Page 55 of Bride of Fire
Jenefer glanced sideways at the maidservant. It was too early to broach the subject of Bethac remaining with her when Morgan was sent home. But she was encouraged by the fact the woman liked and appreciated her. And unlike her disparaging cousin, Bethac seemed to be of the opinion that Jenefer had good mothering skills.
As long as they were exchanging pleasantries, Jenefer thought, she might as well try to get some useful information from Bethac.
Resting Miles’ head against her shoulder, she strolled slowly around the room.
“So tell me about this laird of yours,” she said casually. “Ishethe kind to take a lass against her will?”
“Laird Morgan? Oh nay!” Bethac’s conviction was emphatic. “He’s a good man. Decent. Fair. And honorable.”
“Yet he keeps my cousin and me prisoner.” Jenefer looked at her with calculation, adding the half-truth, “And we don’t know why.”
Bethac blinked in surprise. “Prisoner? Oh nay, Miss. He keeps ye here for your own protection. He dares not set ye loose when a hostile army may be near. ’Twould be unthinkable.”
Jenefer gave her a sharp glance. “Is it?”
“Aye, o’ course. Ye may be warrior maids. But ye’re also innocent lasses who—”
“Nay, I mean…is a hostile army near?” She tried to hide her keen interest in hearing the answer.
“Ah. None has been spotted yet. But…” Bethac leaned forward to confide, “The young lad who’s guardin’ ye? He told me his cousin overheard a knight tellin’ his father that this army might very well attack in the middle o’ the night.”
Jenefer’s eyes dulled. Rumors. In her experience, a man’s armory spawned just as many rumors as a lady’s solar. Rivenloch would never be so unchivalrous as to attack a castle in the middle of the night.
“So ye see?” Bethac assured her. “The laird is doin’ his best to keep ye safe. Ye’re not prisoners. Ye’re guests. Indeed, that’s his own bedchamber ye’re stayin’ in while he sleeps on the floor.”
Jenefer nodded. She had to admit that was a noble gesture. But it might have more to do with the fact that Creagor had no proper dungeon or even doors on the storage rooms.
She shifted Miles in her arms.
That was another thing she’d add when she moved in. The storage rooms should be more secure.
Then she smirked. Her mother might disagree, since her father had locked her in one such storage room at Rivenloch.
“Are ye not comfortable in his bedchamber?” Bethac asked.
“Oh aye.” Now that she’d discovered the bed wasnotflea-ridden after all, she found the well-stuffed mattress quite to her liking.
“And he’s feedin’ ye well?”
She was already impatient for her next meal. But he couldn’t be blamed for that. “As well as can be expected.”
Bethac nodded. “The stores were depleted when we arrived. We haven’t had time to stock the pantry.”
Depleted stores meant a short siege and a quick surrender. That was good. Jenefer was willing to face the Highlanders in battle. But she didn’t relish letting them die of hunger.
Besides, if anyone was going to starve within the castle walls, Jenefer supposed she’d be one of the first to go.
And what of Miles? she thought, running a palm over his soft, warm head. How long would a wee babe survive a siege?
“What will happen if they lay siege?” Jenefer asked.
“Don’t ye fret, Miss. Laird Morgan will take good care o’ the clan…and the two o’ ye as well. He won’t let anyone starve.”
Jenefer raised a brow. “So he’ll negotiate?”
“If the demands are reasonable.”
She tried not to sound too hopeful. “He’ll relinquish Creagor?”
