One & Only (14 page)

How could she answer that? Bree
slightly nodded.

“Laird, are we going to eat tonight
or nay?” Duff asked, entering the kitchen.

Bree felt her face heat being caught
in such a precarious position. She stepped back and waited for Grey to leave.

“It doesn’t appear so, Duff. Tell
the lads to find their own supper tonight.” He waved a hand at Duff, who left
at his signal. “Bree, I’m sorry they were mean to you. I won’t have anyone
treat you with such disrespect. I’ll ask Duff fetch you, Cait, and Sunny some
food. I’m sure you’re tired and want to get some rest.”

“Thank you, Grey. Aye, I would like
to rest. It has been a long day.” Though it was early evening, Bree was sure
she’d sleep for a sennight. The journey had exhausted her, but even more so,
the treatment from Grey’s clan emotionally tore at her.

Grey reached the door and turned.
“And Bree, I liked it too.”

* * *

Bree awoke from a deep sleep. A
memory had come to her in a dream and for the first time, she hadn’t awoken
crying. The memory was pleasant. She had been mixing something in a bowl and a
woman stood nearby. They were covered with powder. The woman smiled at her and
nodded. Bree thought it might have been her mother, in fact, she was sure of it.

She didn’t resemble her mother who
had darker hair, soft brown eyes, a beautiful face, and a nice smile. The lady
seemed kind. But the reason her memory wasn’t sad was her mother had thrown a
handful of flour at her and hit her smack in the face. It hadn’t hurt, but
instead made her laugh. The lady’s eyes shone with gaiety and she looked at her
with love.

The dream replayed in her mind while
she lay looking at the beams overhead. Hopefully, more dreams would help make
sense of what happened to her. Grey had said her family loved her, yet they
allowed her to be taken away.

The only explanation that ever made
sense to Bree was that she’d been bad and that no one wanted her. With the
dream fresh in her mind, it did seem her mother was fond of her. If that was so
then why didn’t they keep searching for her? Mayhap her family was unaware of
MacHeth’s actions.

Bree searched the chamber for Cait.
Next to her, Sunny slept soundly but Cait was nowhere to be found. It had to be
the middle of the night. Concerned about her, Bree slipped from the bed. She
decided to go and look for her and while she was at it, get something to drink.
Her throat was dry and parched.

Before she left the chamber, she
pulled a robe on and opened the door. Listening, she couldn’t hear anyone
about. The hallway leading to the steps was pitch dark, so she tread
cautiously. Lightly, she walked the dark hallway, wondering which chamber Grey
slept in.

Then she became embarrassed thinking
about that and of the kiss they shared. She went down the stairs, stepping
carefully in the dark, and saw a pitcher sitting on the side table in the large
hall just beyond the steps.

Without looking around, she went
directly to the table and poured herself a cup of water. As she lifted the cup
to her mouth, she heard someone in the room. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness
and she saw two naked people lying on the floor.

Why she screamed, she didn’t know.
Her cup flew in the air dumping all the water over her robe and nightdress.
Water soaked her down the middle. All hell broke lose then. Grey came running
down the stairs with a sword in his hand wearing only a plaid around his
middle, three of his guard came running into the hall from outside. Bree stood
shocked and mortified by her behavior.

Grey lit a candle and came to stand
next to her. “Did someone hurt you? What’s amiss?”

Bree wanted to disappear. “I, um,
nothing is amiss. I just … well, I was verily thirsty and had not expected to
see anyone here and … I didn’t notice them.” She covered her mouth and couldn’t
continue.

Each of the men looked at the other
end of the hall and saw what she had. Duff and Cait were in a very promiscuous
position and quite put off by everyone’s intrusion.

“Do you mind? We don’t need company.
But if ye want to watch …” Duff jerked his body and Cait let out a gasp.

Bree grinned at the thought that
Cait made progress with Duff and had gotten her man. Duff must have given over
and was unable to stay away. That was kind of humorous since she’d seen him
sitting in the hall as far away from Cait as he could get last eve.

The men laughed and began leaving
the hall seeing there was no danger. Grey grabbed her hand and led her back up
the stairs, rather hastily too and she quickened her pace to keep up with him.
He didn’t seem pleased by the intrusion either, considering how hurriedly he
took the steps.

“Is this another thing I shall laugh
about later?”

Grey did laugh then and she found
herself smiling.

“Mayhap, but that depends on how you
feel about losing your maid.”

“Why would I lose Cait?”

Grey leaned against the wall, and
spoke low. “She may want to be taken. Duff has never fornicated with a woman in
my hall before. He’ll never live it down neither.”

“Are you saying he might want to
marry her? Is that what you mean?”

“Aye, that’s what I’m saying. Lass,
cover up, I can see through your garments and it’s driving me to distraction.”
He gripped the edge of her robe and pulled it closed, letting his hands linger
in front of her.

Bree’s face grew hot, and she folded
her arms assuring he could see nothing. She wasn’t sure how she’d feel about
the possibility of Cait marrying someone. “If Cait does not object, then I
suppose I would be happy for her. She is a good woman, Grey, and Duff could not
do better.”

“You don’t have to defend her to me,
lass. What about you? What would you do if you found out you were betrothed?”

“But I am betrothed.”

“Nay, not to a churlish MacHeth. But
to someone else.”

She shook her head. “Who else? By
God, I had better not be betrothed to another man, Grey. I do not want to get
married. Please, don’t let them take me again.” She started to get flustered at
the thought. If only she could return to her lord and lady, that would please
her more than marriage.

“No one is going to take you, Bree.
I wondered …”

She threw her arms around him and
hugged him close. It was then she realized he was bare-chested. How had she
considered Rhys a man? He didn’t compare to the one standing before her.

Bree took notice of the contours of
his muscles, the way his body curved to his hips. But what struck her was the
scar across his chest, from just below his breast to his left shoulder. Lightly
she touched it, caressing the mark with her fingers, and looked into his eyes.

“Thank you, Grey, you have made me
very happy. Tomorrow I shall fix you a feast.”

Grey kissed her cheek and said, “Go
back to sleep, Bree, and no more traipsing around the hall in the middle of the
night. Sleep well.” He walked down the hall and disappeared through a door.

“God give you good rest, Grey,” she
said more or less to herself since he’d vanished.

Bree reentered her chamber and
smiled to herself. He was such a chivalrous man when he wanted to be. How had
she though him obstinate and fearsome?

She couldn’t fall back to sleep and
so started planning her morning. With all that she had to do for the feast, she
began making a list of things in her head that she needed. All her herbs were
gone, but she’d make due with what she could. Hopefully, some of them would be
salvageable.

After the morning meal, she would
clean both chambers and see about additional clothing for Sunny. Then she would
take a walk and see what the Gunn keep consisted of. She wondered if there was
a village nearby and if there were any places with which to purchase goods.

As the night lightened, she was
ready to face the day. Cait needed a talking to, but what she could say to her
was beyond her knowledge. Cait was her dearest friend and if Duff thought to
take advantage of her friend, she would have to insist Cait be cautious. The
last thing she wanted was for her friend to be hurt. Talking to Cait was first
on her list. All she had to do was wait until it lightened enough to rise. The
plan for her day was set.

CHAPTER eleven

Nothing went as planned. Her day
went from bad to worse. Sunny was being difficult and wouldn’t let her dress
her. After winning that battle, she took the child to the hall. She couldn’t
find Cait in the hall when she rose, and so she’d talk with her later.

Next, she went to the kitchen to see
what she could do to prepare some kind of morning fare. First, she’d bake some
bread and then see if there was cheese in the storage and then she would find
some fruit. Bree had a knack for pulling together a meal. If only Sunny
cooperated, and sat still for more than a few minutes.

When she entered the kitchens with
Sunny, she found a strange man standing next to the large hearth, stirring a
massive spoon in a pot which sat upon a blazing fire. The pottage he was making
smelled rather good. He was singing and didn’t take notice of her.

“Good day, sir.”

“Ah, there ye be, lass. I was told
to expect ye. Here be a bowl for the little one,” he said, and handed her a
steaming bowl of pottage.

Bree blew on it for a few seconds
until it cooled enough to give to Sunny. She set the girl on a chair and bade
her to eat it. The child took the bowl and sat eating her fare.

“Me name’s Gellert, I be the master
cook now. The laird put me in charge of the kitchens. Saw ‘em bright and early
this morn, me did. Aye, he knocked on me door awaking me from a sweet dream, he
did. Och I didn’t mind being he’s the laird and all.”

He didn’t seem happy about it even
though he said he hadn’t minded. Gellert appeared near fifty or sixty with
white hair sticking out from his nose and ears but not much on his head. His
demeanor was that of a cross old hound with a bone. The man grumpily marched to
a locked cupboard and opened it with a key. He took out a large wheel of cheese
and went to the table.

Somehow, she had to befriend the
cantankerous old man. “I am pleased to meet you, Master Gellbert. May I be of
help?”

He smiled and nodded, continuing to
spear the cheese with a large knife. “I got to get the cheese cut before I
finish making the morning pottage.”

“’Tis much easer if you slice rather
than stab. Here, let me.” Bree took the knife from him and started to slice
slithers from the wheel.

“Laird said not let let ye lift a
finger, lass. Said he didn’t want ye exhausting yourself. I can’t allow it.” He
tried to take back the knife, but Bree held fast.

“What if it was our secret? I enjoy
being in the kitchen and if you don’t let me do anything, there’s no point in
me being here.” She released the knife and waited for Gellbert to say
something.

Gellbert’s gaze transfixed on her
and he seemed to be mulling it over. He handed the knife back to her and
smiled. “Aye, ‘tis our secret. Ye won’t be telling the Laird. Glory be, a lass
who can cook. Aye, the last one were a bit unskilled. Stunk up the entire keep
with ‘er cooking. Poor laird had to eat gruel. I am happy to have ye here,
lass. Ye shall call me Gell. I cleaned up the mess that woman made and were
able to save some of your herbs. The laird told me how upset ye were.”

Astounded by Grey’s thoughtfulness,
Bree’s heart lightened. “I promise not to tell a soul if you let me assist. I
do thank you, Gell. Those herbs are very expensive and I fear I could not
replace them.”

“Laird sent someone to Laird Ross’
to replace some of them. Should be back later today. We’ll have containers
ready to put on the table.”

“Gell, I know usually the herbs are
placed on the table, but what would you say if I told you food tasted better if
you put the herbs in whilst the food cooks?”

“I’d say we can try it. I cut off a
goose’s head this morn. Got the lads picking ‘es feathers off out back. Be
making goose and fish for supper. Have ye ever made candied bread?”

“Aye, sweet bread, my recipe is
quite good.”

As Bree helped Gell prepare the
morning fare, she became cheerful and much more relaxed. Soon, she and Gell had
a hearty meal sent to the hall and he told her to come back near the midday
mealtime. He’d have lots for her to do. She and Sunny left the kitchens. Bree
had a spring to her step as happy as she was to finally be able to enter the
kitchens when it pleased her. Especially since her company was Gell and not
Anna.

Bree crossed the threshold of the
hall and found some of the clanswomen standing around Cait. As she got closer,
she heard their remarks. Their blasphemous words stopped her short.

“She is a whoremonger, aye, giving
her body to the laird,” a veritable unpleasant lady wearing the Gunn plaid over
a dark blue underdress said.

Another lady joined in, insulting
her. “God will strike her dead, aye he will for her sinful behavior. We won’t
have someone like her within our clan.”

Bea nodded in agreement and said, “She’s
sinned, for I knew she has. She’s a harridan and we won’t have her here. Nay,
you should take her and leave our land.”

Bree felt her cheeks stinging with
their crude remarks. Before she could defend herself, Cait shoved the second
lady who fell back on her arse. She then poked the first lady’s chest until she
had backed up against the wall. All she had to do was give Bea a disgruntled
look, and the woman backed away.

“Do not speak of my lady like that.
She has a kinder heart than any of you and what do you know about whom she
sleeps with. I tell you she was asleep in our chamber the entire night. But why
am I explaining this to you? Get out or I shall tell your laird that you are
disrespecting his guest.” Cait took a hasty step toward them and they all
backed up.

The women fled, but not before they
sneered at her when they passed by. Cait picked up a cup, downing the entire
drink.

“What foul women Laird Gunn has
within his clan. Sunny, I am so glad you couldn’t hear those wretched women.”

“But I did.” Bree sat on a bench
near the hearth and lowered her gaze. “Do you believe everyone thinks that of
me? Am I going to be condemned by God, Cait?”

Cait set Sunny next to her and paced
before the hearth. “By God, nay. You have done nothing to be ashamed of, Bree.
Those women are jealous because you are here, residing in their laird’s home. I
should be the one they condemn, my lady, not you.”

“We shall speak of that later. I do
have something to be ashamed of. I’ve had impure thoughts.”

“Oh, Bree, all of us have impure
thoughts. That does not make it a sin. Unless ye have acted upon those thoughts
… which I know ye have not.”

“Nay, I have not, but there are
other sins I should confess, Cait. I must find a priest. Is there one here
among they Gunns?”

“I know not, but I shan’t worry
about it.”

“I shall go inquire.” Unhappy at the
prospect of being damned, Bree left Sunny with Cait and went in search of a man
of God. Surely, there had to be someone of the faith in their clan.

Outside, the morning was chilly with
a canvas of gloom settling above. The dour mood of the morning matched her
despondent spirit. Bree walked along without thought to where she was going.
She’d need to find a chapel and if they didn’t have one, she’d search out a
confessor.

With her mind so focused on her
problem, she didn’t see the goat following. As she continued to walk along,
more animals joined the foray behind her. She wasn’t aware, occupied only with
the thought of finding someone to confess her sins. When she glanced at the
people she passed, she noticed their odd gazes. More clans people who thought
her unworthy and doomed to hell, she thought.

She couldn’t find a chapel anywhere
and considered asking someone if there was a priest who resided there, but she
wouldn’t dare. The people all ready thought her circumspect, and she wouldn’t
add to their condemnation.

An old woman approached and blocked
her path. She smiled a toothless grin and set an arm out, extending her hand,
stopping her from moving on. Hunched over, the woman appeared to be ancient.
Bree slowed and stopped before the woman, looking at her with a frown and
wondering what she wanted. Mayhap she wanted to ridicule her or condemn her
like the others.

“Lass, why?” she asked, pointing
behind her.

When Bree turned around, she saw a goat,
two hounds, and a chicken. She frowned at the sight, confused as to why the
animals followed her. Then she realized she must smell like the kitchens. In
the hot confines of the kitchen, the scents must have permeated her clothing.

“Oh my. I must have something here
for them.” She patted her inseams and found nothing with which to appease them.
The animals got a little ornery then and began to nudge her. The hounds jumped
on her and barked. The chicken pecked at her slippers and the goat stood there
baaing.

The old woman laughed as did some of
those standing nearby. Bree was embarrassed to her toes to have caused such a
commotion. She tried to back away from the animals, but then fell on her rear
end. Now mortified, she wanted to cry. This would be the second day in a row
that she cried, and that thought alone brought tears springing forth, running
down her cheeks.

Noise rose with the animal’s flight
and a ruckus ensued. She heard laughter coming from those around her. Someone
had chased them away. But Bree was too caught up in her woe to care who had
rescued her.

When she chanced to look at the
person kneeling next to her, she moaned.

“Lass, every time I find ye, you’re
on the ground. Come, what are you about?”

She groaned again, when she noticed
Grey’s guard standing behind him. “By my faith, Grey, I didn’t mean to … I was
only looking for a priest.”

The men laughed and she heard a few
grumbles of words she didn’t understand.

“Why do you need a priest, lass?”

She saw amusement in Grey’s eyes. “I
am condemned, Grey, that is why. I must confess my sins. Please tell me you
have a man of God here? If not, I will be damned.”

Grey laughed and behind him, she saw
the smiling faces of all his guard, happily reveling in her embarrassment.

“Lass, what sins have ye committed?
I doubt you could sin if you tried.”

Nods came from the men and she shook
her head.

“Aye, milady, you could never sin,”
she heard Greer say.

“I am sleeping in your keep,” she
told Grey in a mortified whisper.

Ahhs came from the men now and their
smiles widened. Apparently they had good hearing.

“Has she sinned, Laird?”

Before he could answer whoever asked
that, she tried to explain further, “I know we are not sharing covers, but the
women here believe we are and I …”

“I would share covers with you,
lass, anytime.” Grey waved his hand at his men, who got the silent message and
moved on. “Are ye inviting me?”

“But ‘tis a sin to even think of
doing that.” Bree wanted to die of mortification for speaking without thinking.
“What I mean to say is, I was not thinking that, but the women think I am
thinking that.”

“Aye, ye confuse me and it’s my own
fault. Come, if you want to speak with a man of God, you can speak to Father
Geoffrey. I warn you though, he will make ye kneel until sunset no matter how
inconsequential your sin be.”

“Do you go to confession?” she
asked.

“Aye, when I need to.”

“And when might that be?”

Grey hunched his shoulder. “When I
return from warring. When I …”

“Have impure thoughts?” she hedged.

“I always have impure thoughts.” He
said it so low and sensuously, but smiled. Bree thought he must be jesting.

“Oh my, then you may want to see
Father Geoffrey when I am finished.”

She followed Grey to a small
cottage, where he knocked on the door. A man answered. He wore a robe of coarse
wool and a hat of dark brown cloth that covered his entire head. If he had any
hair, she couldn’t see it, but at least his eyes were a soft brown. When he saw
who had knocked at his door, he stepped back with a look of shock on his face.
The father’s brows rose and his eyes darkened.

“Laird Gunn, this is an unexpected
surprise.”

“Father Geoffrey, milady would like
to make her confession.”

He stepped out of the cottage and
closed the door. “I am sorry, laird, but I must go to the MacDonald’s, they’ve
a soldier there wanting last rites. I was just leaving. Got to go hastily.”

“Can she not say her confession
before you take leave? It’ll only take a few minutes and she won’t be appeased
until she does. Besides, the MacDonalds can wait.”

Father Geoffrey seemed to consider
her request and then nodded. “Aye, he’ll keep until I get there I suppose and I
could never distress milady. Come and I shall hear your confession.”

Bree followed behind him meekly,
taking a glance back at Grey who was left standing at Father’s cottage. When
they reached a good distance from him, Father stopped at a tree and told her to
stay on her side so they would have some separation.