Chapter 6
“Siusan, pack yer things. Yer faither wants to leave. Put that doll down right now and help me pick up this room and pack yer clothes.”
Siusan glared at Mazey and pursed her lips into a thin line. “Ah don’t wanna go without ye. Why can’t ye go with us?” The last part she said in a whiny voice that always drove Mazey’s nerves up a wall.
“Because ah wasn’t invited. That’s why. Now help me.” Mazey strode about the room, picking up all the little things scattered on the floor over the past couple days.
Siusan took advantage of Mazey’s diverted attention. The last thing Mazey heard was the door slamming. “Why me?” she exclaimed to nobody in particular. She chased after the mischievous child.
Siusan wasn’t in the hallway. That wee’un was so fast when she wanted to be.
Too bad she couldn’t move that fast when Mazey wanted her to clean up her room or leave the stables after time with the horses.
She knocked on Baile’s study, but there was no answer so she moved on to Baile’s quarters.
Nothing. A child defeated her. Why did she even try to get Siusan to help?
She could have packed everything herself.
She sauntered over to the dining hall, leisurely. No need to rush now. Wherever she headed, she would be there by now. It would take at least half the hour to persuade her to come back and help.
People moved in and out of the dining hall, cleaning up and getting everything ready for supper.
There was always a large crowd in the beginning—guards, people that worked in the keep, family of the clan chief and family of high up servants.
Baile wasn’t in the dining hall either. The only other place she could think of finding the girl was the kitchens, but they bustled with activity. Perhaps she went outside.
The gardens were quiet, so it was easy to spot Siusan.
She sat next to her father on his favorite bench.
She looked pleased with herself. That only served to further irritate Mazey.
She became comfortable enough with Mazey that she now sassed, ran off and didn’t listen just as much as any other child.
“Maze!” Siusan called out when she saw her approaching.
Baile motioned for her to join them.
“Siusan, ah’m crass ye ran off on me like that.”
Siusan hung her head, approximating appropriate remorse, although Mazey could see a lingering grin on her face. “Ah’ll go finish packing.” She jumped up and ran off towards the keep. Mazey wondered why she escaped.
“Ah need to speak with ye,” Baile said from the bench.
“Relax, ye’re not in trouble.” He must have been able to tell—every time he had ‘something to say to her’, she always thought the worst. She was sure her face betrayed her inner thoughts.
“Siusan told me something ah didn’t think about, and now ah feel awful for not considering. ”
She sat next to him and swore she would make Siusan go to bed early.
“She told me that ah forgot to invite ye on our trip. She would appreciate it if ah asked ye along. She doesn’t want to go without ye.”
“Ye don’t have to invite me,” Mazey objected. The last thing she wanted was to burden Baile and take time with his daughter.
“Ah know ah don’t have to, but ah didn’t really consider it before. Ah figured ye wouldn’t want to spend yer time with an old man like me. Ah’m assuming ye want to spend time with people yer own age. Ah just worry ah’m not giving ye enough time on yer own.” His voice was low and gravelly, but kind.
Mazey put her hand on her belly. The bairn inside her was calm, but moved now and then, brushing limbs against her belly. “Ah enjoy my time with ye and Siusan more than with anyone else.”
Baile was silent for a moment. His expression was thoughtful. “May ah speak plainly to ye? Ah don’t think ye would have trouble finding a husband to care for ye. Not everyone is as terrible as Hume.”
She heard him say this before, but this time despair filled her. Had his affection to her meant nothing? It hadn’t. She was a lowly servant and he the Laird of the clan. “Ah have nothing to offer.” Grief overwhelmed her. She dare not ask if he cared for her. The answer could tear her apart.
Baile put his hand on her back. “Ah’ll say it again, Mazey.
Ye’ve got more to offer than wealth. Ah love watching ye play make believe with Siusan.
Ye can cook. Ah know because ah’ve seen ye in the kitchens with her.
The food ye make always tastes delicious.
Ah love the needlepoint ye do and the clothes ye make.
” He was staring at her so intensely she wanted to break eye contact.
She worked on taking compliments without dropping her eyes or slouching.
“Ye have the kindest heart ah’ve ever seen.
Ah don’t know what ah would do right now without ye.
Ah don’t want ye to feel tied down here. ”
She swallowed at the knot in her throat, but it wouldn’t go away. She teared up and there was nothing she could do about it. Since she became pregnant, she cried a lot and it intensified the farther along she got.
“Ah’m sure ye’d get on just fine without me. Ye were doing fine before.” Mazey tried to keep the quiver out of her voice.
“Nay, ah struggled. After Malmuira left, my plate was too full. Ye really helped me take a load off. Now, if ah may, will ye come with us? If ye’re not feeling like ye need a break, it would be a joy to bring ye along.”
It would be fun. She loved spending time with Siusan and Baile. It was like she had a family. “Aye, ah’ll go, but only if ah won’t be in the way.”
“Ye’re never in the way.”
She felt a tingling sensation in her chest. “Ye’re not an old man.” It needed said despite her embarrassment at giving a compliment.
“Ah’m much older than ye though,” he said before she could leave.
“Perhaps older, but ye don’t look it. And ye’re kind. Ah don’t see ye as an old.” She could feel her face flood with heat and a sudden urge to hide. She was not usually so forthright.
Baile smiled, grabbed his book and read again. Mazey left, hoping she said the right things.
Morning came much too quickly. She wanted to sleep longer, but they needed to depart.
The floor was cold, and it was still dark outside.
She lit a lantern and dressed quickly so she could wake Siusan and get her ready to go.
Her bairn kicked and wiggled all night, making it impossible to sleep soundly.
Now she was up however, the wee baby in her belly sat quiet and content.
Seems her luck was always against her. They would travel all day and a good nights’ rest would have helped.
She carried the lantern next door, to Siusan’s quarters. Dark curls fell across the pillow and her mouth lay open, a light snore escaped into the quiet room. She kicked off every blanket on the bed, even though the air was frigid.
“Siusan, it’s time to get up.” Mazey shook her icy arm gently.
Siusan woke up and slowly blinked her sleepy eyes. “It’s still dark outside.”
“Aye, but we have to leave. The road is long, and it’s best to start early in the morning. Let’s get up and get dressed.”
Siusan rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands and slid out of bed like a pile of goo. “Ah’m too sleepy to travel.”
Despite her protests, Mazey dressed the girl. “Just think, we get to go out on horses and ye’ll get to ride one all by yerself.”
There was a twinkle in her eye. “Ah want to ride the bay horse. Can we ask Faither if ah can ride the bay?”
Mazey nodded and put her hand out. “Let’s break our fast. Ye can ask him over the meal.”
The light crept over the horizon; the colors changed from blacks and purples to warmer hues.
The stars overhead shown bright in the early morning sky and the crescent moon waned small, limiting the amount of light they could see by.
Siusan wanted to ride her own horse, but Baile insisted should anything happen on the road, he wanted her with a more experienced horseman.
Should they need to get away from anything or should the horse have any problems, Siusan would still be safe.
She pouted and cried. Mazey wasn’t great at riding.
Her extended belly, although still small, would not provide room on the horse. Siusan got to ride with her father.
Mazey rode behind Baile in line, and two guards rode behind her.
One led the way. The front guard was Gohrich, the man who told her the clan would protect her.
He always made a point of saying hello to Mazey.
Gilla, the maid who tended the fires, traveled in the rear.
She came along to clean up and make meals.
The other guards were people she only saw around the keep and never spoken to.
The man who road closest to her, behind the group, was attractive.
She was uncomfortable even looking at him, for fear he would see how attracted she was.
Everyone rode in silence for the first part of the journey.
It was so early the birds weren’t even aware the sun was coming up.
The air was cold and crisp. It kept Mazey alert. This would be a long trip.
“Faither, ah have to relieve myself. Can we stop?” Siusan danced in the saddle.
Baile sighed. “Aye, we can stop. Ah forgot how much a wee child has to break when traveling.”
Mazey got closer and climbed off her horse. They walked off the side of the road. Poor little one. It took a few minutes for her to figure out how to not make a mess on her dress, but she did it.
“Thank ye, Mazey,” Baile said when they got back.
“Aye, ‘twas nothing.”
“Walk next to me, please. The silence is good for a while, but ah wish to hear from ye while we walk.”
Mazey climbed atop her horse and they began their journey again.
“Do ye know why we journey today? Did Siusan tell ye about it?” Baile asked.
“Aye, ah heard from her. She talked about it every day for the last fortnight. She said you travel to the ocean every year as a family and do fun things.”