Brann paused in front of a familiar small door. There were cracks in the bottom, where mice could easily move in and out. The door handle was wobbly and made of rusted metal. Brann gripped his hands, nodding toward it. “He’s in there.”
Elsy nodded, reaching for the handle, and pushing the door open, finding Scott sitting on the edge of her bed, dressed in a long tunic that went down to her knees. A small plate filled with bread sat on the bed, untouched. With the sound of the door opening, Scott jerked toward Elsy, her eyes wide with alarm. Her bottom lip quivered as her eyes peeked over Elsy’s shoulder, and she clutched her blanket closer to her chest.
“Could ye give us a moment?” Elsy asked Brann while glancing over her shoulder at the man.
Brann opened his mouth as if he was about to make a complaint, but he winced at the sound of someone shouting, “Brann!”
Brann quickly glanced at Elsy, a dark grimace marring his features, before calling back, “Aye, Glenton?”
“What are ye doing over there, lad?”
“N-naething. Naething at all. I was just checking on Scotty.”
Elsy held a hand to her mouth as she took another step deeper into the room, worry filling her, wondering what the men would do if they discovered her out of her rooms. She sat on the edge of the bed, hoping the door and the darkness would hide her figure. Scott grabbed her hand, squeezing it tight as she watched Brann, his hand on the door.
“Get over here ye lazy good-for-naething. Bring us some more ale.”
Brann bowed his head, his hand slowly pushing the door closed. “Of course. Apologies.” He looked one last time at Elsy, his brow furrowing sternly as if to tell Scott and Elsy both to remain inside as the door shut on his image. Elsy listened for footsteps, hearing them drift away, before she turned toward Scott.
“Brann told me ye haven’t been eating.” Elsy pressed her palms against Scott’s forehead and cheeks. The girl’s skin was warm, but not as hot as before. “Do ye feel any worse? Is it yer stomach?”
“Nae,” said Scott while batting Elsy’s hands away. The girl’s gaze drifted to the mattress and her face flushed pink.
Elsy frowned, wondering if it was something worse. “Then what is it?”
Scott shook her head. “I-I am scared.” She picked at her fingers, her legs bending and moving toward her chest. She clutched them, resting her cheek on her knees. “I don’t want to be alone. I feel as if everyone knows—knows my secret.”
“Nae, sweet child,” Elsy whispered while brushing Scott’s hair away from her forehead. “They know naething. I would never tell them yer secret.”
Scott stared up at Elsy with bright, childish eyes. “Truly?”
Elsy nodded. “I made a promise to ye, and I never break my promises.” She picked up the tray of bread and offered it to Scott. “Will ye eat now?”
Scott’s brows pinched together, and she tentatively took a piece. Elsy watched her eat slowly, chewing on each stale bit and swallowing it with a grimace, as if the bread stuck to her throat. The girl was so thin. It was easy to assume she was a boy, given her curves hadn’t quite come in and the lack of proper food, but her face was quite feminine. Questions still pestered Elsy’s mind, yet she held them back, knowing the girl still needed to get better. She was already quite nervous and Elsy didn’t want to make it any worse.
Once the food was gone, Elsy sat the plate on the ground. There was no other place to put it given there was no chair and no desk. Elsy supposed Scott didn’t need much, since she was often busy with castle chores. Elsy’s gaze slid to the trunk, still covered with Scott’s old tunic and the cloth she used to bind her breasts.
“Do ye feel any better?” Elsy asked sweetly, smiling when Scott bobbed her head up and down. She rose, taking a step toward the door and reaching for its handle. “Then I suppose I should be--”
“Please, stay,” Scott rushed out, grabbing Elsy’s hand and pulling her back into the bed.
Elsy gasped as she fell next to Scott, her hand flying to her throat. “Good Heavens, child, what--”
“Please, don’t go.” Scott wrapped her thin arms around Elsy’s waist, her grip tight while her head buried into Elsy’s chest. The girl sniffed, tears soaking Elsy’s front. Slowly, Elsy wrapped her arms around the girl, stroking her back as she cried silently. “I don’t want to be alone.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Elsy whispered. “If ye wish for me to stay, I will stay with ye.”
“All night?”
Elsy chuckled, but her gaze turned toward the door that stood in silent watch, enticing her to make her move.Perhaps I can leave in the morn,she thought distantly. She was on the bottom floor. No one but Brann and Scott knew where she was. They wouldn’t say anything if she escaped.But what about Connell?
Tears prickled her eyes as she thought of her former lover, but she jutted out her chin at the memory of his cruel smile and his bitter words. She couldn’t consider him. He had made it very well known he wanted his vengeance more than he wanted her love. She would have to leave him if she wished to survive.
“All night,” Elsy whispered.
Scott nodded and her arms slipped away from Elsy’s waist. Elsy watched the girl lay down, and she helped rest the blankets on top of Scott. Scott watched her; her brows still tented with worry.
“Won’t ye tell me a story?” she whispered.
Elsy smiled as she stroked Scott’s hair, wondering if her mother had done something similar when she was still alive. “And what story would ye wish to hear?”
Scott smiled. “A romance.”
Elsy chuckled, tapping her chin lightly as she tried to think of something. She grimaced. The only romance she could think of was the time she gave Connell her handkerchief. With a sigh, she turned to Scott, her smile pained as she whispered, “Once upon a time…”
