Chapter 8: Cook of the Day

The rule on the stove door said the cook of the day is not criticized.

By the fifth day it was the only reason the household was still speaking.

Calista cooked on Monday.

She made a stew from a recipe in her mother's hand.

It was grey, and so salty that Evander drank four cups of water over it without comment.

"It's very thorough," Ottilie said, chewing.

"Thank you," Calista said.

"The salt is in every bite."

"I'm glad you noticed."

Elowen pushed a potato around her bowl and said, in a small voice, that it was a very honest stew.

Nobody looked at anyone else.

It was the politest meal Calista had ever eaten.

Three women who had each been shown a paper, and who had each hidden it, passed the bread in turn and thanked each other for it.

She had expected shouting.

She had been ready for shouting, and had her answers lined up in her head, in order.

This was worse.

Tuesday was Elowen's day.

She baked a pudding.

She had never baked anything and she had followed a printed receipt exactly.

The pudding rose beautifully in the oven and fell in a heap on the table when Ottilie set it down.

Elowen looked at it for a long moment.

"I think," she said, "it has opinions."

Ottilie put her hand over her mouth and made a loud wet noise into her palm.

It was the first laugh since the night of the ball, and it was cut short.

Calista saw it die.

Ottilie's eyes slid to her and away.

Elowen's eyes slid to both of them and down to her plate.

"It's delicious," said Calista, and ate a spoonful of wet flour.

"It is," Ottilie agreed.

"Thank you for making it," Elowen whispered.

Evander took a second helping.

He ate it slowly, with great attention.

When he reached the bottom of the bowl he set his spoon down and said, "The cook of the day is not criticized."

"That's right," said Elowen.

"I would like it noted for the record that I have not."

"Noted," said Calista, and found, to her horror, that her mouth wanted to smile.

Wednesday, Ottilie roasted a chicken.

She had been a maid on the stage so many times that she thought she knew how.

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