He pulled in a deep breath, slowly released it, then nodded. “I see.”
“Ye are a good man, Jasper.” She softened the blow with a smile. “But I am not the woman for ye.”
The tension seemed to leave him as quickly as it came. He gave her another teasing look and chuckled. “Ye dinna ken what ye are missing, lass.”
“It is a loss I will strive to overcome.” She patted his arm. “On wi’ yer horse riding, aye? I willna keep ye.”
“Nah, ’tis too cold after all.”
A snorting laugh escaped her. “Ye are a true rascal.”
He winked. “Ye have no idea.” He peered over the side of the stall at the children. “Mistress Bella, yer da has locked himself in the library again. Been there all day, and none will interrupt him. The maids need in there to clean, and the lads have more wood ready for his fire that is surely burning low by now. Mrs. Thistlewick would rather ye be the one to interrupt him.” A wider grin split his beard. “She says if he barks at her again for opening that door, she will box his ears for him.”
“If ye had not brought that woman here, he wouldna keep hiding in there.” The child placed her kitten back down in the straw and stood.
“The man is canny enough to find a reason to reject her anytime he wishes. He chose the wording of the contract. All he must do is use it.” Jasper shot a side-eyed look at Lorna. “But it was brought to my attention that a certain someone informed him he should grant the lady the full thirty days.”
Bella fixed an impressively accusing glare on Lorna. “Is that true?”
“If Lady Murdina leaves, then Frances, Hesther, and I have to leave with her.” Lorna waited to see if that would soften the child’s scowl. It did. In fact, wisdom far beyond the years of most nine-year-olds shone in her eyes.
“Could Da not keep the three of ye here and just send away the lady and her brother?”
“Yer father said he couldna come between a woman and her son.” Lorna cast a smile at Hesther. “He might be able to keep Hesther here, but not Frances. Ye wouldna wish to doom the lad to that, would ye?”
“What have ye been plotting, Mistress Bella?” Jasper waved the child forward with a soft gruffness in his tone.
“Never ye mind,” the youngling said. As she stepped out of the stall, she caught hold of Lorna’s hand. “Ye need to come with me, since it seems he listens to at least part of what ye say.”
“Hesther, Frances? Will the two of ye be staying out here with the kittens or coming inside?” Lorna hated leaving the two alone. They always seemed so vulnerable.
“We will stay a bit longer, mistress,” Frances said without looking up. “Me and Hesther are used to the cold.”
“Dinna stay out here too long,” Lorna said, troubled by the child’s response. Why were he and Hestherused to the cold? She turned to Jasper. “Are ye coming?”
He shook his head. “Our fine chief and I have already sparred enough for one day. I shall be busy tending to other duties unless I am summoned.”
“Lovely.” She squared her shoulders and gave Bella a warning look as they made their way across the packed snow of the bailey. “Yer da is sure to be in a mood if he has been in there all day. I wonder what happened?”
“Maybe Lady Cow showed her true self.”
“Bella.” While Lorna completely agreed with the moniker the child had chosen for the woman, she didn’t feel right about condoning it. Somebody had to be the adult and take the high road.
The child rolled her eyes. “Sorry.”
Lorna squeezed the wee one’s hand. “I know it’s hard to be kind to those who dinna seem to deserve it, but they are the ones who need it most.” With a conspiratorial wink, she added, “At least until the woman does something so terrible that we must declare all-out war on her.”
“She will.” Bella bounced a self-assured nod. “Frances and Hesther willna speak about her much. Too afraid she will find out. But from what little they have said, the lady canna benicelong. ’Tis not in her nature.”
“Well, let us hang up our cloaks and see if we can brighten yer da’s mood.” Lorna swept her cloak off, hung it on a peg just inside the kitchen door, then hung Bella’s beside it.
“We could bring Da a treat.” The child tipped her nose higher and sniffed. “Cook’s bannocks smell near done, and Da loves them fresh from the ovens. ’Specially with butter and honey.”
“A fine idea.” The toasty warmth of the kitchen wrapped around them like a welcoming hug, making Lorna want to curl up in the corner and bask in it. The rich aroma of baking bread started her mouth watering. They wove their way through multiple baskets of root vegetables, a pair of maids churning butter, and the worktables where two more lasses rolled and kneaded dough.
Cook, the name she insisted everyone call her, stood in front of the large stone ovens, feeding sticks of wood into the center fire chamber. She was a large, elderly woman, and years of bending over pots had stooped her back. When she turned and noticed them, her bright red cheeks plumped with her cheery smile. “Good day to ye, lassies! I wondered why my wee mistress had not turned up for a bannock fresh off the fire.”
Bella ran and gave her a hug, making the matron’s eyes crinkle even tighter. “We were playing with Mosie’s kittens in the stable!”
