“I will take you away from here if that is your desire,” Peter spoke in a hushed tone, for her ears only. “You need only say the word.”
Her rounded eyes were sad but she held his gaze. “I do what I must.”
“Greetings,” Mort called from behind Peter, his voice retreating as he no doubt approached the women. “Good day to you all.”
Brighit took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and looked deeply into Peter’s eyes. And waited. He fought down the ridiculous urge to throw her onto his horse, move up close behind her, and take her away despite what she said. He released his hands.
“Are you the MacNaughton?” A woman’s voice came from behind them.
Brighit dipped her head, darting a glance at Peter, and approached the women. “That I am.”
“Well, ’tis a great blessing to have you join us,” the pregnant woman offered and took her hand. “We expected you to be later than this.”
“Later?” Brighit asked.
Peter waited for more information, fighting the uneasy feeling Brighit’s one word question stirred in him. She hadn’t understood the woman’s statement either. The Priory had no way of knowing when she would get here.
“We received word that you would be delayed,” a shriveled woman of over fifty years spoke, then eyed each of the men as if they’d been the reason for her delay. “You’re here now and that is what matters most.”
“Who brought such word?” Brighit asked.
The woman was fixed on Peter, peered closer into his face, then withdrew. She appeared disgruntled as if she were far too important to deal with him right before she gave him her back.
“I couldn’t say for sure,” the pregnant woman offered.
“Ah, quiet now, Ruth. They have no right to question us.”
“They’re just curious. It is right to answer them.”
“It is not right to be questioned, so the answering is also not right.”
Ruth rolled her eyes then smiled at Brighit as if this bickering was something that happened quite often.
The older woman said, “We are glad you made it here unharmed.”
The two other nuns joined them. Closing in around her on all sides, the women moved as one toward the entrance. The realization that they were taking her away caused Peter to go into full-blown panic. It was suddenly difficult to breathe. His heart raced.
“Wait!”
The women stopped.
“We have traveled far with little to eat or drink in order to see her safely here. Have you nothing to quench our thirst from our weary travel?”
The four exchanged quizzical glances as if making a decision was a difficult thing. The elderly woman raised her shoulders for a moment and then dropped them.
It was Ruth who finally spoke up. “Forgive us. We are very excited to have her with us. My name is Sister Ruth. This is Sister Martha,” she indicated the older woman, “Sister Hannah and Sister Elizabeth.”
The other two women nodded.
“Please! Come into the courtyard where you can partake of food and drink before you depart.”
Within the high-walled bailey was a wooden table carved with rough-hewn wood and benches scattered around. Martha indicated the men needed to remain there then they all disappeared inside the stone structure. When Brighit was no longer in his sight, Peter paced the small area.
“Surely, she is safe here,” Mort said.
Peter continued his walking.
“There is nothing more for us to do.”
