“So you do admit that in a way, you are meant to watch me.”
“Have I, in any way, suggested otherwise?” the older woman asked.
“Well…” Jane said. “No.”
“Very good. Ye see, women are caught in men’s wars often. I dinnae ken the extent of yer involvement in all this, but I dae ken that it is men’s fault that ye are being held here. I must dae as I am told, but I would like us tae be friendly. In addition, I feel that ye are a good person. That’s what yer eyes say. And the eyes rarely lie.”
Jane found herself smiling. “Thank ye, Catrina.”
“Ye are welcome. Now,” she put her hands on her waist. “We must get ye dressed fer dinner. We are late already and if I ken the laird as much as I think I dae, dinner will nae start without you. Let us nae add keeping hungry warriors waiting tae yer list of perceived faults, yes?” Her eyes twinkled, and Jane smiled.
“Yes, Catrina.”
“Good.” Her eyes went over Jane’s dress. “This is a… formidable English dress.”
“It is ugly.”
“I have not said that,” Catrina said with a laugh. “The dress will dae on English soil, but nae so much here. I can see that it has buttons upon buttons and we are short of time. Also, dinner is usually a gay affair so ye might need a brighter color. I have a wonderful emerald dress that will fit ye and make yer eyes shine. We are almost the same size, dinnae ye think?”
“I would not want to impose-”
“I will fetch it quickly.”
A few minutes later, Jane was in the dress. It was much easier to put on than Jane’s dresses, and true to Catrina’s words, it made Jane’s eyes shine. The dress was about a quarter of an inch too short, because Jane was a little taller than Catrina, but it was barely noticeable.
Catrina led Jane down to the dining room. There were several tables set with chairs around them. Everyone seemed to already be seated, and when they appeared, the room seemed to go silent. Jane held her head high; she followed Catrina as she led her to a seat right across from Alistair. Catrina then took her own seat, flanked by her husband and child.
Alistair made a motion, and servants began to appear with platters of dishes. So, Catrina had been right- hehadwaited for her before dinner was served. That was odd. Even more odd was the fact that she was eating at his table at all. It was almost as though… she was a guest. Shouldn’t prisoners be served light fair in the confines of their cells? And yet here she was, being served a very tender-looking piece of lamb and a broth that smelled absolutely divine, quite different from the broths she knew. When the serving was done, Jane had a full plate of food and had she been in different circumstances, she would have set upon it with relish. On the carriage ride, she had had only bread, dried fruit, and dried meat to keep her sustained.
Then, Alistair said grace. Never in a million years would she have imagined him doing that before eating. And yet he did! It was brief but not perfunctory, and when everyone around her chorused amen, she opened her eyes and looked at him in surprise. Was she imagining, in the light from the lamps above, that he was looking straight at her with a grin on his face?”
“Jane Marsh,” Catrina whispered. Jane turned her head.
Eat, the woman mouthed.
Jane nodded and took the first spoon. The broth tasted as good as it smelled. Jane closed her eyes to savor it, and then opened them quickly. She was aware that she was being watched, even though they were polite enough not to make it obvious. A servant filled the goblets of everyone on the table. Jane eyed her goblet and looked at Catrina.
Wine,Catrina mouthed.Very good.
Jane took a sip and found that it was good indeed. Conversations welled up around her. They were loud but not intrusive. Without making it obvious, Jane observed the people at her table. These people, whom she had been taught from childhood to see as superstitious, belligerent illiterates, seemed just like regular people. There was Alistair, taking a sip from his goblet and nodding as his second-in-command said something in his ear. There was Tasgall, eating rather enthusiastically, and then there was Catrina, chiding him. Tasgall sighed and began to eat a little more slowly. He must have asked if his current pace met with her approval, because she nodded and tousled his hair. That made Jane smile.
When Jane was done, a servant came over to ask her if she would like another helping. “Goodness gracious, no, thank you,” she replied. She turned to see Alistair beckon to the servant. The girl rushed to her master and bent over him. She returned shortly. “Madam, me laird said tae ask if ye declined another helping because ye dae nae like the food.”
Jane’s eyes widened. “Oh, of course not, I enjoyed it tremendously,” Jane said. “I just do not have room in my stomach for anymore.”
The servant returned to Alistair. After the message was relayed, the girl did not return. Jane’s reply was satisfactory, then.
“Come, Jane,” Catrina whispered, materializing by Jane’s side. “We must leave now. Extra goblets of wine will loosen the warriors’ tongue and ye may nae like what ye will hear.” She giggled. “Stand up, curtsy tae the laird -something very small, no need for flamboyance - and follow me.”
And that was precisely what Jane did.
* * *
“Lady Jane Marsh of England!”
Jane stirred, and the slowly opened her eyes. The room was dim, and she had to focus to see the figure that had woken her up. It appeared to be a girl. She was at the foot of Jane’s bed, her hands clasped in front of her. “Lady Jane Marsh of England,” the girl repeated in an urgent whisper.
“I am up,” Jane said, sitting up.
