“Ah, sorry, old friend. Ye take them, too, or ye put a pain in the wee lady’s heart that could burn ye as weel.”
Harcourt knew that. He simply did not want to think about it until it was absolutely necessary. He walked up to Benet and lightly ruffled the boy’s hair. When the lamb stretched its neck up, clearly asking for a pat as well, he sighed and gave it one. The cat just stared at him as if daring him to put his hand close enough to get it properly shredded. Harcourt glared back.
“Dinnae ye like Roban?” asked Benet, scratching the cat’s ears and laughing when it loudly purred.
“Roban and I are in the midst of a parlay,” he said.
“Dunnie says he is a good cat. Kills lots of mice and e’en takes them outside so the wee bodies dinnae muck up a place. Says he doesnae stink up the place like the other he-cats either, so he may nay need to geld him.”
It was difficult but Harcourt smothered the urge to look at the cat who had growled softly when Benet had said that, seeing it as giving in to the nonsense of seeing the animal as more than it was. “He can do that to a cat?”
“And a dog.” Benet frowned. “It goes wrong sometimes and can kill them so I dinnae think I want him doing it to Roban but Maman says they fixed that and she gives them something to make them sleepy and still and it works so maybe I could let them try but since he doesnae stink things all up I dinnae see why we have to.”
It took Harcourt a moment to thread his way through that long, long sentence, but then he nodded. “That decision can wait. Where is your mother?”
“In there.” He pointed to the door of the keep.
“Ah, I see, weel, thank ye, laddie.”
Harcourt went in search of Annys, finally finding her in the herb garden. She sat back on her heels when he crouched down next to her. The welcome smile she gave him warmed him as much as Benet’s had, just in a different way. This was what he wanted, that welcome, that home, and he vowed he would find a way around the things that could separate them.
“Herbs for cooking or medicines?” he asked.
“Most are for medicines. Salves for wounds and burns.” She studied his face and sighed. “I am going to need a lot of that salve, aye?”
“Aye, love. I fear ye are. An awful lot indeed. And soon.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Sir Adam has arrived to lead his army.”
Harcourt frowned at Nathan who sat down opposite him at the table in the great hall. A maid hurried over with a jug of ale and a tankard for the man. Harcourt waited impatiently as the two flirted but a serious Nathan soon dismissed the woman.
“Ye think he is done gathering his army then?” Harcourt asked Nathan.
“Aye.” Nathan took a deep drink of ale and sighed with pleasure. “He has left the gathering of the men to Clyde. And, just a thought, when we talk about this to Brett best we be careful mentioning that mon. Dinnae want wee Ella kenning that her beloved cat shares a name with such a mon. Would break her wee heart.”
“Ella who didnae blink an eye when her Clyde trotted into the great hall during the evening meal and set a dead rat at her wee feet? If I recall, she smiled, scratched its ears while telling it what a good lad he was and then gave him some cheese. Methinks that wee lass is made of much sterner mettle than ye think. But, aye, we willnae let her learn of it if it can be avoided.”
Nathan nodded. “It was Clyde doing all the work. I am nay sure Clyde is verra good at leading so many men or judging their strengths and weaknesses. The men he would set out to watch for anyone attacking or spying on them were near to useless. A lot of the men are naught but swords for hire. Some may be skilled but I dinnae think they are tested in any way to be certain Sir Adam is getting his money’s worth.”
“I hope this leaves the MacQueens naught but beggars.”
“After how hard Sir Adam tried to destroy the prosperity here that would be a fine piece of justice.”
“It would indeed. So, so ye think he will attack soon?”
“Aye, I do. If he had nay done more than trot through camp to count heads, I wouldnae see this visit as some signal that he is about to act. But, he has had his tent set up and e’en had Clyde bring him a few lassies.”
“Willing?”
“I believe so. They acted as if they kenned him and happily scampered into his tent.”
“What exactly do ye mean by a few lassies?”
“Four. Think he means to share with old Clyde. That mon didnae look quite as grim as he usually does.”
“Weel, then mayhap the fool will be too exhausted to attack us on the morrow.”
Nathan laughed. “Now that is a fine thing to wish for.”
“And that is just what I am doing. Wishing for some peace from it all, if just for a wee while.”
“Ah, and am I right to think that ye want that peace so that ye might woo a fair maid?”