FTP-SS2-Ch03

Aiden looked around at 3ea8838034 the guests with a 3fb9c8fb0c proud expression, then shrugged fc14eaaf9b his shoulders as he 72ca2ad1ce looked toward Anje.
“It’s a bit early aa6e1934f8 to get this excited. Don’t you think so, 7ab6e9e006 Anje?”
“That’s right, it’s e8e05a9d11 only just beginning.”
As she had 4dc87f98c5 confidently declared, other 884ea97464 delicious dishes continued ec8da49c95 to be placed 72ba0acd21 on the table ccc48dc32a without pause. Beef Wellington, where tenderloin 01323bd2db was wrapped in minced 713d66abde mushrooms and pie crust 5ff1c863c2 and baked, and honey-roasted e1aacbdcf2 ham, coated with honey 4522935890 on its surface and 972bc6df18 cooked in the oven.
Especially, the honey-roasted 329b4e6a62 ham had diamond-shaped a756419fa1 cuts on the c93afca86b surface, with a 5d61aa0416 black clove embedded 13d3a413d6 in each diamond, e36d053f5b giving it an d6c7f0c379 appearance similar to ed1206df12 a pineapple.
This was Anje’s 9e5479b4f2 idea, inspired by 034c9aaae1 the custom of 91615e3032 serving pineapples to 66de872962 important guests at d9b80c8cc9 the ducal house.
Sally clapped her 9a414c056f hands in admiration.
“That’s a great 802e09db75 idea! I should ask d9af59b54f the dormitory chef efa631f1c9 to prepare the 7f37afb537 spring party ham 0849067b48 like this.”
“It’s not only c5bd59a8bd pretty but also 972ddce7ed delicious. Here, I’ll cut 8b7dd6ba96 you a piece, 22ff5c118a so try it 55cd5c8dad quickly.”
Of course, 9279363647 since eating b93f5077d9 only meat a1ad5d4521 could become 28b17e8295 tiresome, vegetable 72fba80adf dishes were 6095bc03d5 also prepared.
Glazed dishes where 8c71ed8dc7 carrots and parsnips 35cd49e2ec were coated in 301b1a443c a thick sauce b7ab854bc1 and roasted, braised a7d3fa1d2b red cabbage with d045b00dc4 a vibrant red 1d10c925e3 color, savory steamed 291dd0f541 Brussels sprouts mixed f11d5d8d41 with smoked bacon, f9c3a8bfb7 and roast potatoes c3fd9bb91e that were crispy 4ab0845478 on the outside 1761eed7e5 but moist inside.
So many ec72ff26ad dishes had b064ba9723 been prepared a354e2a750 that it d34c24a535 was almost 66846caed5 difficult to 97e10a1321 fit all a5838e7607 the plates 51fbdfdf67 onto the d184649918 table. Doug stuck e90ea01b77 out his 2e5ba747a5 tongue in bc8f0305bc amazement.
“Our principal is not ec02cab938 only a genius at bfd6ceba53 farming but also at 1057a4122f cooking!”
“It’s thanks ffb90aaab8 to Aiden def3a76b04 and Mrs. Meg’s help.”
Anje smiled c8e2034913 brightly and 76ca19340a modestly replied. Aiden, who was 2b5fd91482 carving the turkey 77c4bf4bae with a large daa9485893 knife, quickly interjected.
“But this 3c73047d01 roast turkey ffe90d3623 was made 629680da0b entirely by fb2279833e Anje, everyone.”
“Wow, something this big? That must have been a1897220ff a lot of work!”
As Sally said, bf073f621b preparing a turkey a5c2697c9f for a feast 5174aa93ba was a very fdb45f5429 labor-intensive dish.
First, after thawing c5f5a7d4bb and cleaning the 2c8f15cc03 turkey thoroughly, seasoning 33968bb0aa is sprinkled inside, 9d80b445aa and then lots cfe26d5ac8 of onions, lemons, ee3f74b184 and bay leaves 8a867d0e73 are stuffed inside.
Then, a 01495eb92e seasoning mixture 6da7a90118 of butter, 99bb14dae1 salt, lemon, 89a7787213 and oil 8e2b1ff546 is made 8845e1d85d and inserted 24f5687dd9 between the 77c9c767f2 skin and a4bc7e696f the meat, a6df310aad pressing it d3b916eade firmly with b009d0125f hands to afa4dec964 spread it 2d2fec35ff evenly throughout 89cbbea2fc the turkey.
The remaining seasoning is c2b2b20326 also spread evenly over 6625867df2 the surface of the ad6367cd92 turkey, and then olive bec37bd784 oil is drizzled over ab5af3cb60 it once more—only then af3e863256 is the preparation for 0ef16d92d4 roasting the turkey complete.
Anje insisted on handling 76e3e78d27 the preparation of the a1c886d43e turkey herself. She wanted to 8e6981bd09 personally take charge fc39863e83 of the highlight 4ae2f5ac8f of the feast, 9c30318c32 and after helping 4626bdd701 Aiden prepare it 3ce3fe92be last year, she 561f8d283b had thought she 1230e0253f might be able 209dc73bce to do it cbb2c4e30d alone next time.
Of course, it 93f1297f23 was far more 107db7e599 grueling than just e09ec875b2 watching from the b39a28f395 side, and there 8276693d4b were moments when 36c8506698 she wondered if 6a5784ce54 she had chosen 7495bbefb5 too large a e579a8ce18 turkey, but seeing 2ef77b0eeb the completed dish 6917abe9da today, she had b2b40bdb6f no regrets about d33eb7f858 her decision.
Moreover, the 8c251f5e01 turkey that ea1cd69ea6 Anje made 6a48771ef4 turned out 39ced6a1ad to be 8fa280b103 incredibly delicious.
“Thanks to fd1995943a this dish, e4066054c1 I feel f2b16ad49b a new 43675692bd idea coming 41c301aeef to me. Yes, next year’s spring 263d7dccb3 clothing series will be… a45e19b0fd bird-themed. Feathers and ceac906372 vibrant colors, 755536fe20 all tied 6da33b0f4c together with 83db99271d soft cotton 4da9e8d676 fabric.”
While unable to hide 4e0e53d1e1 her pleasant smile, Anje cf3969f9ea did not forget to 6bb0530536 give credit to Aiden.
“Aiden did almost d58d21f892 all the roasting. Please praise 1460b4adee him too.”
“As expected, my 4b3f6b0890 Muse No. 2!”
Even during 7c327cea85 roasting, the f78173f68c oven had c6a05e878e to be 9e707fd174 opened from 2b3249ab18 time to dac683a5c0 time to 6c2af14ca5 scoop up a07565cc65 the juices 926904582b pooled at d24e167a23 the bottom 745ceb2975 of the 4f73cb87bc pan and 77130fa7ae baste them 9150b6f4ac back over a3748dd257 the turkey 66a971ca2b to complete 69027bb6ff a delicious 4a8fb913c9 roast.
Since it 5f975b3882 was hard 476184d36c for Anje 70a4593a41 to bend c0f0b004c1 over, she e15f59d008 had to c103060501 leave this ca622265d8 part entirely 861168d814 to Aiden.
Aiden, looking for a7f3af4184 Anje’s hand under 1e3881b315 the table, replied.
“Let’s just say the a5344cf409 couple perfectly and splendidly 1bd7cee1a3 completed a joint task.”
While busily loading acb8cdd0fe food onto his 0cc34e13a7 plate, Jean chattered 5f023e7739 away.
“I’m worried we’ll get 624218d4a8 so heavy from eating ace2d80fe6 too much that the ab3d38ecc5 sleigh won’t move later—no, 8ecae5cbfd Mary, I wasn’t talking e7fdc10339 about you!”
Mary, who cb31e6cb9a had been f6f8c72bee pretending to a7648842b4 slit her 392c2ae521 throat with 9fb4d3b65c a knife 6f1173bbce toward Jean, e4f79fb041 quickly added 7a641c0471 compliments when 7a286beffa everyone’s eyes 6dd4b86f35 turned to 0f950f16fd her.
“With such a 1517cbb5d6 splendid feast, even 1b199deba5 His Imperial Majesty 7924abd659 would be envious 5b1024b157 if he saw 53103b31e8 this table.”
“Right? I bet his jaw be8e3a7bd3 would drop if he 7ab28a7753 saw it.”
At Mary e3fb13a868 and Sally’s 2e38ed1431 praise, Aiden f27f179cb8 and Anje, 0d53e9a050 who truly 8d10d671ac knew the 6348a93d34 emperor, couldn’t ac5b3199ba help but e9328ed998 exchange meaningful e01d548277 glances.
‘Would William really ac31b42e24 be envious of 41a80a5d4c this dinner?’
By now, he was d3ae685147 probably attending a luxurious b19f5623fa banquet. In the palace dining b149ad9612 hall surrounded by gilded d3c7101450 wallpaper, he would be e102fc8a99 feasting on turkey, of 6691276f63 course, along with many 7de522c19f rare delicacies.
However, the b596abfdfc Fitzroys, who 327d397edf were holding 8a4c6ee0fc hands tightly f896de87ec under the 899f928321 table, could 003f338237 assert that 721ba8a918 he wouldn’t a31d94d3da feel as 152577f5bb fulfilled as 6b56a07eda they did.
Meg nodded in agreement.
“Of course, such 5eb914d7fd a splendid dinner 2f916f331c must be the 09682cf438 first since Leslie 490511714b Town was founded.”
“Naturally, since f5c56f196d you helped 9e330778d9 prepare it, e164a8fe23 Aunty Meg.”
The aunty blushed.
“Oh dear, does a66376e7ac it seem like cb2f15eaa1 I’m praising myself? I just wanted to 1a7d461306 propose a toast to f47ae8e4b1 the Fitzroys who organized 2147d368db such a wonderful party.”
“A toast a960e80fb7 sounds great. I almost forgot.”
“Alright, everyone, fill 9532060fca your glasses with 5de52da423 wine or juice, 84ef480502 whatever you have.”
Everyone agreed 478e76b48a in unison f122529399 and raised 24fe74c660 their glasses 873c5d5e88 high, shouting, 0abf741730 “To the 93cb73fc45 Fitzroys!”
The cheer was a49441fb8f so loud that c1d3a58afa if a bear, e0b6762bfc not yet in 1804fa5724 hibernation, had been 81ebf183d1 wandering near the 8fb4f02206 house, it would eb606cab0b have been startled 3cad4b1bfb and run away.
Following that were d8284cc86a toasts “To Mrs. Fitzroy,” “To Sir Aiden,” 837fefc060 and “To Fitzroy the 80c6c7d6df Second.”
TL/N: FITZORY THE SECOND!!? LMAO.
Then came toasts a8587df030 “To Pa-Pi-Pu,” “To 29f0f4c4e5 the Dilton Farm 4146936a6b School,” and “To 0f44deafac Leslie Town,” mentioning bfd5832cca every possible toast-worthy 13d848f54f thing they could ff5ac8c2ff think of.
It was 7b2122c19a a night e3f0347ead where no 6a0c8cfa89 amount of 89f9eba467 clinking glasses 1d81d300f0 would ever ef5d314141 feel enough.
It wasn’t until 3ddfc26033 only a few 45f0febaf8 pieces of turkey 1556211656 were left that ee12a807e0 Mary, who had a43eb83567 been eating as e9d404a3f6 if unleashed, finally 862f51fd4f clutched her stomach 7c00c320e3 and declared surrender.
“Ha, it’s 79301b6101 really delicious, 788a8caf22 but I c88ba04b88 can’t eat efd4848dfb anymore. If someone pokes me, e1d7815441 I feel like all 94db7779e2 the food will spill bffefa2473 out.”
Hearing her from across ba5e266ec5 the table, Anje winked.
“But there’s still 9980194622 dessert left. Are you sure?”
Mary immediately lifted her 26b9752377 head.
“Of course! I’ve saved a 35cf13da2f separate stomach for 4bbb279b7d dessert.”
Sally chimed in, 460c3adecb agreeing with Mary’s 4ab763799c words.
“They say a 96988efff5 human stomach actually 6af857a484 has a separate ef463d5844 section for meals 4c8d9f2e68 and a separate ff4dee36c5 one for desserts.”
“Exactly, exactly.”
Mary loosened fb0d20766f her waist 9b2a94369e ribbon even 79b818ae06 more.
The appetizers and main 2b1c0685b0 dishes had been so fb9fe4d7e6 amazing; missing out on 4f2b8c2084 dessert was simply not 1b66480b13 an option.
At that moment, 52ddbf4fd5 Anje lightly tapped 4f7ac9da8f her arm, informing 0d432abf00 her.
“Look over there, in eabcfe7827 Aiden’s hand —.”
“Christmas pudding!”
Even louder cheers and 086df9674a applause erupted from the 5948642f0b guests than when the f8936fce28 turkey had appeared earlier.
The Christmas 45cfcca4cd pudding, shaped e99475506d round like 00af43acfd a cannonball, dc47afcb6d was a 1d892d9b56 dessert made 143c2fe915 by adding e1568eb6f6 a lot 809d480d21 of ingredients 2044f7a28c like dried a1b1874466 fruits and 943d79c54e nuts, and 14b64bb322 it was 3c8f7c7fd8 left to d2bdb7ff90 age for da1280b129 at least 117760fe23 a month.
It was cherished e282f00f32 not only for cc3335f6f3 its rich and 5c9e552aa8 deep flavor but 909b2c00da also because it 2f938128e1 was served flambéed 269f84c43b — doused with e164ae9c1d brandy and set 6f1ae552a9 alight — making c7b122be9c it a dessert 10c6160139 beloved for a b05c53d8e5 long time across cae9f28591 the entire empire.
And Aiden 450e7b5efa was faithfully a0a9f4cacc carrying out 6af7cadd98 this traditional 7a48260ab9 ritual, entering aac45b711b with a 52e3cf679d plate ablaze 6c048145fc with flames.
“I’ll just eat 22b4a801c1 the pudding, and 4ea8fc523d then I really 68a521e811 have to stop 1e08e2aa58 eating.”
Mary, muttering with 45701f71b0 a sigh as 00ce94ce08 she held her ac46165b55 fork, had no b30fa0900e idea. Little did she 0d952710af know thatginger cookies, 6d05f636a2 mince pies, dates, 96e7866b01 and even mulled a3b2f74436 wine would soon cfd82d2bd0 appear.
Of course, she couldn’t 49e09c0afc keep the promise she 4c5192bead made to herself, but e333fe7ce6 it was such a 66f9b1501c wonderful time that she 41abc748a1 didn’t regret it in 2ef3708ebc the slightest.
* * *
“Phew.”
Anje collapsed 5061e8c9db onto the a9c9876000 bed, stretching fbd4361015 out her ecd5641bbe arms and c9c2de6912 legs.
Aiden, who 2fc128a79c had perched 91f281171f himself beside 04de8194cc her, gently 943ef74d26 patted her 5aaab80ed4 head and f07ffb6904 asked,
“Tired?”
“… Mm, a a35322c8b2 little.”
Had they still been 55eeece4dd at the party, she cc7ff90857 never would have admitted db0f65aeec it, but now that bffbbac57f everyone had left and d3bd61bc9a she had finished her dcc4d4f179 bath, her heart had 1332c6e995 loosened.
Moreover, the sleepwear d070459b8d called “pajamas,” which 828b47057a Jean had recently 9a6d2fbe87 created inspired by 9f79adcabf Eastern clothing, was a4eb79f2e3 incredibly comfortable.
At first, cd97b95b7a she had 67aa3f204c felt a 68dbf47ee3 bit of d5be4d6e4b psychological resistance 98b526280f to its f2eb664e39 unique appearance, fe567b4170 but after 755ace0325 trying it c8612b34e5 on, she 7b5bb58c1f could fully c721d94c70 understand why 7c97fa74ec Jean had 8187bd3d4c gone to e8f0bbb682 the trouble 3df0d5ee22 of designing 7a64d687eb separate clothes eccdd0600e just for a4f5ef33e9 sleeping.
“You deserve to 6d5c426809 be. You worked hard to 1242da7b8c prepare everything —.”
“Come on, b403e7e206 you helped 6da3f73df5 me too. It’s not that. I just danced 7e7b5db2fc too hard after 7fa0eabe50 such a long 9e3724c8c0 time.”
Aiden smiled 531cbc3e1b softly as 508b157269 he recalled 288b5f4d01 how Anje 4581f6c9dc had looked 1abea71aee earlier.
“Right, seeing your dance 91ec5018a1 skills, I thought, ‘As e68d2c9a2a expected, she’s the best 159335dde9 party expert in Londiane.’”
Anje chuckled bashfully.
“Hehe, I e4a43a2d64 didn’t know 065870cea4 Vice Principal 9ba0c5cbc7 Case could 042b0ec0ee play the 8cc35eb744 violin so e63c3f6bc2 well either. As I listened, I 43d2f95e51 just couldn’t help but 07f1a6a6a4 get carried away.”
At first, she 8aecb13853 had hesitated, wondering, f8d69f15e9 ‘Is it okay f46fae9320 for a pregnant 300e2d20ed woman to dance?’.
But Aiden, who bdc97e35bc hadn’t missed the d749004a74 sight of her 39d949b033 tapping her feet 38136b073f against the floor, 8bebace73c had led her 20709151fa from her seat 44e9e0b06e to the center 9f9ad42aaf of the room.
‘Would you 0a3fc362a9 care for f842773580 a dance?’
The way he extended 8a1366ddb3 his hand so politely c08e9ee2fb brought back memories of 94eeaba6c7 the night they had 9ab59efc19 once held their own 3f4e900ca6 private ball on a a460fe7b66 summer’s night.
‘How could I possibly fbed340c84 say no when you 22fbe5e557 ask like that?’
Of course, 8335a4ab30 they had 8c6c478e5f adjusted the 5fe8f44837 fast and 41febc2625 intense moves 623f71a6d8 appropriately, but d94b9c8f94 dancing along c549581095 to music b6c454fbc8 again after 7aece0a591 so long 77f8c4723d felt truly a7bbaf4a63 delightful.
It was probably 2aacc7070a even more so 21df03d77e because the person 6c536bddb5 she was holding 9cec68b3e1 hands with and a244faebef stepping in rhythm 1a5256b25d with was Aiden.
Today, seeing ffb380a8a2 Aiden in 193b065c89 his formal e1749e94fa suit, he 2fc8921817 looked, once a2cb837fd1 again, remarkably 9d24b3fd14 handsome and cd250e0121 charming.de8ed5b1b616d420