Chapter Six #2
“Hugh Campbell is another matter.” Elspeth cast her a calculating look and Roisin forced herself not to drop her gaze.
She didn’t know anything about these women, but something told her if she withered beneath Elspeth’s scrutiny, she would lose all hope of gaining their respect.
“Sleep with yer dagger handy if ye do not wish to end up…” The ghost of a smile hovered around her lips before she said, “wed.”
The women smiled, as though they shared a secret jest as they glanced at each other.
Well, let them laugh at my expense. She knew full well what Elspeth really meant and although Hugh wasn’t the man she’d believed him to be, it still greatly irked her that Elspeth thought he was so lacking in honor that he’d resort to such contemptible behavior.
Still, it was good advice, for all of that. She’d be sure to sleep with a dagger in her hand for as long as she remained in this camp.
Rhona returned, dragging a large basket, and Roisin picked out the top garment.
It was a man’s shirt with a long rip along the sleeve.
She handed it to Grear and pulled out another damaged shirt.
Well, at least these tasks were simple enough.
Then she settled herself next to Grear as they threaded their needles and the women, losing interest in them, returned to their own tasks.
Innis attempted to coax her bairn into another feed, but the babe, whom Roisin guessed to be maybe a year or so, fussed and his mother sighed heavily. “He’s not taking enough.”
Another woman glanced at her. “How often is he feeding?”
Innis pressed her lips together before exhaling another measured breath. “Not often enough, I am certain.”
Roisin hastily tore her gaze from the women and concentrated on her work.
She didn’t want them to think she was eavesdropping, even though it was impossible not to hear their conversation.
But still, it was obvious she wasn’t included.
They likely thought she wouldn’t even understand the true nature of their concern, but Freyja was passionate about such things, and had ensured both her sisters were well versed in all the ways that lowered the chances of conception.
And if Innis’s babe was rejecting her milk, then all too soon her body would once again be receptive to a man’s seed.
Elspeth’s next words confirmed her suspicion. “Ye best start taking the tea again.”
“The stocks are low.” Frustration threaded through Innis’s voice. “Goddamn this life. I cannot fall again, Elspeth.”
She felt Elspeth’s glance fall her way and kept her head lowered over her work.
She understood the older woman’s reluctance to speak with a stranger in their midst. Such things were women’s knowledge, to be sure, but the ancient secrets were not shared with those who couldn’t be trusted to keep their counsel.
After a heartbeat, it appeared Elspeth decided she posed no danger, likely because she believed Roisin had no idea how a bairn was even conceived, let alone the methods that had been used since the beginning of time to prevent such an occurrence.
After all, how could one divulge a secret to a man if she didn’t realize it was a secret in the first place?
“We’ll forage farther afield tomorrow.” Elspeth kept her voice low. “There are always herbs to be gathered, after all.”
Silence hung in the air after her remark and Roisin chanced darting a swift glance around the women.
There was, of course, another method of preventing pregnancy, but she hadn’t needed Freyja’s wisdom to learn that men did not take kindly to having their pleasure interrupted.
There were enough women on the Small Isles who could testify to that.
As for the herbs, she had enough in her supplies that could be utilized in such a manner, but would the women take kindly to her offer? Or would they think she was pushing herself into business that had nothing to do with her?
She was still grappling with the conundrum of remaining silent or not when Elspeth stacked her work to the side and checked the food.
“Call the men,” she instructed, and one of the other women left her tasks and made her way to the other side of the camp, where the horses and her wagon were, and vanished around a rocky outcrop where, presumably, the men had gathered.
As Roisin finished mending the shirt she was working on, one of the older bairns appeared with a stack of plates, and the men approached.
Hastily, she stood, folded the shirt, and placed it back in the basket.
Elspeth distributed the food, Darragh first, and then the rest of the men, with Hugh bringing up the rear.
For a moment, their gazes met and she fancied she saw a ghost of a smile touch his lips.
But perhaps it was the fading light or simply her own foolish imagination since he didn’t come over to her but turned away to sit with Symon.
She adjusted the satchel on her shoulder. It was heavy and her back ached, but it was a small price for the peace of mind of knowing at least a few of her possessions were safe.
Elspeth dished up the remainder of the food between the women and Roisin’s mouth watered.
She had never been so famished in her life.
Finally, after the bairns had been served, the older woman handed plates to her and Grear, and Roisin’s thanks stuck in her throat at the collection of small bones and the wee amount of meat without even a sliver of a vegetable.
But even she had been given more than poor Grear.
Face burning, she sat down, before pulling out her knife to cut the meat in half. She gave it to Ecne, who swallowed it in one gulp before gazing at her with sad brown eyes. But she couldn’t give him the cooked bones and she needed a little sustenance for herself.
There was no help for it. She would have to speak to Elspeth. She waited until there was a lull in the conversation when the other woman caught her eye and she took a deep breath for courage. “Might I have a couple of raw bones for my dog?”
All the women and their menfolk who sat beside them for the meal stared at her as though she’d just committed an unspeakable act.
Instead of wishing the ground would open and swallow her, a flicker of anger stirred.
She’d seen with her own eyes that Hugh had brought back a sackful of game that now hung on the rope behind them, and considering it was Hugh who had brought her here against her will, she was certain they could spare her a couple of bones for Ecne.
She straightened her shoulders and stared right back at Elspeth. After a few moments, the older woman gave a slight nod in the direction of the carcasses. “Help yerself.”