Page 58 of Bride Takes a Laird

Kendra retrieved her mother’s shawl and pulled it around her shoulders. The air had chilled considerably since she’d returned home. Though it was autumn, winter wasn’t too far off. That reminded her of the bump that now showed at her waist. She was getting bigger by the day. Soon, she would be unable to travel and she drew in a regrettable sigh at that. Kendra had hoped to find the coins and return them to Heatherington before the weather turned or before she was incapable of riding. She had intended to return to Magnus but that he hadn’t come or replied to her missives brought on the trepidation that he might not care if she ever returned.

Kendra ambled outside and waved to the soldiers and servants she passed on the way to the stables. Although her father hadn’t ridden much before they left to attend the king, he could have been in the stables when Heatherington visited. She hadn’t thought to check there but would now.

“Milady, do ye want me to saddle a horse for you?” the stable master asked.

“Nay, my thanks though, Peter.” She walked along the stalls and stopped to pet her horse. Sky Dancer, the poor animal, hadn’t been ridden for some time but there was nothing she could do about it now that she was carrying a babe. The risk was too great to injure herself or her unborn child. She stroked the horse’s nose and turned back to Peter. “Have you let out the horses this day?”

Peter set a bucket down by the trough and strode toward her. “Earlier, Milady, and I just brought them inside. ’Tis a wee bit brisk this day and the air is growing colder. I deem we’ll need a good fire this night for it will be freezing afore the morn.”

“I think you’re right.” Kendra walked on and stopped by her father’s horse’s stall. She opened the gate and stepped inside. His horse was as cantankerous as her papa was and now the beast butted his head against her shoulder and tried to nip her. She pushed him backwith a hand to his nose. “I won’t be but a moment. Cease being surly,” she said to the horse.

A saddlebag hung on a peg on the back wall. She recognized it and remembered her father using it whenever he’d traveled. Kendra lifted it from the peg and it was heavy. She fell to her knees and then settled back against the wall. With anticipation, she clutched the flap of the bag and tossed it open.

As she rummaged through the bag, she found one of her father’s tunics, a pair of stockings, a horseshoe, and a small pot that he probably used for stew when he traveled. When she emptied the bag, she shook it and heard the tinkle of something else within.

Kendra pressed her hands inside the bag and found a compartment that was closed with a pin. After she unfastened the closure, she pushed her fingers inside the spacious space. She grabbed a hefty pouch from within and shook it. The knot that kept it closed was difficult to open, but finally, she got it undone. She emptied the pouch onto her lap and it overflowed with coins—at least enough to equal ten pounds.

Tears gathered in her eyes and blurred her view of the coins. She was relieved but also melancholy that she hadn’t thought to check her father’s saddlebag sooner. All the time she had wasted in search of the coins when they had been there all along. Her father must have put them in his saddlebag when Heatherington visited. That he’d placed the bag there without taking the coins inside the manor perplexed her, but of course, her father hadn’t been in his right mind.

Kendra collected the coins and put them back in the pouch then rose and left the stall, ensuring the door was closed so her father’s onery horse couldn’t get out. With a farewell to Peter, she left the stable and hastened to the hall. There, she wrote a missive to Lord Heatherington for him to come to her. She put the coins in a trunk by a side table and closed it. They would be safe there until she could return them to her knavish neighbor.

John entered and approached. “Milady, me and Linet searched everywhere outside, beneath every rock, by all the walls, and I had men check the small pond. We found nothing.”

She raised her eyes to John’s defeated gaze. “Worry not, John, I just found them. They were in Papa’s saddlebag hanging in his horse’s stall in the stable.”

John smacked his head with the palm of his hand and groaned. “Why did I not check the saddlebag when I hung it in Lord Rupert’s stall?”

“He must’ve put them in there when he met with Lord Ellish and that’s where they were all along. Can you take this missive to Heatherington at once?”

John held his hand out and Kendra placed the missive in his palm. “Hurry now because I want to get this matter settled quickly.”

“Aye, Milady.” John turned and left.

Kendra took the steps to her bedchamber. Although it was only midday, now that her mission had been completed, she found herself finally able to relax. Tired, she lay on her bed. Within moments, she fell asleep though her slumber was fitful and she dreamed of Magnus. The moments they had shared together flitted through her mind as if she relived them. With a startle, she awoke with tears streaming down her face. Hastily, she wiped them away and suppressed the sob that still thickened her throat. How she missed Magnus. Would he ever come? If he was going to, he would have arrived by now. She lost hope that he was too busy to give her any consideration.

Taking a moment to allow fresh air inside her chamber, she opened the window shutters. The window casement showed a dusky sky with the oncoming night. A chill now filled her bedchamber and she shook herself and closed the shutters. She went to her wardrobe and changed her overdress. After she washed and took care of her toiletry, she left the chamber and made her way to the hall.

Linet and Gilda had set the table for supper. A stack of trencherssat in the center along with baskets and bowls of foodstuff. Kendra’s stomach rumbled and she was hungry. She sat beside the chair her father usually used and peered at the empty seat. If only he was still there, grumbling to her about his day. She missed him as well. Even though she had the servants, soldiers, and the Graham clansmen and women, Kendra felt lonely.

“My lady, shall we join you?”

“I should like that, Gilda. Please, sit with me and have your supper.” Kendra spooned the pottage into a bowl and grabbed a chunk of soft bread. As she ate, Norman joined them. He spoke softly to his wife and she couldn’t hear what he’d said.

“My Lady, the collection of the crofters’ tax is done. I shall send our tithe to the king’s men on the morrow. We’ll see how much remains after that but I suspect we will have enough to purchase seed for the spring planting and to see us through the winter.” Norman accepted a trencher from Gilda and she smiled at him.

“That is good news, Norman. My thanks for handling that. I’m gladdened it’s done.”

A noise outside the hall alerted her that someone had come. She was about to rise when John entered with Heatherington following in his wake. The man wore a grim look on his face but settled into a more amiable manner when he reached her.

“Lady Kendra,” he said and bowed. “It has been some time, has it not? You look as beautiful as ever.”

“Lord Heatherington, I see you received my missive.”

His head bobbed. “Aye, aye and I came at once because—”

She rose and retrieved the pouch from the trunk by the side table. “As you know, the king gave my hand to a Highlander, and your agreement with my father was nullified. Since you insisted we return the coins to you, I wanted to get them to you as soon as I could.” Kendra set the pouch on the table in front of him. “Go on, take them.”

Ellish frowned at the pouch and returned his gaze to her. “But MyLady…”