by C.M. Owens
Chapter 7
Kay was almost content as they relaxed during lunch. Anne and Jessica were laughing, joking with each other as they served out the bread pudding. Galeron was working on one of his endless lists, his black curls bouncing as he made another gently teasing comment. Jack’s eyes were sharp as they took stock of the quality of the knives and the sturdiness of the table. And Reese …
She smiled as she turned to look at Reese. He was like a second skin to her, like a half of her soul. He could finish her sentences and know what she was thinking before she began. If there was trouble in one of the villages, Reese was the man she would want at her side, to watch her back, to rely on when all else had failed.
He leant over to her ear. “Would you like to go for a walk along the castle wall?” he murmured.
A warm shiver eased down her neck, swirling in her heart, sending ripples out through her body.
Galeron perked up with delight. “That sounds perfect,” he chimed in. “I have not yet made a list of the improvements to be made there! Indeed, let us take a walk along the walls.”
Galeron was up in a moment, leading the way. Jack was right behind him. Kay and Reese followed, walking side by side out the main door and into the courtyard. In an instant Galeron’s tablet was in his hand, and his stylus moved in scribbled activity.
Jack shook his head as they walked beneath the drawbridge. “The drawbridge support is fairly weak on the left side,” he commented sharply. “See how the wood bows out in that spot.”
Galeron’s stylus flew to his tablet, writing out a series of comments.
Reese examined it for a long moment. “Yes, you are right,” he agreed. “I could have a timber shaped for that in a few hours with -”
Galeron shook his head. “No, no,” he countered. “We do not want to start on any random tasks just yet. The first logical step is to catalogue everything, to break out in detail exactly what needs to be done, and then to prioritize everything. That way what is important to do, we do those first.”
Reese glanced at Kay. “But surely, if it would just take me a few hours, I might as well -”
Galeron smiled widely, holding out his wax tablet. “I am almost done with all of my summaries, Kay,” he reasoned. “Surely waiting another day or two for Keren-happuch to come to the proper decision about what should be done would make sense? After all, she should have say in what is done to her keep, yes?”
Kay glowed with pride at his words. It would be her keep. She would have a say in what was updated, in what changes were made. She nodded in agreement. “Yes, we can all review the list together,” she agreed.
They continued to move through the courtyard area, pointing out deficiencies, noting what needed to be improved. They climbed the narrow stairs up to the wall. Galeron’s stylus never stopped moving.
Kay was impressed with Galeron’s methodical attention to detail. She wondered, idly, if there would be any way to keep all three remaining men on staff. Certainly Uther and Alistair had needed to be sent on their way – but the last three? Could she have a perfect keep under their watchful gaze?
A horse became visible on the horizon, and the four watched as he moved at a trot toward the keep.
Kay’s eyes narrowed as he came within range. “That is Jeff, from the village off to the east,” she murmured. She ran down the stairs, curious what would bring him in to the main building.
Jeff drew rein as he clattered into the courtyard. “Kay, it is good to see you,” he greeted as he dismounted. His face was lined – she guessed he was in his mid-forties by now – and his brown hair had faded to speckled grey. “We are mid-harvest, and we are having some issues which we thought -”
Jack snapped into action. “In the middle of harvest? Issues? We are coming out with you immediately.” He sprinted toward the stables.
Kay was warmed by a surge of kinship with the man. He cared that much about the food supply of her people? Maybe she had overlooked him over the past few days! In a few moments the group was saddled and riding the short distance toward the town.
A great sense of pride and love swept over her as they rode through the rolling hills and tufts of heather, through the jumbles of rock, moss, and undulating grass. This was her land. These people trusted in her to keep them safe from the MacDougals, to store their grain for the tumultuous winter, and to celebrate the delights of the sultry summer. If they were having a problem, she would help find a solution.
The village was a collection of warm, snug homes nestled into the side of a cliff wall. There were perhaps fifty small buildings surrounded by waving fields of golden grain and a few head of cattle. Most of the villagers were out amongst the ears of wheat, gathering it up by hand.
She glanced around, but there was only one grain cart in the center of the village, already stacked high with wheat. Normally the village had at least three carts to ensure smooth movement between the mill and the fields.
“What happened, Jeff?” she asked, instantly sizing up the situation.
“I am baffled, Kay,” responded the man, shaking his head. “I would almost say the faeries were at work here, and not just a plague of bad luck. If it was one cart which threw a wheel, it might seem expected. But for both of them to lose a wheel, and none of our spares are fit for using?”
Jack rounded in fury, his short, blond hair flashing in the sun. “What, you called us out here because of some broken carts? Get your children out there carrying the wheat by hand, and put your back into it! That is what you are there for – to do menial labor!”
Tension corkscrewed her stomach, but she took in a deep breath and let it out. “Jeff, surely there must be some mistake. We have wagons back at the keep. All we need to do is -”
Jack blew out breath in exasperation. “Kay, stop coddling these people!” He waved a hand at the single cart. “They simply do not want to do the work. Their laziness reeks. You need to learn how to motivate them!” He spun his horse to gallop up toward the fields.
Kay’s heart leapt in her throat, and she charged her own steed after him.
Jack dismounted in the center of a group of villagers, his movements sharp. Whip in hand, he strode up to them, his body tense with anger. “You! Peons! Stop lollygagging and put your backs into it! Half of you will have to start carrying bags of grain manually over to the mill! March!”
Kay slid off her horse behind him, her face crimson with outrage. How dare he talk to her people in such a way! He had no right!
A young girl of perhaps eight stared up at Jack in fright, and Jack raised his whip arm menacingly. “Get back to work!”
Instantly a boy of ten darted between the two, his fists balled. “Stay away from my sister, you hooligan!”
“Hooligan?!” bellowed Jack in fury.
His whip came down.
There was a sickening crack as it landed on the thin outstretched arm of the young boy.
Kay flung herself forward. “No!” she screamed, her cry mingled with that of the boy, and then she was beside him, shielding him with her body.
Her hands raced to pull the sleeve back from his arm. There was no doubt. The break in the arm bone was clearly visible through the skin, in one place, perhaps two.
She stood in an instant, spinning in fury to face Jack. Her voice carried across the field.
“Bring the grain cart; we need to get this boy to the keep,” she ordered.
“What, are you crazy?” choked Jack. “This is just one boy! We have grain for the entire village in that cart! It needs to get milled!”
“And if it were not for you, this boy would be whole,” snapped back Kay, her eyes flashing fire. “What right had you to harm this child?”
“You stay out of my way,” growled Jack, taking a step threateningly toward her. “This is man’s work. Who are you, a mere maid, to question me? Your place is to sit and follow orders at the keep. Let the competent adults handle the challenging tasks.”
Competent adults?
Kay could barely breathe. “You
lay a hand on any one of my people again and I will see you clamped in iron, you bastard,” she snarled, her face glowing with fury.
His hand moved faster than she could follow. Her head exploded into a brilliant, multi-colored burst of showering stars. The ground slammed up to meet her body full force, and it was a moment or two before she could make sense of what had happened. She gave her head a soft shake and it sent her world spinning. Looking around more cautiously, she saw that Reese and Galeron had grabbed a hold of either side of Jack’s arms and were holding him securely.
Jeff was at her side, helping to roll her up to a seated position. “Are you all right, Kay?” he asked hoarsely, his face taut with concern.
“Fine enough,” she agreed, giving him a reassuring pat. She drew herself up to one knee, then pressed hard to regain her feet. It was less than an hour from when they had left the keep, and yet looking on Jack now, it was as if a lifetime had passed. She could not imagine ever having wanted him anywhere near her lands.
She shook her head, and a wave of nausea flowed through her at the action. She fought to steady herself. She had to think. She turned automatically to Reese. “We need to get the boy -”
Reese glanced at Jack with barely restrained fury. “Yes,” he agreed, his words tight. “We will get the boy – and you – to safety.” He looked across at Galeron. “You can handle Jack?”
Galeron nodded, a half-smile coming to his face. “Certainly, leave this to me.”
Reese released Jack’s arm, then moved over to where the young boy lay whimpering. Dropping to one knee, he carefully cradled the boy in his arms, smoothly lifting him up.
Jack glared from Kay to Reese, his eyes shining with heat. “I do not need handling,” he snapped. “You are spoiling these people. A firm hand is what they need.”
Galeron gave Jack a warning shake, then turned to Reese. “I will be fine here,” he repeated. “You go on and get those two back to the infirmary.”
Kay allowed herself to be helped into the back of the cart; her head was throbbing with pain. The boy was lowered gently into the crook of her arm. She held him against her, telling him long stories of haunted ships and impossible romances as the group made its way back to the keep. After a drifting of light and breeze and pain and weariness they were moving back through the main gates. Then a pair of warm arms lifted her, a rich smell of musk enveloped her, and she was carried back down into the infirmary.
Leland’s voice was rough. “God’s teeth, Kay, what was it this time?” In moments she was laid back down into the familiar bed. A pair of fingers prodded at her cheek and she winced in pain. “Were you dealing with that drunken lout of a grandfather again?”
Reese shook his head in amusement. “Is this a daily occurrence around here?” he mused in wonder. “No, this mouse is courtesy of one of the remaining courting gentlemen.”
Leland’s eyes shot up to Reese’s in fury, and Reese put up his hands in innocence. “Not me, I swear,” he quickly added. “This was Jack’s temper flaring, when he saw the wheat was not being gathered quickly enough.”
“So he hit a woman?” snarled Leland in anger.
Just at that moment Jeff strode into the room carrying the lad with the broken arm. Leland’s face turned a richer shade of purple, and a vein bulged on his neck. “And he injured a child?”
Kay coughed. “He will be gone tomorrow, Leland,” she promised, her voice rough through the pain. “It is better we find this out now rather than later. His true colors have shown. He will be gone.”
“He should be flogged within an inch of his life,” muttered Leland, his voice tight. “What kind of a man would do a thing like this?”
“A man we do not want within our borders,” agreed Kay wholeheartedly. “We will send word to Lord Weston, send Jack away, and justice will be done.” She put a hand to her head. “But in the meantime, can I have a cold compress?”
Leland was bent over the boy’s arm, working carefully on the separated bones. “My dear, you know I love you with all my heart, but right now you need to be patient. Unless Reese can -”
Reese spoke immediately. “Reese most certainly can,” he chimed in, and he was gone. Only a minute passed before he was sprinting back into the room holding a small cloth soaked in well water. He moved to sit beside Kay, pressing it against her temple. She sighed in relief, the cooling sensation blanketing her pain.
“You can not tell …” Kay paused for a moment, her befuddlement making it hard to remember the right words. What was she supposed to be calling Em? “My lady. You cannot tell my lady what has happened today.”
Reese tilted his head to the side, staring down at her in quiet contemplation. “You wish me to lie?”
Kay shook her head and immediately regretted the decision as her whole world spun and whirled. She took in several deep breaths while the movement settled down again. She had to remember not to do that.
“I will tell her, soon,” she promised. “Please, just wait until tomorrow afternoon. If she knew what happened, she would have him thrown into the holding cells here, and it would spoil everything. Lord Weston’s men will get to him soon enough. Her time here should be stress-free and smooth. It is important for her health.”
Reese looked at her for a long time. “You really do care about her greatly,” he commented at last.
Kay nodded. “I do.”
Reese smiled gently. “If that is your wish, then I will abide by it.”
Kay put her hand on top of his, drawing in the warmth of his fingers - the strength, the caring. Her worries melted away. It would be all right, as long as Reese was by her side.
They sat that way for a long time, until eventually Leland finished with his task and came over to sit with the two. “The boy will be fine; the break was clean,” he reported. “How is this bruise doing?”
Reese lifted the compress back, and Leland prodded experimentally at the tender area. “Nothing you have not seen before, missy,” offered Leland with a smile when he was finished. “I think you can head up to get some dinner into you. You must be starving by now.”
Reese shook his head. “Just what kind of a life do you lead up here, when maids routinely encounter bruises like this?”
Leland’s smile grew wider. “Ah, but Kay is a special case, or had you not guessed yet?”
A jolt of nervousness ran down Kay’s spine at Leland’s double-meaning jest, but Reese seemed to take it in stride. “She is a special woman,” he agreed, then offered his arm to her. She moved slowly, but already her world was coming more into focus, and she swung her legs around to ease out of bed. With Reese’s help they were soon walking through the main hall and toward the central table.
Galeron offered her a large tankard of mead. “Quite a black eye you have there, Kay,” he commiserated. “Here, take a long draw; it will chase away the edge.”
Kay gratefully drank down a swallow, and indeed the pain dulled almost immediately.
Reese tensed beside her, and she looked around to see Jack moving to join them at the table. His blond head was held high, arrogantly, and his eyes moved dismissively to the bruise on her face. She met his look without flinching, sitting down at her place, and holding his gaze as Anne and Jessica moved around them to serve the veal and fresh bread.
Jack ripped off a piece of bread and dipped it into his sauce. “Sometimes what a maid needs is a quick rap, to knock some sense into her,” he mused with a smirk. “Feeling better now, are we?”
Flames spiraled up her spine, and she forced an icy cool tamp in response. “So you do this often to maids, do you?” she queried with deceptive calm.
He shrugged. “Maybe once or twice,” he agreed, his eyes glowing with triumph. “You notice that the blonde one is much more prompt about refilling our ale mugs, after all.”
Kay’s eyes moved in shock to Anne, who was bringing around a fresh pitcher. Sure enough, a small welt showed at the corner of her face. Anne blushed when she noticed the perusal, quickly tilting her head
so the cascade of blonde curls fell across the location.
Kay’s hand slid down to her knife before she had conscious thought of the movement. Rage coursed through her. At her side, Reese coiled, his own hand dropping, preparing to follow through on whatever she started. Warmth flowed through her at the thought, at knowing he was so in sync with her. It would be so easy …
But Em was upstairs, and the last thing her sister needed right now was more high-stakes drama.
She took in a long, deep breath, marshaled her emotions, and slowly replaced her hand on the table. Jack was a belligerent fiend. He needed to be brought to justice, and he would be. There was no need to cause the explosion in the middle of her own home, where her own servants and friends would be hurt. A team of soldiers would be waiting for Jack in the morning, and they would safely take him into custody.
“Actions bring matching consequences,” muttered Kay under her breath, willing herself into calm.
Beside her, Reese untensed, his hand coming up off his weapon.
Jack popped another piece of bread into his mouth. “Of course they do,” he agreed with a smile, leaning back in his chair.
Kay found herself unable to talk for the rest of the meal. As soon as they were done, she strode out of the hall, through the courtyard, and up the thin stairs to the curtain wall. She was not surprised when, only a few minutes later, Reese was there at her side.
He gazed down at her. “You do not intend to let him go free.” It was a statement, not a question.
“We have sent word,” agreed Kay somberly. “He will be taken and brought to justice. He will be captured somewhere where he cannot hurt innocent people in the process.”
“If you asked me, I would challenge him,” offered Reese, his tone serious.
Kay took in the rigid set of his shoulders; the clenched hands. She raised her hand to gently stroke the side of his cheek, her smile soft.
“I know you would,” she agreed with appreciation. “I treasure that more than words can say. But I want it to happen far from the keep.”
Reese nodded. “Far from Keren-happuch.”
Kay turned and looked back out at the dark night, at the ghostly line of trees which encircled the keep. It was almost a stab in her heart, now, to hear Reese refer to Em by her name. She felt wrong in deceiving him, in not telling him the full truth, after all he had done for her. She knew it was part of the game, but it went against her nature, and it loomed like a chasm between them.
“Yes,” she agreed, “I need to keep her safe.”
There was a long moment of silence, and then Reese moved to stare out into the dark distance alongside her.
“And you stay down here in hopes of preventing her from seeing your bruises until after he leaves?”
Kay blushed, hoping the darkness hid the sign of her reaction. His astuteness continually surprised her. She had not met a man like him before.
“It would be better,” she murmured. “She need only know enough to make him go.”
There was silence for a moment. When Reese spoke, his voice was tight with concern. “Do you truly think even your lady’s silvered tongue can send Jack away in a contented frame of mind?”
Kay’s heart fell. If there ever was a challenge to Em’s talents, this would be it. She thought of putting on a brave front, but the weight of the day dragged heavily on her shoulders. She clasped her hands on the wall, sighing deeply. “I do not know,” she admitted.
Reese put his hand on top of hers, and resolve surged back through her, buoyed by the tenderness and strength of his grasp. “Whatever happens, I will be there.”
She closed her eyes, the richness of the words easing through her, wrapping her in their embrace.
“I know.”