Tangled (Handfasting) by Becca St. John Page B

enter without a guarded escort. Not that the area was
quiet. She had seen soldiers going in with torches. Searching, she figured,
looking to see if an attack could come from there.
    Bringing
the crofters inside these walls, searching for any weak points, he was
preparing for full attack.  So far, other than the attack in the woods, the
enemy had used stealth. They had known how quick a highlander was to avenge and
so, they had set the clans against each other. It was time to meet with the
Gunns, to put aside their differences, for she truly believed the Gunns were
not at fault.
    Maggie
hated to admit it but if Anabal hadn’t died, all the losses, all the battles
could have been averted
    Anabal? 
    Talorc’s
late wife, God rest her soul.  Maggie hadn’t thought about her in days. Now her
name conjured images. Fragile and fair, that's what she had been. Maggie knew
this because she had asked. Beathag thrilled to talk about 'her,' Anabal, the perfect
lady, who never dirtied herself with chores.
    Not
like Maggie did.
    Anabal
had been beautiful, winsome, and petite. Gerta snorted that she was no more
than another useless Gunn but then Gerta was proving to be fiercely loyal to
Maggie. The question rising was whether Talorc had adored the woman, loved
her?  Their relations had been fruit-full, produced a bairn. Bless his soul and
all.
    Anabal.
    Talorc
would have kissed her, wrapped her in his arms, pressed their bodies together.
    Maggie
froze.  Couldn't breathe.
    He
would have mated with the other woman. . . . in . . . . this . . . . bed!
    Maggie
muffled a screamed, kicked her way from under the covers and scurried out and
down the mattress.
    "What
. . . huh?"  Both Gerta and Caitrina looked at Maggie who had leapt off
the end of the bed, to land right next to Brutus' head. The dog jumped and
barked, the hair on the back of his neck bristling at the unknown danger. The
door flew open and a sleepy eyed guard ran into the room, his dagger out and
ready to defend.
    A
guard at all times was a nuisance. Especially now. She blinked. Thankful she
wore a shift to bed.
    She
cleared her throat. Everyone stared at her. "I . . . I just couldna’
sleep."
    "Me
either," Gerta hefted a hearty sigh, "It's worrying about our men
folk."
    It
was Maggie's turn to stare. Gray hair disheveled, lines from the pillow creased
Gerta’s cheek, her eyes heavy with sleep.
    "It's
near enough to dawn." Caitrina offered. "We might as well get up
now."
    "Aye,"
Maggie lied, "that's all I was doing. Rising for the day."  The guard
nodded, yawned broadly and backed out of the room as Maggie added, "I have
a task for us to work on today."
    Caitrina
sighed, "As you always do."
    "Of
course," Maggie frowned, "There's much to do to run a keep."
    "Then
I'll stick to my crofter's cottage, thank you very much." Gerta snorted. "What
is it this time?"
    ”The
beds.”  She rushed out. "We need to freshen up the beds before
winter."  The kitchen could wait.
    The
women looked at each other.
    Maggie
moved up and ripped the covers from the mattress. "Empty the mattresses
toss the old filling and scrub the ticking. The beds will smell sweet with new
fill. We can wash the blankets as well. If it's as sunny today as it was
yesterday, they'll dry in no time."
    "There
are plenty of beds and pallets in this keep."
    "Aye,
and my guess is they haven't been cleaned and aired since Talorc's mother was
alive."
    Gerta
humphed. "You would probably be right in that. They've probably just put
more straw and heather in, without changing what was there."
    "Ooohhhh!" 
Caitrina scooted away from the bed. "There must be a thousand bugs in that
thing!" she started to scratch, as if the mention of the critters caused
the bite.
    "Aye,"
Gerta agreed.
    "We'll
start with this one." Maggie didn't wait for their help before she
stripped the mattress from the frame.

CHAPTER 9 – DECISIONS MADE
     
     
    The
Bold was back.
    Unnerved
by his presence in the chamber, Maggie pulled a cover about her