“Poor lass,” Grizel said. “It really shriveled up?”
“You couldn’t even see it at all,” Elsbeth said. “He would have killed my chick had not one of his men reminded him that she would bring more unscathed. He’s a man who seems to like his silver. Go up now, you two, and clear the rest of the board for me. Jack, my lad, bring in more wood for the night. And tomorrow you must chop.”
The two serving women went up to the hall and cleared away the remaining cups and plates. Looking about, they saw the laird, his brothers, and Adair by the fire talking. Seeing Grizel and Flora, Adair called them over and asked them to have enough hot water heatedfor the laird’s bath. When Duncan and Murdoc began to laugh she sweetly told them they would be hauling the water for the bath up to the laird’s bedchamber, and as there was hot water already waiting they might as well begin now.
Now it was Conal Bruce who laughed at the look of surprise on his siblings’ faces. “Go along, laddies. I am more than ready to be washed by my fair lassie. We’ll just wait here by the fire until you have all in readiness.”
“You give as good as you get,” Adair noted as the two brothers left them.
“I do,” he said meaningfully. “Do you?”
“Aye,” she told him. “You did well today. The cold larder is almost full now. Another deer or two; a few more braces of fowl, and we will be ready. Elsbeth would visit the village and see if she can purchase some hams once the pigs have been slaughtered, my lord.”
“There are few of those nowadays,” the laird told her,
“but let her go and see what she can find. Scotland grows poorer by the day.”
“Why?” Adair asked him. “England is not poor.”
“Trade brings wealth, and we have little to trade with the rest of the world,” he said. “And the king is more interested in spending the monies in the royal treasury on jewels to adorn himself, and on works of art. A man cannot eat art or jewelry. He is a weak king, is our Jamie.
Scotland needs a strong king.”
“How long has he been king?” Adair asked.
“Since he was barely out of leading strings,” the laird said. “The best thing about him is the queen. She is a fine lady, a good and pious woman. She’s given Scotland four fine princes and two princesses. She is a woman who knows her duty. A pity her husband does not. I am not an important man, but even here in the borders we hear rumors that the earls are not happy.”
“Will there be a war?” Adair asked. She hated war.
Her life had been ruled by war. Was there no place where peace reigned?
“Perhaps, but ’tis not likely to last long. Either the king will win or his opponents will win. Compromises will be made, of course. The young prince will make Scotland a fine king one day. But why would you be interested in such things, my honey love? You were made for loving, and not for weighty subjects.”
“My lord, I spent ten years in the royal court of King Edward,” Adair answered. “I was surrounded by suchweightysubjects. I listened and I watched. ’Twas only prudent, for I might have been married into an important family one day. My knowledge would have been considered valuable. One needs important friends and influence to get ahead at the court. As the king’s brat, and with a title in my own right, I had some small value to my natural father. Sadly, he did not use that value wisely, but then, he was always a greedy man. He had a lust for life like no one I have ever met.”
He was surprised by her knowledge and her observa-tions, and perhaps a little taken aback by them. But then he concentrated on her beauty, and everything else faded away for Conal Bruce, the laird of Cleit. And while they spoke his brothers and the two serving women trekked back and forth from the kitchens through the hall and up to his bedchamber, each carrying two buckets of water with every trip they made.
Finally Grizel came over to Adair. “The tub is full,”she said.
“Are there two full buckets by it for rinsing?” Adair asked.
“Elsbeth told us,” Grizel said.
Adair stood up. “ ’Tis time, my lord, for your bath.”
Duncan and Murdoc snickered behind her.
Conal Bruce glowered at them.
“Grizel,” Adair said. “Come with me, for you will have to take the laird’s garments. Give them to Elsbeth.
Is there a nightshirt for him?”
“I don’t sleep in a damned nightshirt!” the laird exploded, and Grizel and Flora jumped nervously at his tone.
“Neither do I,” Adair said calmly. Then she took his hand. “Come along, my lord.” And she led him from the hall, followed by Grizel.
Flora fled to the kitchens before the two men might remember she was there.
