Free The Legacy by T. J. Bennett

and she was a young girl again.
    It was a nice dream, even if it could never come true.
    “Oh, my,” Bea said suddenly, “I’ve nearly forgotten how hungry you must be. Let me get the tray, and you can eat while I brush.”
    “Oh, nay, I can get it—”
    “Nonsense. You must rest and save your strength. The Master is eager to—well, they say he rarely, you know, but …” Bea’s fair skin turned bright pink. “He seems to have noticed you in a way he hasn’t noticed any other in many a day,” she finished meaningfully.
    Sabina tried not to gape at that bit of news.
    Bea placed the trencher of food in Sabina’s lap, handed her a sweet honey cake, and gave her a knowing wink. “I think you had better eat up as much as you can, if you take my meaning.” She returned to brushing Sabina’s hair.
    “I am certain you are mistaken.” Sabina toyed with the edge of the trencher. “About his interest, that is.”
    Bea snorted. “Oh, nay. I may be an old woman, but I still can see when a man goes on point for a lovely girl.”
    It was Sabina’s turn to blush.
    “But Master Behaim,” Sabina said, “he and I are not—that is, tonight is not going to be—” She stopped, having no idea how to explain.
    Bea turned Sabina to face her. She waved the hairbrush at her, one hand on her hip.
    “Now, my lady, think you not that the Master is one of those men who will take what he wants whenever he wants it. He’s the soul of patience, that one, and you must never be afraid to doubt it. A real man, my mother would call him.” She sighed dreamily. “Why, if I were twenty years younger, and had not known him since he was a babe-in-arms, I’d flash an ankle at him myself, I would. But do not worry, you’ll have plenty of time to recover your strength first.”
    She resumed brushing Sabina’s hair, evidently taking her stunned silence for gratitude.
    “Besides,” Bea continued, “the Master would want you to rest up first—he’s a good man, and a kind one, though you could torture him with pins before he’d admit to it. He would want no effort spared in getting you well. A few days to heal,” she said, her eyes briefly flicking over Sabina’s thin frame, “and you’ll be blushing and smiling like the new bride you are.”
    Sabina decided to change the subject as quickly as possible. She took a bite of the honey cake, which was excellent, and said so. Bea glowed.
    “Why, thank you, my lady. It is from my own recipe.”
    Sabina fingered the sweet roll, and decided she needed to know more about her new husband before she saw him again. Ignorance never served a woman well.
    “Bea, would you sit a moment and talk with me?”
    “Sit?” Bea asked, as though the concept of resting in the middle of a workday had never occurred to her.
    Sabina patted the bed beside her in invitation.
    “Yes, I have some questions I would like answered. I am afraid Master Behaim and I have not had much of a chance to get acquainted.” She raised a shoulder in a gesture of helplessness. “You know how men are about such things. If I am to make a good wife to him, there are things I should know, would you not agree?” She crossed her fingers behind her back and prayed God would forgive her the lie. She gave Bea a pleading smile.
    Bea eyed her skeptically.
    “Well, truth be told,” Bea said finally, “it would be nice to get off my feet for a while. When the day starts at four in the morning, one gets little chance to sit down.” She moved over and settled down with a sigh. “What is it you’d like to know?”
    Now that she had the opportunity, Sabina was unsure where to begin. She bit into a creamy wedge of cheese while she formed a response. “Master Behaim … how long has he been living in Wittenberg?”
    “Since he was a boy. But he stays mostly in Nürnberg, his shops are there. He will take over the shop here as well, now Master Wolf’s father has passed on, God rest his weary soul.”
    “His father died recently?”