Chapter 18
Edinburgh Castle
They saw the city before they entered it.
Edinburgh Castle sat tall and imposing upon Castle Rock, surrounded by fortified structures and tall tenement buildings.
The sights and smells were different: peat smoke and river water and the press of too many people living closely together.
Una had been to Edinburgh once, years ago with Bella, and she had forgotten how it hit you.
The noise rose before the walls came into view, the roads thickening with carts and riders and foot traffic all competing for the same ground.
Cormac's men materialized out of the woods as they reached the city outskirts. One moment the road held only Cormac and Seumas and Ros and Tam. The next, the rest of them were simply there, riding easy, as though they had never been anywhere else.
Cormac brought his horse alongside the cart. "We are nearly there. How are ye faring?"
"Well enough." Una tucked the nearly finished purse into her sewing kit. "The men will stay at a tavern?"
"Aye. A good one close by. They frequent it regularly."
"Where are we staying?" She looked at the streets around them. Something simple would suit her fine.
"Leave it with me," he replied.
***
THEY WOUND UPHILL THROUGH the old town, the streets narrowing, the buildings pressing in on both sides. Una watched the route with growing curiosity.
She knew which direction the castle lay.
They were heading directly toward it.
"Cormac."
"Aye."
"We are heading toward the castle gates."
"We are."
Her stomach tightened. "We should not be going anywhere near the castle. 'Tis not safe for ye. If the king's men recognize ye..."
"Dinnae fash, love," Cormac replied.
"How can I not worry? Ye are the Shadow. If they catch ye—"
"Una. I promise ye. All is well."
She pressed her lips together and looked at his men. Not one of them seemed worried about being arrested. She glanced back at Cormac. He was watching the gate ahead.
***
THE GATE GUARD LOOKED up as they approached. His expression shifted when he saw Cormac. He spoke to the man beside him. The second guard nodded.
To Una's surprise, the gates opened.
No challenge. No question.
Una sat very still in the cart.
They passed through into a quieter side courtyard, away from the main entrances. A groom came forward immediately for the horses and a stableman appeared for the cart. The blacksmith at the far end of the yard looked up from his work and raised a hand at Cormac. Cormac waved in return.
"Ye know the blacksmith?" Una asked.
"The Shadow knows a great many people," Seumas said from behind her.
Cormac helped her down and clasped her hand as they crossed the yard toward a side entrance in the castle wall.
***
THE CORRIDOR INSIDE was stone-flagged and clean, lit by torches, and it led them away from the public areas of the castle toward a quieter wing. A servant passed and nodded to Cormac. A steward at a corner did the same.
Una kept her hand in Cormac's.
They came to a corridor of heavy oak doors. Seumas produced a key and unlocked two side by side. Cormac led Una through the first, then lit candles and opened a window.
The chamber was large. Stone walls hung with good tapestries, a fire already burning in the hearth, a wide curtained bed, a writing table, two chairs, a clothes press. A garderobe passage off to the left.
Una stood in the middle of it and looked around slowly.
"Seumas," she said.
"Aye, mistress?"
"Where are we?"
"The master's chambers," he replied, already moving toward the adjoining room where she could hear Ros and Tam setting down bags and discussing guard rotation in low voices.
"The master uses these rooms when he's in Edinburgh.
Guntar and Hilde maintain them." He paused at the door.
"There's water in the barrels for warming, mistress.
Supper across the corridor before long." He disappeared.
Una turned to look at Cormac.
He met her eyes without flinching.
"What is happening?" she asked.
"This is where I reside when I have matters to attend to here." He said it simply. "The rest of the men take the tavern nearby. Seumas, Ros, and Tam stay here on guard duty. Guntar and Hilde prepare our meals and anything else we need. Ye'll meet them shortly."
"The gate guard knew ye," she said.
"Aye."
"And the blacksmith."
"Aye."
"And there are rooms kept ready for ye inside the castle."
"Aye."
She looked at him for a long moment.
"Cormac," she said. "Who are ye really?"
"I'm yer husband, love," he replied, and kissed her before she could say another word.
***
IT WAS A THOROUGH KISS. Four days on the road with little privacy and his men always close by had left them hungry for one another, and she returned it without hesitation, her hands fisted in the front of his shirt. When they finally parted she pressed her forehead to his jaw and breathed.
"Ye are going to tell me," she said.
"Aye," he murmured against her hair.
"When?"
"Soon." He kissed her temple. "First let me get ye settled. Wash off the dust. Let Guntar and Hilde see to us. Eat something. Rest." His arms tightened briefly around her.
***
GUNTAR AND HILDE WERE already in the drawing room across the corridor when Cormac brought Una through. The room was warm and well lit, a long table laid for supper, the fire built high. Guntar was setting out cups and Hilde was directing a kitchen maid on the placement of the dishes.
They were a tidy, capable pair, somewhere in their late forties, and they greeted Cormac with warmth.
Guntar bowed. "Welcome back, master. I received yer missive and have everything prepared." He turned to Una with a smile. "Congratulations to ye both, mistress. I confess I did not know there would be a lady of the house, but we shall see to it that ye have everything ye need."
"Thank ye," Una replied. "Please dinnae go to any trouble on my account."
Hilde said, "'Tis no trouble at all, mistress. I will send for a seamstress in the morning, a good one who knows what she's about. Ye'll need proper gowns for yer time here."
"I have gowns," Una said quickly.
"Hilde will see to it," Cormac said.
"Cormac, truly, I have what I need. The cost alone."
"No expense is to be spared," he said. "That is the end of it."
Una pressed her lips together. Hilde caught her eye and grinned.
Guntar reappeared with a jug of wine. "I will also arrange the jeweler for tomorrow, master, if that is yer wish?"
"Aye. Thank ye."
"What jeweler?" Una asked.
Cormac looked at her bare left hand. She followed his gaze.
"Our wedding rings," he said. "I had no time to see to it before the wedding. I want people to know ye are mine."
"Cormac, there is no need. 'Tis an unnecessary expense."
"Una, ye'll wear my ring."
She stared at his face. He held her gaze without flinching.
"All right," she replied.
He nodded, reached for his cup, and said no more about it.
***
SUPPER WAS MUTTON ROAST, bread, a clear broth to start, a sharp cheese to finish.
Hilde moved in and out of the room, ensuring cups were filled and platters replenished, and then she and Guntar joined them at Cormac's insistence.
The mood was easy, conversation moving between court matters, gossip, and news.
Cormac sat beside Una and kept her cup filled and gave her the best of the roast without making anything of it. She let him. He was very attentive to her needs, and she bloomed under his care.
***
THEY WERE FINISHING the cheese when the door opened without a knock.
Seumas was on his feet before it had fully swung open. Then he sat back down.
The young woman in the doorway was perhaps in her twenties, dark-haired and bright-eyed, her traveling cloak still damp at the shoulders. Behind her a castle guardsman stood, having apparently failed to prevent his mistress from bursting into a private drawing room. She had no maid in attendance.
"Brother! I heard ye were here," she said, looking at Cormac.
He was on his feet at once, and they embraced. He drew her and her guardsman into the room.
"Nessa! What are ye doing in the castle? Where are our parents? Where is yer maid?"
"Ma and Da are in guest chambers below stairs. My maid fell asleep. I snuck out without her." Her gaze moved around the room and settled on Una. "Hello, who are ye?"
"Nessa," Cormac said, "this is my wife, Una."
Silence.
"Wife?" Nessa repeated.
"Aye."
"Ye got married?"
"Aye."
"And ye did not tell me? What sort of a brother are ye?" she growled.
"'Tis very recent."
"How recent?" She turned to Una for an answer.
"Five days," Una replied.
Nessa stared at her brother, exasperated.
Then she crossed the room, took Una's face in both hands, and kissed her on each cheek.
"I am Nessa. Cormac's sister. I am very glad to meet ye.
" She sat down, poured herself a cup of wine, and gestured for her guardsman to join her.
He shook his head and remained by the door. She shrugged.
Nessa drained the cup in one go, then turned to Cormac. "I need to speak to ye. Privately."
Cormac raised a brow and nodded. "Aye. Give me a moment." He looked at Una. She gave him a warm smile.
"Take yer time," she said.
***
IN HIS CHAMBER, NESSA spoke low. "I'm here with our parents because the Ruthvens are here. They've petitioned the king for a hearing to force ye to accept the betrothal contract between ye and Annag."
Cormac cursed under his breath. "I cannot believe they would push this to the king."
"Aye, well, it has me worried. Be prepared if ye are summoned on the morrow."
"Thank ye, sprite. I'm glad ye always know what is happening before most people do."
"What are baby sisters for?" she replied.
Cormac shook his head. "Come, let us rejoin the others."
"Is everything all right?" Una asked, when he sat back down beside her.
"Matters to be settled," he said. "Nothing that cannot wait until the morning." He refilled her cup. "Nessa, stay for supper."
Nessa stayed, and as the night wore on, she and Una became firm friends.
***
WHEN NESSA LEFT, ESCORTED back toward her parents' rooms in the south wing by her long-suffering guardsman, Guntar appeared to announce the baths were ready. Hot water had been sent up to both chambers, the tubs waiting.
The men took their leave. Hilde collected the last of the supper things, gave Una a small nod on her way out, and then they were gone.
Cormac and Una stood alone in the drawing room.
He looked at her. "Ye are not going to ask?" he said.
"I am going to bathe," she replied. "And then sleep in a warm bed with my husband. And tomorrow ye are going to tell me everything."
Cormac grinned. "I doubt there'll be much sleeping tonight, wife."
She blushed, picked up her candle, and went through to their chamber. He followed and closed the door. The night was finally theirs.
***