"Back already, my lord? We were about to send a search party for your appetite."
"It's already here," Lyan said. "It got home before me." He tapped the sideboard where the midday lists hung. "Add 'rest day' columns. Give the staff permission to mark it without asking you. Two days a month to begin."
Her mouth went a little open. "With pay?"
"With pay. Rest keeps bread from burning."
Her eyes shone for a heartbeat before she squinted at him to hide it. "You'll ruin discipline."
"I'll ruin exhaustion." He took a crust end from yesterday's loaf, bit, and added around the chew, "You'll make it work better than I can say it."
She sniffed as if he'd accused her of a compliment. "Out. You distract my yeast."
He took the hint with a grinning bow, and nearly collided with a trio of maids hustling past with buckets. He gentled his voice to them as he had to the boy. "Take it slow today. We earned small steps."
