Just as she grew weary of riding the horse, despite the pleasure of being so close to Gybbon, Mora saw the walls of Gormfeurach. She could see the men high up on the walls and felt her fear of what she might be bringing to the keep ease a little. Once behind those walls, it would be nearly impossible for Robert to get to anyone since she did not believe he had gained the power to order his whole clan into the field to fight.
They rode in through the gates once they were opened. For a while there was an organized confusion as everyone dismounted, the horses were led away, and the cart unpacked. Mora hurried to grab her bag and make sure Freya was secure. As they walked toward the steps she saw that a small woman stood waiting for them, her blood-red hair in a long, thick braid pulled forward over her shoulder. When Mora got closer she realized the woman had dark green eyes.
“Greetings,” the woman said, and held out her hand. “I am the Lady of Gormfeurach, Lady Annys Murray. Welcome to our home.”
Mora shook the woman’s hand and smiled. “’Tis a fine keep, m’lady.”
“Oh, please, call me Annys. I have ne’er gotten used to all the ‘m’lady this and that.’ Come in. Ye too, Gybbon. We have baths ready for ye and there will be a meal soon.”
The promise of a bath got Mora moving right along with Lady Annys. She desperately wanted to wash away the dust of her travels. Although she was listening carefully to what Lady Annys said as they went up the stairs, a lot of her mind was fixed firmly on getting her dusty gown off and sitting in a bath. Then she suddenly realized Andrew was not at her side.
“Where did Andrew go?” she asked Gybbon.
“Oh,” replied Annys, “the boy has gone off with my son Benet and my maid’s boys so that they can show him where he can clean up. Is that all right?”
“Of course. I was just startled as we have been kept close for the whole journey and then he was gone.”
Annys nodded and pointed to the room for Gybbon, who thanked her and hurried inside. To Mora’s surprise the woman then led her into the room right next to his. A slightly older, more buxom woman was just setting down a bucket of water next to a large wooden tub.
“Joan, this is Lady Mora Ogilvy, just arrived from Sigimor’s manor with Gybbon.”
“Greetings, m’lady. Your bath awaits.”
Before Mora could say much more than thank you, the two women left and a young girl entered to help her get out of her clothing. Mora gladly accepted the offer to clean the clothes, but then shooed the girl away and stepped into the tub. A sigh of pure pleasure escaped her as she sank into the water. She cleared her mind of all thoughts of her troubles and decided to simply enjoy her bath. Sadly, the troubles would still be there when her bath was done.
She sniffed the soap she scooped out of the dish and smiled at the soft scent of lavender. Her mother had loved that scent, she thought with a pang of sorrow as she washed herself. Freya came to stand with her paws on the edge of the tub and Mora suddenly recalled that she had brought in her bag.
“How did ye get out?” she asked the animal as she began to wash her hair. “I thought I had secured the bag closed.”
Freya reached a paw out and touched the water, then shook her paw dry. Mora laughed, only to have the cat do it again. Then she crossed her arms over her breasts when her door opened, but it was just the young maid.
“Oh, m’lady, I am so sorry.” The girl started to move toward Freya. “I dinnae ken how it got in here. I will just toss it outside.”
“Nay! ’Tis fine. The cat is mine. Is having it inside with me a problem?”
“Nay! I just thought it was one of the stable cats and it had somehow wandered in here. I came to see if ye needed your hair rinsed.”
“Aye, now that I think on it, I believe I do.”
She allowed the girl to finish the washing of her hair and then the rinsing of it. When the girl started to dry it for her, Mora wondered how she had managed without such luxury for so many years. She then sternly reminded herself she was not some grand lady who lived in a walled keep.
“I will lay out your clothes, shall I?” the girl said even as she started toward Mora’s bag.
“If Freya will allow it.” She stepped out of the tub and began to dry herself off, watching as the girl cautiously approached the bag, which Freya sprawled on top of.
Freya moved and Mora almost smiled at how the girl sighed with relief. She wrapped her hair and then walked over to where the girl had picked out her clothes before she picked up her shift and put it on. The girl hurried to do up her laces. In no time at all Mora was fully dressed in a gown she did not recognize and suspected her hostess had brought her in one. Mora thought how very easy it would be to become thoroughly spoiled by having servants to flutter around.
“Thank ye,” she said to the girl, then reached for the drying cloth that had been wrapped around her head. “What is your name?”
“Mary. I was the first here, so it is just Mary.” The girl took off the drying cloth and started to dry Mora’s hair even more. “There is Red Mary because of her hair color, Old Mary, and Big Mary. Being just Mary isnae such a bad thing.”
“Nay, I would have to agree with that.”
She allowed Mary to lead her to the fireplace and sit her on a stool while the girl slowly combed out her hair before the warmth of the fire that dried it even more. As Mary braided her hair, Mora decided she was getting too warm and hoped the girl worked quickly. She moved away from the heat as fast as she could when the girl said she was done.
Leaving Mary to deal with emptying the bath and forcing herself not to feel guilty about that, Mora stepped out of the room. Freya quickly trotted out to join her, and Mora sighed. Eating with her had obviously been a big mistake as she was not sure she could keep the cat away now. When she walked into the hall, she saw Gybbon near the head of the table and wondered where she should sit. Then he gestured to her to come and sit by him. Freya beat her to the place right next to him on the bench and Mora tried to ignore how both he and the man he was speaking with grinned at her.
“If it troubles ye, I will remove her,” Mora said.
“Nay, I have been warned. Cats dinnae bother me. My son walks around with one all the time. ’Tis why I am stuck in a chair much of the day at the moment.” He waved at his bandaged foot, which he had rested on the bench set near to him. “I am Harcourt Murray, Laird of Gormfeurach.”
“Ye just love saying that, dinnae ye?” teased Gybbon.
“I worked hard for it. Pleased to meet ye, Mora Ogilvy. I believe I met your father once when I visited Payton at court. Nice mon. Verra sorry for what happened to him and your mother.”
“Thank ye. He must have been young then as I can ne’er recall him mentioning that he had actually gone to the court.”
“He hated it nearly as much as I. Ah, food. The one thing I am allowed to do,” he muttered as he frowned at Annys, who just ignored him.
Mora hid her smile and watched as Gybbon put some meat on her plate. It troubled her that she felt no great urge to eat for she knew she should. As Harcourt and Gybbon taunted each other, she picked away at her food and thought that it was too warm in the hall. By the time the sweets were served, she could barely keep her eyes open and decided she needed to excuse herself. Saying all that was expected, she rose and walked slowly to the door. Taking a deep breath, she was only two steps into the hall and turned toward the steps leading to the next floor, when blackness swept over her so quickly she had no chance to make a sound, even when she hit the hard stone floor.
Gybbon heard the soft thud and stared in horror at Mora sprawled on the hard floor. He leapt up and ran out with Annys hurrying after him, but to his annoyance, the foolish cat got to Mora before any of them. He resisted the urge to shove it out of the way and picked Mora up, standing as Annys checked her head for any wound caused by the fall to the floor.
“Fool animal,” he muttered while he stared at the small cat sitting on Mora’s chest as he carried her up the stairs.
“Nay, Gybbon. The cat is worried. I think Mora has spoiled it a bit.”
“A bit? Nay, dinnae frown, Annys. I actually like the animal. Now, I just wonder where Andrew is.”