“My husband is there now,” Maggie said shortly.
“Aye,” Clennon Kerr said. “ ’Tis right he should be, my lady.”
“Get the men going with me,” Maggie told him sharply. “I’ll not dally this day, with the coming snows.”
The keep’s captain said nothing more. He understood why she was in a black mood today, but ’twas past time she took her rightful place as the lady and gave Brae Aisir some bairns. He went off to fetch Iver, calling to several men as he did to get their horses and mount up. Several minutes later, Maggie and her party of men-at-arms rode across the drawbridge and out into the hills.
They rode in silence for some minutes, Iver at Maggie’s side. Finally she turned to him, saying, “The cottages we’re visiting are at the edge of our lands. We’ve made them very secure for the inhabitants. They’re stone, the windows have thick shutters, the doors are bound in iron, and each of the three dwellings has a small well inside so they may be self-contained in the event of attack. There are no families there. Only men, and three older women who take care of them. They are shepherds, and cattle herders.”
“They’re helpless in case of attack, however,” Iver said.
Maggie laughed. It was a hard sound. “Nay,” she told him, “but ye’ll see.”
The day was fair, but cold. There wasn’t a cloud in the bright blue sky, nor was there the faintest puff of wind. They rode for more than an hour, and then Iver saw ahead of them in the distance on the low hills a grouping of three cottages. Maggie sent one of the clansmen ahead to warn the cottagers of her coming.
“The sheep and cattle are now at Brae Aisir, but in the summer these are some of the meadows in which they browse.”
“What do these men do when the beasties are at the keep?” Iver asked, curious.
“They patrol the border between us and our neighbors,” Maggie said. “They make repairs to their equipment and warn us of any undue activity in the region.”
“Why are we here then?” Iver persisted.
“I’m the lady of the keep,” Maggie said. “It’s my duty to see to their well-being. The women who look after these clansmen look to me. My visit allows them to know they are not forgotten out here.”
Iver nodded. He was admiring of his mistress, although he would have never admitted to such a thing. It wasn’t his place to approve or disapprove of her.
Reaching the cottages, they dismounted. A large-boned woman was waiting to greet them. “My lady!” she said, curtsying. “Ye honor us, and with the storm coming.”
“Good morrow, Bessy Kerr,” Maggie greeted the woman. “I wanted to be certain ye had all ye need for the winter.”
“Oh, aye, my lady, everything is in order as you would wish it. Clennon saw our supplies delivered several days ago when Tam told him of this earlier than usual storm. But there is one small difficulty.”
“What is that?” Maggie wanted to know.
“Mary’s daughter is near her time. ’Tis a first bairn, and Mary desperately wants to be with her, my lady. The lass never told her mam she was almost five months gone when she wed last summer, or Mary would have asked sooner. She learned it from her son-in-law, who brought our supplies, when the bairn was due.”
“Can ye manage with just the two of ye?” Maggie asked.
“Oh, aye! Mary’s burden is the lightest. She cares for just four lads. We can close up her cottage until the spring when she returns to us. Sorcha and I have more than enough room for two each,” Bessy Kerr said cheerfully.
“Tell Mary she can ride back with us,” Maggie said.
“Thank ye, my lady!” Bessy curtsied again. Then her eye went to Iver. “And who is this fine laddie?” she asked him.
“Iver Leslie,” was the short answer, and he reddened slightly.
“He came with my lord from Edinburgh and is Clennon Kerr’s second in command,” Maggie explained. “My union with Lord Stewart was blessed yesterday.”
Bessy’s eyes grew wide. “He overcame ye, my lady? I never thought to see the day when anyone could outrun, outride, and outfight ye, but . . .” she said, hesitating.
“ ’Twas past time,” Maggie, chuckling, finished the sentence for Bessy.
Bessy nodded, grinning back at her lady. “Aye,” she agreed. “Now, will ye come into my cottage for some cakes and ale?”
“See to the others. I want to show Iver about, and then we’ll join ye,” Maggie answered the woman. Then looking at her companion she said, “Come along, Iver.”
He followed her while she led him about the small settlement, pointing out what he might need to know one day. “Ye still haven’t told me why these clan folk of yers are safe in an attack. Aye, the cottages are strong, and the slate roof on each will prevent their being destroyed by fire, but eventually they have to give in,” Iver said.
