The room was dim, only a faint slant of light past the edge of the shutter. I looked at the chamberpot. My stomach lurched, but I did really need to pee.
Using my foot, I dragged the bowl out to the middle of the room, scraping across the floorboards. I crouched to inspect it and gagged. It did not look clean enough.
I pulled up the tunic to my waist, crouched over the bowl, and peed. Then I tried to think about pooping, but nothing. I wondered,how long since I last took a poop? Three days?
That was fine, right?
I tried for longer, strained a bit, but my thighs were shaking and I worried Torin would return. Ultimately the whole thing was futile.
I wouldn’t worry about it.
I gave up and then wished I hadn’t dragged the bowl to the middle of the room. I had to actually pick it up — with myhands.Trying not to jostle it, gagging the whole time.
Now my hands were even more filthy. On the table sat a pitcher and a bowl, the water still clear. I poured some into the bowl, dipped my fingers, and scrubbed hard with the sliver of lye soap. The sharp smell bit my nose as I worked the suds up my arms to the elbows. By the time I finished, the water was murky gray. With nothing clean to dry with, I shook my hands briskly until they stopped dripping.
I set about wrapping myself in the plaid again, tugging it around like a makeshift dress. Although it was ingenious that a plaid could second as a blanket for sleeping, it was disconcertingthat it had been on a strange man, then on me, on a horse, then covering Torin on the floor, then back on me. That was a lot of use, maybe too much history for a piece of wool, especially without being dry-cleaned, ever.
I was pinning the plaid when a quick knock rattled the door.
“Torin?”
“Aye.”
“Just a minute. Almost dressed.”
I finished the pinning, hefted up the heavy wooden bar, and swung the door open.
He stepped in and I asked, “How do I look?”
He smiled. “Ye are a bonny lass.”
“Good, I wasn’t sure I got the plaid right.”
He chuckled, “I meant yer face is bonny. Yer plaid looks like it lost a fight.”
“Very funny.”
“We will hae tae put the cloak on ye tae cover the parts of yer plaid that are all askew.”
He stooped and hefted the bags onto his broad shoulders while I tugged on my socks and shoved my feet into my rainboots.
He asked, “Are ye ready?”
“Where’s Dude?”
“I told him tae meet us in the stables. He said he would be there in time, ready tae go, he had a few cat things tae do first.”
I laughed as we left our little room.
15
LEXI
1558 - TO GLENESK
The horses were already saddled when we walked up, steam rising from their flanks in the cool air. Torin set about tying and buckling our bags onto the saddles, but not exactly the same as they were yesterday, but I didn’t think to ask about it — until he led both horses out to the path and announced, “Ye are ridin’ Ferrari today.”
I raised my brow. “Alone?”
