Page 75 of The Guardian's Bride
Rowena sat besideColban in the darkness of his tower room, a twin to her own above it. She touched the child’s curly hair as he slept peacefully. Hearing a tap on the door, she looked up as Aedan peeked in and put a finger to her lips. “All is well. I will stay here for a while.”
He nodded. “Thank you,” he murmured. “I will be in my chamber working on some documents. Fetch me if he needs anything, or if you need something.” As he closed the door, she saw him rub his brow as if something troubled him. Perhaps it was the headache again; he had sipped the strong wine at supper, which had a peculiar effect on him. While he never complained, she had seen it.
After a while, leaving Colban asleep with one of the dogs to guard him, she headed down the winding stone stair, going carefully to spare her ankle. It had improved with ointment and snug bandaging, but she did not fancy twisting it again. She passed a small library and the solar that contained Marjorie’s loom and baskets of yarns, cloth, and stitchery, then took a corridor through a door to the separate building that confined the kitchen, always wise in case of fire.
She hoped to find some herbs that were helpful for headache, wanting to make a hot infusion to bring to Aedan before he tried to sleep. The large kitchen was dim and all but deserted. One woman in a dark gown and pale kerchief stirred the contents of a kettle over one of the hobs in the great arched fireplace.As Rowena’s footsteps sounded on the slate floor, the woman turned.
“Lady Rowena!” Lady Jennet said.
“My lady! I did not expect to see anyone here.”
The older woman smiled. “I was talking to Cook about the needs at the castle since we will be away for some weeks. The garrison is larger now, and so must be accommodated. Tomorrow in Dunfermline, I will arrange for supplies to be delivered each week. I am sure you know how it is to run a household.”
“I do, though I live in our family castle, my brother’s property now. My sisters and I have managed the household together since our mother’s death, and then Papa’s.”
Jennet stirred the kettle. “I knew Robert Keith of Kincraig. A good man.”
Rowena tipped her head. “You did? Oh,” she realized. “The betrothal?”
“The one that never was, aye. You are close with your siblings?”
“We are. But my sisters have married and will be living elsewhere, so Kincraig will be managed by our brother Henry, who is not yet married. But I can help him.”
“Do you think you would marry again, and move away as your sisters have done?” Her tone sounded careful, Rowena thought.
“If I ever married again, I would want to divide time between Kincraig, which I love dearly, and wherever my husband’s property might be.” She was careful too.
“Ah. Aedan said you were recently on Bass Rock?” Jennet changed the subject.
“I was. It is isolated but beautiful in its way. Have you been there before?”
“Not since Aedan was a lad. Can I help you find something here in the kitchens?”
Rowena nodded. “I was hoping to make a warm posset, and need a few herbs for headache. Do you have more mint and willow, chamomile, and perhaps yarrow or feverfew?”
“We have those.” The lady tilted her head. “Do you have a headache?”
“I thought Sir Aedan might benefit from it.”
“Ah, so you noticed at supper.”
“I did. I hope it would be welcome if I prepare something for him.”
“Very welcome, I am sure, though he would not ask. Over here.” She led Rowena through the cavernous room, whitewashed with a vaulted ceiling, to open a large wooden cupboard. Inside were multiple nooks with tiny painted labels, the niches filled with packets and small jars containing dried herbs, ginger, pepper, and other herbs, spices, and more. Rowena inhaled the blended scents.
“This is a lovely collection!”
“We try to keep many herbs and such to hand.” Lady Jennet removed a few packets. “Here is peppermint, willow, yarrow. And some dried all-heal if you want some.” She piled the packets into Rowena’s hands. “Use what you like and we will put the rest back in the herb cupboard. We have some oils too, mint, lavender, and others that might help.”
“Thank you. I would like to boil some water.” Rowena turned.
“There is water already heated on the smaller hob. I prepared elderberry syrup recently if that would help. And we have raw honey, drawn from the hives last month.”
“That would be excellent.” She laid the things on the scrubbed oak table, took the little pottery bowl that Lady Jennet handed her, and measured out some herbs while Aedan’s aunt fetched the syrup and honey. Quickly, Rowena added smallportions of herbs to the water heating in an iron kettle and began to stir the simmering mixture. She closed her eyes, inhaling the warm, sweet, tart scent of the rising steam.
“This will help Aedan,” Lady Jennet said. “It is kind of you to think of it.”
Rowena stirred the concoction. “It is something I can do for him. I owe him so much. He took me out of Yester, did you know? If I had stayed, I dread to think what might have happened.”
