there seemed to be no major damage, and the town was taking a headcount in the open plaza away from buildings in case of an aftershock.
Matthew approached them slowly, catching a few of their eyes. A child pointed at him.
“Who are you?” The little girl shouted. The crowd turned to look at Matthew, who was standing there with a stick he’d grabbed for walking and spring season-appropriate clothing. His brown eyes glanced around the crowd, mouth at a loss for words.
He gave a short, brief wave. Then he spotted someone of medium height with pink hair, matching eyes, and tan skin.
“Eiland?” Matthew asked. Eiland was the one who’d reached out to him, in the Capital, to get him to come to Mistria. They’d known each other through Matthew’s late wife, Catherine, who’d passed five years prior. Matthew, believe it or not, had married into nobility, once upon a time.
“Matthew!” Eiland said loudly, pushing through the crowd to greet him. “You made it! Sorry for all the ruckus.”
“Can’t help mother nature…” Matthew trailed off as he looked over the damage to the town. The pavement was cracked, some foundations looked unstable, and the bridge into town had been taken out, too. “Is everyone okay?”
Adeline, whom Matthew recognized as well, glanced his way. She was focused on the crowd for a moment longer, then turned fully towards Matthew.
“All are accounted for,” Adeline said with a smile. Then, it dimmed. “I’m so sorry you had to arrive on such a day.”
Matthew’s eyes widened slightly. He raised both his eyebrows as he processed her words, then he shook his head with a sympathetic smile. “No issue. I’m glad I arrived when I did. If anyone needs help, I’m here.”
Adeline shook her head. “We need to get you situated first, not to mention, check up on the condition of the farmland. We heard a big crash earlier coming from the south. I’m afraid there was a rockslide.”
Matthew would rather not prioritize himself. He countered, “I’ll stay at the inn if I have to. For now, let’s make sure everyone has a good roof over their head.”
As a woodworker himself, Matthew had a good eye for structure and architecture. He traveled around the town with Ryis and Landen, examining the buildings from top to bottom and giving them the all-clear as they went. Then, by nightfall, Matthew traveled with Adeline and Eiland to the farmlands, where an old cottage… well, what was left of an old cottage stood.
The whole back side was beaten in with boulders from up the hill. It didn’t look pretty.
Matthew sighed. “I’ve been camping on the road. What’s another night?”
“I thought you said you’d stay at the inn?” Eiland asked, concerned.
“I want to get started early in the morning, and I’d like to spend my funds on seeds, not a roof,” Matthew said, crossing his arms. “The soil looks good, but I’ll need to till and supplement it before I start planting. And that old well looks like it could use some oil on the crank.”
Eiland nodded. His wide pink eyes showed his attentiveness, though also his lack of understanding.
“I’ll leave the farming business to you,” Eiland said, but then he was handing over a handful of Tesserae. “Please, get a room. I’m sure your journey from the Capital was tiring.”
Matthew looked at his hand. He took the golden coins after a moment. “If you insist.”
“We do insist,” Adeline said, looking over the old cottage. “I’ll send out Ryis and March out tomorrow to repair your cottage while you get ready to farm. Is that agreeable?”
“Sure,” Matthew said. He wanted to get out of the Capital so he could be alone, but he supposed a few people for company wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Heading back to the Sleeping Dragon Inn, Matthew booked a room for two nights, since he estimated there wouldn’t be enough daylight the next day to close the back wall of the cottage. It was at least two solid days of work.
Grabbing a freshly poured beer, Matthew hunkered down in the corner of the inn, sitting down near the roaring hearth. The warmth fixed the chill that’d settled in his bones.
He thought about Catherine.
She probably would’ve liked Mistria. Catherine had always talked about visiting Adeline and Eiland, but they’d never made the trip. It’d always been Adeline and Eiland visiting them at Catherine’s family estate in the Capital. Part of why Matthew decided to come out to Mistria was because of that. He left the estate to Catherine’s younger brother and took his leave, since he’d never been close with any of Catherine’s family. They’d always irritated him with how they treated her. It was no better after she passed.
A man sat down across from Matthew. Matthew looked up, made eye contact with the blue-haired man, and then took a sip of his beer.
“Need something?” Matthew asked after the silence drew on.
“No,” the man responded. “I just wanted to thank you for the help today. This town needs all it can get.”
“What’s your name?” Matthew asked.
“Balor,” the man answered. Balor adjusted on the wooden bench and glanced about. “Planning on heading into the mines?”
Matthew looked at him over the rim of his mug. “No?”
“Damn,” Balor cursed. He steepled his fingers and closed his eyes in thought. “I was on the upper floors collecting rubies and dropped my pouch. I’m too nervous to retrieve them on my own. I’m not the adventuring sort, you see.”
“And this affects me how?”
“Well,” Balor said, in a leading tone, “If you’re willing to fetch them for me, I’ll pay a pretty penny—double their value.”
Matthew raised an eyebrow. “Do you mind waiting a week? I gotta get crops in the ground, first.”
“I’ll even give you half the payment upfront if you’d like more wiggle room purchasing your seeds,” Balor offered.
“I’ll shake on that,” Matthew said, smiling. “You’re a generous guy. Why all this for rubies?”
Balor shrugged. “A man can’t like shiny things?”
Matthew laughed. He extended his hand for a handshake, and Balor reciprocated firmly.
“Nice doin’ business with ya,” Matthew said, letting his accent slip out as he became tipsy.
Balor winked back. “I’ll have more jobs for you. Just you wait.”
Matthew's grin split wide open. He was liking this Balor guy.
“I look forward to it.”
⋆⋆⋆
Waking up before dawn, Matthew grabbed his pack and headed to the farm. He cleared a large area to begin growing crops, then prepared the soil. By the time he was done, the sun had greeted the sky, and Ryis and March had arrived.
Ryis and March talked with each other while they worked, the brunette laughing far more than the muddy-dispositioned redhead. However, they seemed to have a good time, making quick progress in breaking down and moving the rubble to make way for rebuilding. Apparently, March had experience with masonry.
“I’m gonna head into town,” Matthew informed him as he washed off as best he could by the well. “Need anything?”
“A fresh lemonade,” March said sarcastically, under his breath.
Ryis spoke up. “Nah.”
Matthew glanced at March, who was glaring for who-knows-what reason. Alright.
Matthew left, then, heading into town to pick up seeds for the season. Without heavy equipment, an irrigation system, or working animals, he wouldn’t be able to grow as much as he used to at his father’s farm, but then again, Mistria had a small population. You could count the townspeople on your hands and feet.
He bought mostly potato seeds along with a bundle of turnip seeds and cabbage seeds. The latter two could be pickled, and potatoes could be kept for a long time on their own. They’d be good for ensuring food over the winter season, in case the winter dragged on into the next year. As part of the deal with Adeline, he was supposed to replenish the emergency food supply, so he’d start as soon as possible.
At the general store, he stopped and talked with Nora, who gave him a discount when Matthew went to pay. Matthew thanked her profusely, to which Nora dismissed, “Nonsense. You’re doing us a favor.”
“Thank you kindly,” Matthew said again. “Really… and perhaps, do you know if the Inn sells lemonade?”
“Why yes, they do,” Nora responded. She brushed her blonde hair back from her face and nodded in the direction of the Inn. “It’s lemon season, after all.”
⋆⋆⋆
Returning to his yet-to-be-named farm with a tall pitcher of iced lemonade, Matthew had a smirk on his lips. He bet that the blacksmith wasn’t prepared for Matthew to follow up on his shitty mockery. Yeah, Matthew was new and all, but did that mean he deserved sass? No.
And what do they say? Kill them with kindness. Yes, Matthew was going to do exactly that.
He set down the pitcher on the table they’d dragged out of the cottage. “Come’re boys.”
Ryis popped his head around the edge of the house. “Hey, man, how old are you, anyway?”
Matthew raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”
Ryis raised an eyebrow back. “You called us boys.”
Matthew scoffed. “I’m 33.”
March rounded the corner of the house, but then his face paled as he saw the lemonade. “Hey, old man, you really listened to that?”
Matthew ignored the “old” comment.
Arranging the seed packets on the table, Matthew just nodded. “It seemed like a good idea.”
March huffed. “Well… okay.”
“No ‘thank you’?”
Glaring at Matthew, March grumbled something under his breath and walked over to the table. Dusting off one of the glasses they’d found inside, he poured himself a cup. He drank a glass greedily, like he hadn’t expected to be so thirsty, gasping as he pulled the cup away from his face.
“The sugar should help,” Matthew said with a raised eyebrow. “Figured you’d need the boost. Looks like another day’s work is ahead of ya.”
Ryis was much more polite in comparison. He said “please,” “thank you,” and gave a kind smile. Then, he sipped his lemonade with the control of someone raised with manners.
Matthew raised an eyebrow. “You used to live in the Capital, didn’t you?”
Ryis’ eyes widened briefly as he caught up.
“What makes you say that?” Ryis asked, clearly curious.
“You’re a Guidry, I believe,” Matthew guessed with a good-natured grin. “Landen is your, what, Grandfather?”
“Uncle.”
“Ah. Gotcha.” Matthew nodded. He poured himself a cup of lemonade. “Happy to see your family is doing well.”
Ryis nodded. “I wanted to make a life of my own, so I moved away. My sisters still live up North, though.”
Matthew glanced at March. “And what about you? Live here all your life?”
March just glared in response.
“He has,” Ryis said, “March is just—!”
March elbowed him in the gut.
Matthew had to hold back a laugh.
“Okay, let’s all get back to work. Let’s wrap up today before that lemonade goes lukewarm.”
“Why not just finish it now?” March asked with an annoyed tone.
“Because,” Matthew countered, “we need a carrot on a stick for later.”
Ryis chuckled. March groaned, topped up his cup with a bit more drink, and then knocked it back.
“Whatever,” March grumbled. “Let’s get this shit done.”
⋆⋆⋆
By the time Matthew returned to the Inn that evening, he felt exhausted. No amount of working out could replace hard labor, and by the Gods, returning to it after years off was hard on his bones. So, he grabbed a stiff drink, sat down by the fire, and baked next to its heat.
“You know,” Balor said, approaching him for the second night in a row, “there is a bathhouse nearby. Juniper runs it.”
Matthew raised an eyebrow. “I washed off already. Ya callin’ me stinky?”
Balor laughed. “Maybe a little?”
“Oh, wow, thanks,” Matthew chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. “Though a hot bath sounds amazin’ right now.”
“Finish your drink, then, and follow me,” Balor insisted.
Matthew tipped his glass back, drinking up every drop. He left the glass on the table and followed Balor out of the Inn, thanking Reina, who was tending the quiet weekday bar. They made their way up Center Street, then hung a right, heading into a building that looked normal besides the cauldron in the corner.
“Don’t ask,” Balor whispered.
“Okay,” Matthew whispered back. His feet ached underneath him. He was eager to rest in warm water.
A dog, colored a beautiful yellow-cream shade, approached the back side of the front desk with a wagging tail. He pawed the counter in front of Balor, and Balor put down enough coins for himself. Then, the dog looked at Matthew, who stared back. The dog just kept wagging its tail and did not paw at the counter.
“Or right, for first-timers, it’s free,” Balor said, his voice light with his realization. “Duh.”
“Oh?” Matthew intoned.
“That’s Dozy,” Balor said. “He manages the bathhouse when Juniper isn’t here.”
“Right,” Matthew nodded. Of course, a dog was capable of that. Well, to be fair, Dozy did seem pretty smart…
“Back here,” Balor said, and then Matthew was following him down a short hall to the bathhouse, where there was running water, hot steam, and shallow pools to dip in. To the side was an area for their personal belongings, and Balor quickly began to strip.
“Oh, alright,” Matthew muttered to himself. It was refreshing being around country folk again, because back in the Capital, everyone was so stuffy and uptight. And then there was Balor, who was now buck-ass-naked in front of him.
Matthew followed his lead, stripping down to nothing. He wrapped a towel around his groin, copying Balor, and then sat down by one of the hot rock areas. Balor poured water on top, filling the room with steam.
“Need help washing your back?” Balor asked.
Matthew looked in his direction. “Do mine, I do yours.”
“Deal,” Balor responded. He grabbed a wash bucket, soap, and a brush before getting to work.
Matthew hunched over, putting his elbows on his knees, exposing his tan, freckled back. When Balor began to scrub away at his skin, Matthew almost groaned. It felt so good because he hadn’t properly cleaned and relaxed since he left the Capital on that train ride.
“So what brought you here?” Balor asked after a long moment of quiet.
Matthew said with ease, “Needed a change of scenery.”
It wasn’t quite a lie.
“You hated the Capital enough to leave that cushy estate?” Balor joked.
Matthew’s body stiffened. “You know who I am?”
“Everyone does,” Balor responded softly, kindly. “I’m letting you know, now. Everyone knows. They’re just too polite to say anything, but I’d rather not pretend, personally.”
Matthew began to relax again. “I guess there really is no ‘starting over.’”
“Eh,” Balor said, “You just gotta commit to it. It is possible.”
“You say that from experience?”
Balor leaned around to look at Matthew from the side. Matthew was taken aback by having a man so close to his face.
“That’s for me to know, and you to find out,” Balor teased. Then, he sat back down and poured hot water over Matthew’s shoulders. Matthew hissed, the sudden change in temperature startling him.
“Playing the role of the enigma, I see,” Matthew said in a low voice.
“It’s what I do best,” Balor teased back.
He sat down beside Matthew after he finished rinsing off the soap. He handed Matthew the brush.
Matthew cleaned Balor’s back thoroughly. He tried not to think about how weird it was to touch another person after years in isolation from the world. No hugs from his in-laws, his parents were long deceased, and not even the graze of a hand with a servant. No, it’d been since Catherine passed from her illness all those years ago. She’d been so warm, until she wasn’t.
“So, what brought you here?” Balor finally asked. Matthew had been expecting it eventually.
“Change,” Matthew answered simply. “I thought I could use a change in scenery.”
“Your hands are soft,” Balor commented, “but you know what you’re doing.”
Matthew knew his hands were soft. Years of minding an estate instead of getting down into hard labor would do that to a guy. They felt sore from a hard day of tilling and preparing the soil, even with his heavy-duty gardening gloves.
“I grew up on a farm,” Matthew explained simply.
“Mm,” Balor hummed. “And I, a gutter.”
Matthew paused the brushing of his back. Then, he resumed, deciding it was best not to ask.
“You’ve made quite the life for yourself,” Matthew responded.
“Mhm,” Balor hummed.
Matthew washed off all the soap. He stood, removing the towel from around his waist to soak in the hot, shallow pool.
“You coming?” Matthew asked.
Balor stood, and Matthew averted his eyes. Normally, with other men, Matthew wasn’t so modest. Really, he didn’t care. But there was something about Balor that made Matthew feel cautious.
“Why, yes, I am,” Balor answered, removing his towel to step into the bath. He sank down a respectable distance from Matthew.
They soaked. They talked about the town, about the earthquake, and about the necessary repairs. Then, Matthew decided it was late enough and decided to head back to the inn. They walked back together, then went their separate ways for the night.
When Matthew fell asleep, that last thought that flitted through his head was a memory of Catherine. She’d told him, before she died, that she wished for him to find love again—to be happy. And now, Matthew lived far away from their old life together, and while he no longer teared up at her memory, he knew he wasn’t ready to move on. Not yet.
When he dreamed that night, he had visions of pale skin and indigo hair. When Matthew woke up, the first person he wanted to say hello to was Balor. It was unexplainable, but the urge was there.
He rose. Exiting his room, he saw Balor eating a small breakfast at the bar, talking with Reina.
Matthew left for the farm instead, opting not to nurture the urges inside his chest, the ones that told him to gravitate towards the mysterious man. Instead, he farmed. He sowed seeds, watered them, and then helped Ryis and March finish the back wall of the cottage.
Before nightfall, his home was ready for sleep, fitted with a thin mattress on an old, rickety bedframe. It wasn’t as comfortable as the Inn, but it was cheaper, and it would be sufficient for the time being.
He’d water the crops in the morning, then later, he’d head to the mines.
It was time to earn the rest of those tesserae from Balor.
⋆⋆⋆
The mines were interesting.
Matthew had never gone mining before. The air was dusty, and slimy things kept trying to jump him. As well, breaking rocks was hard work, but he carried back sacks of stone to set up a nice gravel path later leading from his cottage to his garden.
He also found copper, and after consulting with March, they reached an agreement: Matthew would bring him raw ore, and March would pay for it, then offer his products at a discount. It worked out, since there was only so much time in the day, and Matthew couldn’t be bothered to learn blacksmithing, not while March was there.
“Thanks,” Matthew said, drumming his knuckles on the table.
“Don’t mention it, please,” March muttered, but then he returned to engraving something, ignoring Matthew entirely. Matthew just shrugged and walked away.
Heading back to the farm, Matthew passed by Balor’s cart. He’d learned it was his earlier that day, overhearing Celine discussing it with her father as he passed by her home on the way to the mines.
He looked to the right, checking whether Balor was there. He wasn’t.
Feeling an unexplainable pang of disappointment, Matthew sighed and moved on.
Another day, he’d ask just how deep in the mines Balor had dropped his pouch of rubies.
⋆⋆⋆
“Balor? Oh, he’s out of town,” Reina responded to Matthew after he’d asked about Balor’s whereabouts. “He left on a business trip.”
“Oh, alright,” Matthew responded. “Thank you.”
“What do you need him for? Maybe I could help.”
Matthew shook his head. “I just needed to ask a question.”
Departing from the Inn, Matthew decided to look for the rubies in the mines on his own again. How hard could that be? He’d already descended the first seven or so floors. However, when he reentered, he realized everything beyond the first floor was different.
It was like the floors rearranged themselves. Rocks were suddenly whole again, ladders were gone, and the very structure of the floor walls varied, now. These couldn’t be the same mines… and yet they were.
Descending deeper, he tried to find Balor’s ruby pouch, but instead, found himself mining rubies as he went. It seemed the magical mines had eaten whatever Balor had left behind, and they were gone, likely forever.
Exiting the mines with a small sack of gravel over his shoulder, his rusty pickaxe on his hip, and rubies in his belt pouch, Matthew returned late that night to the farm, dirty and covered in dust. He put his items away in the lone chest in his cottage, then washed himself off in the river. It was freezing cold from the mountain water, but it refreshed him and soothed his tired muscles.
Turning around, Matthew, naked, almost jumped out of his skin when he saw a figure at the farm’s gate, standing there.
“Announce yourself!” Matthew shouted, fear slipping into his voice.
He really needed to light up the area.
“It’s me,” Balor shouted back, “your favorite merchant!”
Matthew’s shoulders slumped with relief. He exited the water slowly, sat down on a large rock, and pulled on a pair of clean trousers. Then, he pulled on some clogs and walked back to the cottage.
“Scared the livin’ daylights outta me, ya ass,” Matthew said without heat. He chuckled. “What if I slipped and hit my head on a rock?”
“That’d be tragic,” Balor emphasized. “Truly.”
“Oh, shut it.”
Balor laughed, his eyes shut tight, a hand coming up to shield his mouth as he showed his teeth, almost like he was embarrassed to smile. That couldn’t be, though, because his laugh and smile were both so pretty.
Pause.
Matthew brushed away that last thought, but still, he couldn’t help but ask, “Why do you cover your mouth when you laugh?”
Balor raised his eyebrows. “What? Oh.”
He took his hand away from near his mouth.
“I didn’t realize… I guess old habits die hard,” Balor said, muttering that last part.
“Why is it a habit?”
“Because,” Balor floundered, “I used to have really bad teeth. Got them fixed up a while back.”
Matthew had heard of dental care before, though it was only common for the rich. Most people, if they had a tooth problem, would have to choose removal over preservation.
Matthew wondered what Balor looked like before. He shrugged. “Well, they look great now, so you’ll unlearn that over time.”
Balor’s cheeks reddened slightly. “Well… if you say so.”
“I do,” Matthew asserted. “And I also have some rubies for you.”
Balor perked up. “Is that why Reina said you were looking for me?”
“No, I was going to ask what level you dropped them on, but alas,” Matthew said with a sigh. “I discovered that the mine floors aren’t exactly stable.”
“Oh,” Balor said, frowning. “Excuse me?”
“I’ve heard of magic before,” Matthew mused, “but I really didn’t think it was true. And that dragon statue by the mines and on my land is quite ominous… It should be investigated.”
Balor nodded slowly. “How are the mine floors unstable, again?”
“They move from day to day,” Matthew explained. “I’ll need to continue showing up daily to confirm, but ladders are never in the same place, and the very layout shifts, too.”
“Oh,” Balor muttered. “Wow. So, about my rubies…?”
Matthew raised an eyebrow at the man.
“Yes, yes, priorities…” Balor sighed. He shifted from foot to foot, looking guilty. “Are you okay?”
That wasn’t what Matthew was trying to get him to ask, but okay.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Matthew responded. “I was just wondering if you knew anything about magic, yourself.”
“Well,” Balor began slowly, like he was deciding how much was okay to tell, “I may or may not have heard questionable things about the mines from Eiland and the rest of the Historical Society.”
“And you sent me in there anyway?”
“Hey!” Balor defended himself. “I paid you!”
Matthew glared at him. Balor deflated visibly.
“Sorry…” Balor apologised. “I didn’t know the issue ran that deep. Honestly, I didn’t take their stories seriously.”
Matthew relaxed. “Alright—If you swear you didn’t know.”
“I swear,” Balor said eagerly. “If I knew for sure and didn’t think it was just folklore, I would’ve told you beforehand. Of course I would’ve.”
“So you only went down one time?”
“Yes,” Balor answered. His deep, brown eyes were sincere and emphatic.
Matthew nodded. “Okay. I believe you. You don’t strike me as someone who’s needlessly deceptive.”
Balor’s lips curled into the smallest of smiles, but the expression didn’t reach his eyes. “I try not to be.”
Matthew wasn’t sure if he should read into that. He nodded again, looking away from Balor.
“I thought you were out on business,” Matthew stated.
“Deal fell through,” Balor said with a sigh. “I wasn’t going to waste time on pirates.”
“Whoa! Pirates?” Matthew asked, suddenly invested. “Did they try to pull one over on you?”
“They thought they could sell stolen goods. Prices were suspiciously low. I declined to buy,” Balor said. Then, he rolled his shoulder and said softly, “I’m just happy I got out all right.”
Matthew watched Balor wince as he adjusted his shoulder. “Did they hurt you?”
“Nothing too bad,” Balor said. “One of them yanked on my arm when they tried to mug me, but I’m a fast runner.”
Matthew frowned. “Sit down. Let me take a look.”
Balor shook his head. “Really, I’m fine.”
“Sit down, or I’m taking you to Valen.”
Balor glared. Then, he walked up to the cottage porch and sat down on a chair.
“How about we do this on the bed?” Matthew suggested, and Balor’s face turned pink. Matthew wondered what he was thinking about, since he meant nothing dirty by it. “Just so you’re more comfortable.”
Balor nodded. He stood, following after Matthew into the cottage. Matthew made him take off his upper-body clothing, draping it over a nearby chair. Then, after Balor lay down on his bed, face down, Matthew suddenly understood why Balor blushed.
It was quite the scene, and one Matthew had never witnessed before. A man, half-naked, in his bed. His fingers tingled with the urge to touch Balor’s back, to feel his skin, his warmth, and not even in a sexual way. It was as if Matthew was compelled to show him affection and make sure Balor was okay.
“Well?” Balor asked, his voice surprisingly vulnerable-sounding. “Check on me, doctor.”
Matthew laughed, and the odd atmosphere dissolved.
“Yeah, yeah,” Matthew said, and then he was gently pressing and prodding. He checked Balor’s range of motion slowly, then gently massaged the sore muscles. After, he came up with an idea.
“Take a dip in the stream,” Matthew suggested. “It’ll be like an ice pack.”
Balor groaned. “Anything but that.”
“It’ll help. You’ll thank yourself later,” Matthew said. “Here, I’ll light a fire in the hearth, and you’ll come inside for a cup of warm tea. Sound good?”
The blush on Balor’s face came back. “I… suppose that’s agreeable.”
Matthew wasn’t sure what was happening, but he kinda liked it. Still, it made his chest feel tight, like he was doing something he wasn’t supposed to. Like he was dishonoring Catherine’s memory.
“Go wash up,” Matthew said gently. “I’ll brew the tea.”