Not to be outdone, Margaret pointed to herself. “Mar-gar-et. Clever lass.”
Turning around so the children could not see him, Callum quietly laughed. He sensed Bethoc come up beside him and smiled at her. She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head.
“That child is going to be trouble,” she said. “She just informed Shona that she is also a smart lass and a good lass.”
“Is Shona impressed?”
“Struck speechless, I think.”
He laughed and took her by the hand. “We had best get inside.”
With Uven’s help Bethoc got the girls inside. Callum showed them to a very nice room where they could wash up. She shooed Uven away as she washed the little girls then herself. As she brushed out Margaret’s hair she had to marvel at the quarters they had been shown to. It was a big bedchamber with a huge bed facing a huge fireplace. Rugs warmed the floor and heavy drapes cut the draft from the windows. There were two doors aside from the one she came in, one on each side of the room. A quick look told her one led to another bedchamber and one led to another room obviously used to do business in. That was when it hit her. Callum had had them taken to his quarters, to the laird’s own chambers.
Bethoc was frozen with panic. She took deep, slow breaths in order to calm herself down. She could not understand what the man was thinking. He was a laird, a fairly new and young one. His people had to be wondering what was happening. Their laird had placed a strange woman who arrived with five children into the laird’s own chambers. Bethoc knew what they all thought; that she was his mistress.
Horrified by what he had inadvertently proclaimed to the people of Whytemont, it took Bethoc a long time to calm down enough to go face everyone in the great hall. As she led the little girls to the hall, she struggled to think of what she should say to him. She had no trouble being his lover, but she did not really wish their relationship to be so blatant, so well known by one and all. How could she face the people every day? How could she make a place for herself? And she did not think Callum would understand much of that worry.
“I think your lady has realized ye have put her in your rooms,” said Uven when Bethoc entered the hall.
“Ah, I cannae tell how she feels about it though.” Callum studied her face as she approached. “I will have to ask her after we eat and retire for the night.”
“Oh, dinnae think ye will have to ask. Think she will be telling ye clearly as soon as may be.”
That sounded ominous and Callum frowned at his cousin but then Bethoc and the girls arrived. He assisted her in settling the girls at a table with other children then escorted her to a seat next to his at the laird’s table. It was a quiet meal, almost too quiet, and it began to make Callum uneasy.
Most of the people had left and the remains of the meal had been cleared away when a tall, thin man stepped up to the laird’s table. Relieved for something that might take his mind off why Bethoc was so quiet and what that meant for him, Callum smiled at the man. He had the feeling one of his strays was about to be leaving him.
“Weel met, Thomas,” he said, and stood to shake the man’s hand. “What can I do for ye?” he asked as he retook his seat.
“Me wife and I have taken a real liking to young Michael,” he said, the faintest of tremors in his voice the only thing revealing his unease.
“Ye do ken what that means, aye?”
“Aye, we do. We only have the one lass, ye ken, and there is nay much reason to think that we will be blessed with another child. Met young Michael and thought there be the answer. Like him, too. He is a good lad.”
“Ye arenae taking him just to help ye with your work, are ye?”
“Nay! I am nay so old I e’en need him for that. ’Tis true he will be a help, but he could even find something else he would rather work at. We dinnae care. Just really like the lad, especially me wife.”
“T’will be about two weeks ere ye get an answer.” Callum doubted it would take so long but felt the need to warn the man.
“We ken it. ’Tis why we are asking now. Give us time to get the lad, weel, settled in before the winter comes.”
“Good. If ye and your wife are absolutely certain there is naught I can find to make me say nay, it will give ye time to ready yourselves for the lad too.”
“Aye, sir. Thank ye, sir.” Thomas vigorously shook Callum’s hand and hurried out of the hall, clearly eager to tell his wife.
“So another of your lambs goes home,” said Uven. “Good choice, I think.”
“Oh, I think so too.”
“Why two weeks?” asked Bethoc, frowning over the conversation she had just heard.
“Ye ken I said I take in strays, aye?” She nodded. “I do like it when they can be settled in a good home but I always check to be certain it is good. Tom and Anne have lived here all their lives so that information will be easy to gain. If he or she had e’er worked elsewhere, I will find out about that as weel. In truth, I dinnae believe I will find one single reason why they cannae have Michael as their own.”
“Then why do it?”
“To make certain the children sheltered here go to a good, loving home. And if I do it with one, ’tis only fair to do it with all who ask. Oh, I ken no one can be completely sure, but I do what I can. That and my instincts.”
