Page 50 of Bride Takes a Charmer
“If you wish it so, then aye, I would like nothing more than to be friends.”
Corliss took a sip of her drink and set her cup down. “That makes me gladdened, Sorsha. Now, I must go and find Idris. He is probably at the training field.”
Sorsha didn’t wait for her to leave but turned and headed to the kitchen. She crossed the small lane that led to the kitchen doorway which had been left open. When she reached the opening, she couldn’t help but listen to the conversation.
“There, there, lass. Lady Corliss did not mean to hurt Luthor. Cease your weeping,” Edra said. “Now, there are two bowls of sweetened pottage on the worktable for ye. Go on and eat.”
Sorsha was pleased that Gillian had been concerned for Luthor. Perhaps there was hope that they would befriend each other. She wanted them to be close, as dear as siblings.
“Good morn, Edra. ’Tis a beautiful day and shall be warm.”
“Oh, Milady, good morn to ye. Aye, the heat already has me short of breath this day.”
Sorsha poured herself a heaping amount of pottage. It smelled so good that her stomach rumbled. “Then I propose that we forgo our caring for the keep this day. Shaw wants me and the children to spend the day at the loch with him. I bid you take the day to rest too. We shall see to the cleaning on the morrow.”
Edra sat on a nearby stool and fanned herself. “I shall be gladdened to take rest this day. The heat never lasts long. It shall be cooler on the morrow.”
Sorsha ate her pottage and then cleaned up the children. She grabbed a basket and set inside various foodstuffs for their picnic: a loaf of bread covered with white linen cloth, four apples, an empty flask for water, slices of cheese, and a small sack of strawberries. That would hold them over until they return for the late-day meal.
“I shall keep watch over the laird’s grandmother whilst ye are gone.” Edra rushed to the food shelf and grabbed something. “A chicken for your basket, Milady.” She wrapped the cooked chicken in a cloth and added it to the helpings.
“Oh, that shall be delicious. My thanks, Edra. Enjoy the solitude and rest. We shall see you this eve.” Sorsha picked up the basket and called to the children. Outside, she walked along with Luthor and Gillian following.
“Will we get to ride horses?” Luthor asked excitedly.
“Nay, I am certain we will walk to the loch. Come along, do not dally.” Sorsha picked up her steps and hurried to the gate where she hoped Shaw awaited her.
On her approach, she saw him standing with the watchman. He looked so handsome even from afar. His longish brown locks tussled with the warm breeze, along with the hem of his tartan. He’d rolled up his tunic sleeves which showed the sinewymuscles of his forearms. To think she’d been held within those arms early that morning. Sorsha sighed with happiness.
“Ye look well pleased.” Shaw took the basket from her. “Are we ready? What’s in here?”
“We are. There’s some foodstuff there in case we get hungry.”
“Can we swim in the loch?” Gillian asked.
“Of course, ye can, Gilly lass. We shall enjoy the water today.” Shaw picked her daughter up and Gillian squealed with laughter. “Let us be off.” He set Gillian down and grabbed a large satchel which he set over his shoulder. “I brought some items too for the day.”
The walk to the loch took little time. Their excitement to get to the water matched their sprightly steps. Luthor was quiet on the walk and that concerned Sorsha. She wondered what he was thinking about. She wanted to ask, but it was best she allowed him to tell her on his own.
At the loch, Shaw pulled a large thin cover from his satchel and set it upon a shady grassy area beneath the trees. She set the basket of food on it and helped Gillian remove her overdress. Beneath, she had a thin linen underdress which afforded her a little modesty while she bathed in the water.
Shaw and Luthor stripped to their braises and ran into the water. Sorsha collected their garments and folded them, placing them in a pile on the cover. Afterward, she settled on the cover too and slipped off her shoes. As she did so, she watched Gillian, who appeared skeptical about entering the water.
“Do you not want to go in?”
Gillian shook her head. “Not yet, Mama.”
“Well then, come and sit with me. We shall talk.”
Her daughter sat next to her and watched Luthor and Shaw in the water carousing, splashing each other, and bellowing with laughter.
“I wanted to talk to you about that night, the night you were taken from me. Can you tell me what you saw? You were frightened. I heard you scream.”
Gillian peered at her lap and nodded. “Aye, Mama, I was scared. I saw you holding the dagger and I… You stabbed Da. Then someone grabbed me and took me away.”
Sorsha’s chest tightened at hearing Gillian’s recounting. “I promise you, sweetheart, I did not stab your da. I only held the dagger in my hand because I pulled it from him. Your uncle stabbed your da and I entered the chamber at that exact moment. I ran to your da to give him aid but it was too late. So I removed the dagger from him.”
“You did not stab him?” Gillian glanced up at her.