Jacob went to him then, put his hand on the man’s shoulder and said, “My bonny wee Brendan?”
Brendan stood, a good foot taller than his grandfather, and smiled. “It is,” he said. “Have you aught to eat?”
I shuddered. It was told in these parts to never, never feed a fairy. You will never get it out of your house if you do. I closed my eyes. “What time is it?” I asked no one and everyone.
“Well past midnight,” Gwyneth said. “Surely the hallows have gone back to the grave now. Ma? Grampa Jacob has nailed iron rings over every door. No fairy will go under iron. He couldn’t have come in, had he not skin as ours.”
“Would you at least feed my friend?” he asked.
I said, “We had apples with cinnamon for supper. Push up the fire and I will get some long forks for you.”
They started in roasting the apples. I could not bring myself to believe this was my son; though he seemed like him he did not look like him or talk like him. But no duppy or fairy would sit so close to a fire. No ghost would want to eat. I watched them a while, then asked again, “Where is Cullah?”
Brendan squinted and said, “He’s coming. It is taking much longer for him to travel with the people going with him. He told me to get Rolan to some shelter and food and go on ahead. I didn’t want to leave him, but there were reasons. Oh, that is good. Have you bread, too? And cheese?”
“Would you like some ale warmed?” Gwenny asked.
“I will take it any way it comes, warm, cold, or frozen solid,” he answered.
While I cut slabs of bread and cheese, she poured tankards for him and for Rolan. Rolan took a cup from her with a sheepish nod and said, “Merci.”
I asked, “Do you want to clean up? We might retire upstairs and leave you with clothes and water mixed with vinegar. I have sponges and soap. Your wound,” I said to Rolan, “needs dressing.”
“Madame?”
“Votre blessure a besoin de bandages.”
“Oui.”
I turned to Brendan. “Will you be all right to stay down here tonight? It is late. We will make your bed tomorrow. For now, wash yourselves and sleep in these blankets by the fire.”
“Ma?” Gwyneth began.
“Up to bed, children. Benjamin? Wake Dorothy and take her by the hand. You both sleep with me tonight. Jacob?”
Brendan said, “Good night, Ma.”
“Good night, Ma,” Rolan mimicked.
When we got to the top of the stairs, I pulled Gwyneth into my room. Jacob came up behind, and bolted the door, while unlatching the secret passage to the tower room and from it to the stair down to the barn. We would not leave, but it would be there if needed. Then we arranged for him to make a pallet in one corner, while the children all took my bed, and I slept curled up on a chest with a blanket.
Morning came late, and the clouds had not parted, indeed the cold wind that blew in brought winter with it, and two inches of snow. If we had left those men in the parlor below to face the winter night, they would have died. I would have acted less charitable had not there been a familiar ring to his voice. So, when I descended the stairs to find someone I now recognized as my son, clean shaven and wrapped in a blanket, with clean hair, my heart felt as if it swelled in my chest. I smiled. “Brendan,” I said. “Oh, please forgive me for not recognizing you. I had no idea you would change so much.”
“Well and aye, Ma. Why did you keep insisting it was Pa calling for his mother?”
“Do you not know? Your voice has gone so low I thought it was your father. You sound exactly like him. I am so pleased to have you home, son. So thankful.”
“I am happy to be home. I was sore afraid you would have more soldiers billeted here, and poor Rolan would have to be turned over to them. He is supposed to be my prisoner but he’s an all right chap after you get to understand him. Farm boy from the south of France, pressed to be a soldier just as we were, and shipped here to fight us.”
I bent over the bed where Rolan slept. His face and hair were clean but not shaved, and the dirty bandage was still about his throat. I touched his head. He had fever. “Why did you not change this bandage?” I asked. By then, the rest of my family started meandering downstairs.
“He said he would tend it. He let me wash first, and soon as I got shaved, I fell asleep. I slept like the dead until just before you came down.”