In many ways, Mary was the castle’s most important resident. She’d worked in the castle for nearly forty years and everyone, especially Eoin and his brother Arran, accepted the cook and head maid as the castle’s true boss. She ran the castle like the captain of a ship. Nothing happened within the walls without her notice or approval.
I stuck my head into the kitchen, smiling as I reached up into the shelf just out of her reach to grab the plates. I thought it best to test her mood before immediately jumping into what I wanted to discuss with her. “How are you today, Mary?”
Mary motioned at me to lay out the plates before she responded. “Ach, I’m fine. ’Tis a bonny day, I enjoy the snowfall, but I feel a bit of guilt for loving it so. ’Tis sure to mean more work for Kip in the stables to keep the horses warm.”
“Oh, don’t feel guilty about enjoying anything, Mary. You know that Eoin and Arran will both do whatever they need to so that Kip’s load in the stables is not more than he can handle. I have a wonderful idea that I think we should all do together before the snow outside gathers too much.”
“What might that be?”
“I think we should all go out and find a tree to cut down for Christmas!” I looked down at the plates, busying my hands as I awaited her reaction. Perhaps if I played it off as if I didn’t know her thoughts on the matter, she would be more willing to discuss it.
I glanced up as Mary turned away to grab the bread so that she could break it into pieces. “Nay, I’m afraid ’tis not possible. Lovely thought though.”
Mary had never in the year that I’d known her referred to anything I’d ever said as ‘lovely.’ I was unsure of how to respond. “Umm…why ’tis not possible?”
She didn’t appreciate my attempt at an accent. “Well, Christmas is no longer openly celebrated in Scotland and, after Elspeth passed away, Alasdair dinna find the joy in the season he once did. The two lads dinna grow up with it being a grand celebration.”
“Do you not enjoy Christmas yourself, Mary?” Eoin and Arran’s history with Christmas seemed irrelevant. Alasdair had been dead for over a year, and I couldn’t see either of the men having a problem with the festivities. Their mother had died when they were very young. While Christmas might have brought up painful memories for their father, it would not have the same effect on either of them.
Mary shook her head and returned to help me with the plating of our meal. “Nay, lass. I enjoyed Christmas verra much when I was a young girl. Me brother always made me the most beautiful presents. He was quite the craftsman.”
“Mary,” her words surprised me. “I didn’t know you had a brother. Is he…is he still living?”
“Aye lass, verra much so, but I doona see him often. He lives far away from here and is a bit shy. Always had a difficult time interacting with others. Only certain people had the ability to draw him out.”
She looked down as if saddened by a past memory. I interrupted her thoughts to try and lift the mood. “Are you certain he’s related to you? How could one sibling end up so shy while the other does nothing but talk?”
Mary rewarded me with a quick whack on the arm as she chuckled and resumed her work in the kitchen. “Aye, I’m certain. I suppose he was shy because I never gave him much of a chance to speak. As he grew, he simply grew accustomed to his own silence.”
I couldn’t help but wonder about Mary’s brother, about her family, and what she would have been like as a child. I felt close to my dear friend now, but I honestly knew very little about her. She was always too busy caring for everyone else that I was afraid we all often forgot about the woman within her. I shook my head, remembering my reason for speaking with her. “You have very cleverly changed the subject, Mary. If you enjoy Christmas, then why are you against us celebrating it? I’m sure you have some wonderful traditions you could share with us, and Bri and I could share ours as well.”
Mary tried to hide the smile that pulled at the corners of her mouth, but I could sense her resolve dropping.
“I’ll no say that it wouldna be a pleasant time. I just doona wish to upset the laddies if ’tis something that should bring up memories of their parents.”
A deep voice in the doorway caused us to both turn our heads. I smiled as Eoin poked his head into the kitchen, Bri following shortly behind him, his strong hands resting gently on her shoulders as she lay the back of her head lovingly into his chest. “It will do no such thing, Mary. Ma made Yuletide a spectacle and, while Da did try, it wasna the same after she passed. I think ’tis far past time for us to restore the celebrations to their formal glory.”
Mary let her smile pull free now, and I could see that the idea excited her as well.
“If that is what ye want, me dear lad, then I shall be as pleased as anyone. I only dinna want to upset ye or Arran.”
Eoin moved across the room, each step accentuating the strength of his body, his hair even darker than Bri’s and his eyes the color of obsidian glass. My grandchild was going to be beautiful.