Page 105 of Bride of Fire
Jenefer had been watching the lad. He had decent form, but he always aimed too high. A few slight adjustments would fix that. If she had her bow…
Suddenly, an idea struck Jenefer.
She narrowed her eyes at the lad. “He’s…fairlyskilled.”
“Fairly?” Bethac echoed in concern.
“Aye. He’s young yet. Give him time.” Jenefer wrinkled her nose. “Anyway, he wouldn’t be fighting on the battlefield yet, right?”
Bethac’s brow creased with worry. “I…I don’t know.”
Jenefer shrugged. “Well, as long as he’s posted at a distant wall and not in the thick of things, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
Bethac peered past her to the archery field. “What’s wrong with him? Is something wrong with him?”
Feiyan caught on quickly. “Nothing’swrongwith him. He’s just, well, a novice.”
Bethac blinked rapidly. “He’s been an archer for two years now.”
Jenefer and Feiyan exchanged a look of discomfiture.
“I see,” Feiyan said. “Well, Jenefer is right. I’m sure the laird knows where his talents can best be used.”
But Bethac was now neck-deep in fretting.
“What if he doesn’t, though?” she said, half to herself, wringing her hands. “What if the laird sends him to battle?” She looked at Jenefer. “He’s my only grandson.”
Jenefer nodded and placed a consoling hand on Bethac’s shoulder. “Listen. If you think you can keep a secret,” she murmured, “I may be able to help.”
“How?”
“I told you I was a master archer, aye?”
“Aye.”
“I could give your William a few suggestions, a wee bit of guidance, enough to keep him safe.”
“Ye could?”
“Jenefer is the best archer in her da’s army,” Feiyan chimed in. “Your William could have no better trainer.”
Jenefer nodded to the field below. “We can practice right here, below this window, so you can keep an eye on him.”
Bethac’s face relaxed with hope. “Ye would do that?”
“Of course,” Jenefer said. “There’s just one wee problem. The laird took my bow and arrows.”
She wasn’t sure that was entirely true. But they’d been with the rest of her things in the forest, and he’d brought her clothing to her. He must have done something with her weapons.
“He did? Why?” Bethac asked, narrowing her eyes. The maidservant may have been easy to manipulate when it came to her grandson. But she was also observant and shrewd. She trusted Morgan’s judgment. If he’d confiscated her weapons, he must have had a good reason.
Jenefer decided to tell her the truth. “I think he feared I’d use them against him.”
Bethac nodded. “Would ye?” The question was blunt.
Jenefer hesitated. At one time she would have. “Nay. Not now.”
The look they exchanged spoke volumes. The maidservant could not be unaware of what had passed between Morgan and Jenefer. Indeed, she’d practically sown the seeds of love herself—arranging that romantic candlelight bath and leaving them in bedded bliss together. Though the two of them might never allow that love to blossom, a bond still existed between them.
