“Anice? Are ye here, lass?”
“Come in, Firtha,” she answered. “I am nearly finished my work.”
Firtha entered and, with the raise of one eyebrow, questioned her without words.
“Robert requested my help, Firtha. He haes other duties that Struan haes assigned and he asked me to keep the records for him.” She knew from the softening in her maid’s eyes that Firtha could hear the happiness in her voice.
“And ye have agreed? But of course ye have.” Firtha reached over and took Anice’s hand, patting it lightly. “Yehave wandered around this drafty place for weeks since he came, with too much time and too little to do except worry.”
“Have I truly been that terrible to bear?” Anice smiled at the concerned look on Firtha’s face.
“Oh, aye. Ye snarl and moan at one and all. Why, even Struan’s most feared warriors give a wide berth around ye these days... and it haes little to do with the size of yer belly.”
Anice smiled, even though she could hear a thin bit of truth below Firtha’s comments. She had not given up her responsibilities easily; she’d fought hard and worked even harder to earn them and fulfill them after Dougal’s illness. Having Struan simply remove her and place Robert in her stead had stung her, threatening to diminish the small amount of pride she still had in herself.
“I am sorry, Firtha, if I have made your life difficult.” Anice offered a small smile, this one coming somewhat easier than her last one. She’d not felt capable of smiling or joy in many days, nay, many weeks.
“So, are ye done yet? Are you ready for some food?”
Anice sat back in her chair and stretched her arms over her head. She’d hunched over too long and her body let her know it. Even the babe in her womb responded by rolling around inside as she leaned back away from the table’s edge.
“I think I would truly like a walk right now. The day looked promising this morn. Is it still?” Since this chamber did not share an outside wall, she could not tell if it was light or dark, clear or stormy outside.
“Oh, aye,” Firtha replied. “Come, I’ll fetch yer cloak before we go.”
Anice closed the record books, straightened her writing supplies, and pushed her chair closer to the table. Following Firtha through the keep, it was just a short time before she left the chill of the hall and stood in the bright rays of the sun.
Wrapping her cloak tighter around her shoulders, she breathed the cold, crisp air deeply into her lungs.
After deciding to stay within the castle’s walls, she and Firtha circled the keep in a brisk walk. She felt better, clearer-minded, and more in control than she’d felt in weeks. And she had Robert to thank for it.
He spitout a mouthful of dirt and pushed his hair out of his face. ’Twas his own fault and no one else’s. He should have known that Brodie would grow up and be bigger than him, even as he was back when they knew each other. Well, he’d started this, he would finish it. Rising swiftly from his crouch, he leapt up and tackled Brodie. Aiming at his waist, Robert hoped to unbalance his opponent and take him down. His maneuver worked, but he crashed to the ground along with his childhood friend. Brodie must have realized the battle was over for he lay back on the cold, hard soil of the practice yard and let out a loud raucous laugh.
“I enjoyed that, Robbie,” Brodie said as he climbed to his feet and extended a hand out to him. “’Tis glad I am to have ye back with us.”
“Was there no one to give ye sport these eight years?” Robert rubbed the dirt and sweat off his clammy torso with a piece of plaid and accepted a dipperful of water from a lad with a bucket. Stripped down to his trews, he enjoyed the air cooling his body after his bout of wrestling.
“A few have tried, my friend, but none have done as well as ye.”
They laughed once more together and Robert gathered his clothes from the ground. Walking towards the perimeter of the practice yard, he spied Anice and her maid approaching on the path from the keep. He quickly tugged his shirt over his head as they came to a stop on the other side of the fence.
“My... Anice,” he stuttered, only now noticing how pale and breathless she was. “Are ye no’ well?”
Unthinking, he reached out to touch her cheek and felt a flush of embarrassment as she backed away from him, leaving his hand awkwardly in the air between them. He really would need to remember not to get close to her and he needed to not stumble over her name each time he said it. Anice. Anice was quite a simple, plain name.
“I am well, Robert. Brodie, ’tis good to have you home again.” Anice looked at Brodie and smiled. It was not much of one, but more than Robert had yet seen on her.
“’Tis good to be home, Anice.” He watched as his childhood friend colored under Anice’s attention. “Have ye been to see Rachelle while I was gone?”
“I fear not.” A silence followed her brief answer as Brodie obviously waited for more and Anice obviously was not giving it. Robert cleared his throat and Brodie finally spoke.
“Well, then, both ye and Robert will need to stop by as soon as ye can. Robbie, ye must meet my wife while yer here.”
“I would like that,” Robert answered.
“Anice, you should not stay out in the cold much longer.” Firtha’s comment was clearly an order to return inside.
“Oh, aye, Firtha,” she mumbled. “Brodie, I will visit with Rachelle soon. Robert.” With a nod at him, she turned and walked with her maid back to the keep. He did not miss the maid’s mouthed words of thanks over Anice’s head.
