Yet it did. Immensely. The smith didn't want to examine the reason too closely.
A touch at his shoulder made him jump, and he dropped the hunk of metal he was flattening into the forge. "Jonas! What was that for?"
"If you flattened that chunk of iron any more you'd be able to eat it," Jonas said, taking the hammer from Daniel's hand. "Why don't you take a break, Master Daniel?"
"I don't need a break," Daniel snapped.
"You haven't eaten since this morning," Jonas stated. "You need food."
"Who are you to tell me what to do, Apprentice?" Daniel hissed.
"A friend," the younger man replied quietly. Daniel sobered. He closed his eyes, took a calming breath, and let it out slowly.
"I'm sorry, Jonas," the smith said tiredly. "You didn't deserve that. Yes, food would be nice right about now."
"Good, because we've been invited to eat with the Carters again," Jonas informed him cheerily.
"That man is as persistent as he is stubborn," Daniel muttered, feeling a bit of his dark mood lighten. Meals with the old soldier and his bright daughter tended to do that. Despite Jacob's fixation on his marrying Samantha, Daniel found he enjoyed the debates and general conversation at Carter mealtimes. "I find we're dining with them more often than we're left to fend for ourselves."
"I think the Lady Carter wants to keep us around a while," Jonas commented with a smile, rubbing the dirt off his hands with some water and a semi-clean cloth. "Despite how well you work metals, Master, you couldn't cook a decent meal to save your life."
"To put it kindly," Daniel agreed with a wry grin. "Yes, my culinary skills are rather dismal."
"To put it kindly," Jonas parroted. They finished cleaning up, Daniel making sure that the fires to both forges were banked properly, and then they set out for the Carter household.
Daniel resolutely set aside all thoughts of Jack and his bedmate. It would do him no good to dwell on it. He would enjoy this evening with his friends, and nothing anyone did would sour it.