Taking a bite, he savored the taste of the honey, and actually closed his eyes for a brief moment. When he opened them, he saw Alicia’s mother looking at him expectantly. “This has to be the best bread I’ve ever tasted,” he said.

“Chad likes honey,” Alicia explained.

“Then, by all means have more,” her mother said as she moved the honey pitcher closer to him.

The roast duck was perfect, the skin crispy and meat full of juice. Before he even realized it, he had cleaned off his first plate. Everyone else at the table hadn’t yet eaten through half of what they had.

“Would you like more?” her mother asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied and helped himself with more of everything.

“It’s good to see a boy eat,” her mother stated.

Erin giggled. “He eats like a hog mama.”

“Erin!” admonished her father.

The smile on her little face vanished quickly when she turned fearful eyes toward her father. In her exuberance, she had overstepped the bounds of etiquette.

“That is not how a lady talks at the table,” her mother instructed her.

“Sorry,” she said quietly.

Chad glanced at the father and mother, then back to the sad face of Erin. “At least I don’t snort while I eat,” he said with a grin. Glancing across the table to Alicia, he saw her grinning back at him.

The brightness returned to Erin’s eyes as she raised her head to look at him. A smile began to emerge then disappeared as she cast a glance to her father. She could tell he wasn’t amused, and was glad that he didn’t pursue the matter further.

“So,” her mother began, “Alicia tells us that you recently came back from a trip to Catha?”

“That’s right,” he replied. “A couple weeks ago.”