“Nay,” Erica said too quickly.
One grey brow flew up. Grandmamma waited.
Erica let out a breath. “He does inspire fear,” she said. “But nae the kind that makes ye small. It is the kind that makes ye stand straight. I admire him. I wish I were as strong. I wish I hadnae needed his help.”
The words came clean and left her sore. She did not look at the floor. She let the cost sit where Grandmamma could see it.
“Good,” Grandmamma said. “Truth does the most work with the fewest words. The rest is noise.” She paused. “Needing help is the fate of every person, lass. Nay one survives alone.”
Erica nodded once. “Aye.”
“How is yer maither?” Grandmamma asked.
“Resting,” Erica replied. “She is tired from the road but steady.”
“Does she eat when she should?”
“Aye,” Erica said. “If I put the trencher by her hand.”
“Good,” Grandmamma said. “We will keep her so.”
She set her cup down. The cane’s head clicked once under her palm.
“Now, the true question,” she said. “Does yer faither’s trouble sit under this betrothal?”
Erica did not dress it. “Aye,” she said.
“Do ye ken where he went?” Grandmamma pressed.
“Nay,” Erica said. “Nae yet.”
Grandmamma watched her for another beat, the lines at the corners of her eyes drawn by the years, not weariness. “Good,” she said. “Ye have some pride in ye. That will come in handy when navigating this castle. There are two kinds of pride. One that holds a house together, and one that burns it. Learn which is which and keep the first.”
“I will try,” Erica said.
“Try is a fair word on yer first day,” Grandmamma said. “Soon, I will ask fordo.”
“Aye,” Erica said.
“Ye have the talk of a steward,” Grandmamma said, almost to herself. “I like that. Men who love noise hate a steward.”
“I kept the books at Bryden,” Erica said. “I will keep them here if ye ask.”
“We have Fergus,” Grandmamma said dryly. “He would faint if I brought him a lady with a ledger, then wake and chain ye to histable. We will ease him into it.” She gave Erica a small look that weighed how she took the tease.
Erica let a hint of a smile show. “Chain me with ink, and I willnae fight.”
“Good,” Grandmamma said. “Now, Alex is a plain man. He likes order, but daenae forget to stand yer ground. Ye daenae have to agree with everything he says.”
“I can say nay,” Erica said.
“Ye must,” Grandmamma insisted. “But pick yer times. In public, ye help him keep order. In private, ye argue yer part. That keeps his captains loyal and keeps ye from becoming a shadow. The girls will watch how ye do both. They are sharp. Daenae lie to them. They forgive slowly.”
“I willnae lie,” Erica promised.
“Good,” Grandmamma said.
Erica leaned forward a little. Something about the way the older woman spoke to her made her feel even more at ease. “Can ye tell me about the council? Is there anything I need to ken before meeting them?”
