which made her wary . But all the same, this man knew her father and sister and said he would take her to them. She needed to see that they were safe, before she was cut off from the world by entering into the church where she would take a vow of silence for a year. She hesitated for a moment. He had to be telling the truth, didn’t he? She had her doubts but she didn’t have any other choice but to trust him. Her father and Arbella might need her help. How could she give herself over to the church if she gave into her fears and didn’t help her father and Arbella in their time of need? Reluctantly she stepped forward, tilted her chin and met his gaze.
“I will be ready within a half-hour. Would you care for a bath or some other comfort while you wait?”
He shook his head. “I thank you, my lady, for the generous offer, and while I would relish a bath, there is simply not enough time. I will see to my men and procur e a mount for you.”
Aliah nodded for Glenda to follow as she made her way upstairs to her chamber. Once inside, her maid broke into a terrified litany , chewing her fingernails to the quick . “My lady, you cannot go with him. You don’t know who he is, and he could be a barbarian himself for all you know. He will cook you up for dinner. He could have done the same to your sister and your father —absorbed their souls— and that is the only way he knew you were here.”
Rolling her eyes heavenward, Aliah threw open her wardrobe and pulled out a leather satchel that her father had given her . “Glenda, stop your blubbering . Y ou saw yourself he was English and he had a letter from my father.”
“Oh, I… Oh…” Glenda rushed around the room, doing nothing productive whatsoever. The woman opened the wardrobe wider, banging the door into Aliah’s shoulder before shutting it again. S he rushed to poke at the non-existent fire , then turned to mess with the coverlet on Aliah’s bed. “You will at least pack your bow?”
“And my arrows,” Aliah said sarcastically. She pulled a couple gowns, shifts and hose from the wardrobe and tucked them into the satchel. “Help me change into a more suitable riding gown.”
Glenda clucked and tugged at Aliah’s gown until she shoved the maid’s hands away and finished the job herself. The woman was completely useless.
“Be cautious , my lady.”
“I assure you, Glenda, I will not let any man put my bones in his beard, no r shall I succumb to death from the cold.” She’d almost forgotten to get her cloak. She pulled out the black wool, fur-lined cloak, and then switched from slippers to her sturdy leather boots.
“Oh, I do hope that is the case, my lady. Arbella seems to have made it alive. Which le a ds me to believe you might also.”
“Your encouragement overwhelms me.” Aliah bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. “Fare thee well, Glenda.”
Tears brimmed in the older woman’s eyes. Despite her fear of the Scots and all the crazy notions she’d filled their heads with, Glenda meant well, and had been the only motherly figure Aliah had ever known . Dropping her satchel, she pulled her maid in for a hug, breathing in the scent of bread and rosemary that always seemed to cling to her . She would miss her.
“I shall return soon, Glenda. ” She wished to tell her maid of her promise to the church and that she intend ed to grace the sanctuary’s threshold come the first day of spring, but word would get to her father who was certain not to agree. As much as she wanted to tell Glenda, she couldn’t take the chance.
Glenda nodded, wiping a tear with her sleeve. “I shall pray for your safety.”
“I thank you.” Before she lost the courage she’d summoned to embark on this sudden journey, Aliah quit the room and the only home she’d ever known.
Chapter Two
G ritting his teeth, Blane helped the lithe and bonny lass climb onto her mount. Her curves were supple
“I will be ready within a half-hour. Would you care for a bath or some other comfort while you wait?”
He shook his head. “I thank you, my lady, for the generous offer, and while I would relish a bath, there is simply not enough time. I will see to my men and procur e a mount for you.”
Aliah nodded for Glenda to follow as she made her way upstairs to her chamber. Once inside, her maid broke into a terrified litany , chewing her fingernails to the quick . “My lady, you cannot go with him. You don’t know who he is, and he could be a barbarian himself for all you know. He will cook you up for dinner. He could have done the same to your sister and your father —absorbed their souls— and that is the only way he knew you were here.”
Rolling her eyes heavenward, Aliah threw open her wardrobe and pulled out a leather satchel that her father had given her . “Glenda, stop your blubbering . Y ou saw yourself he was English and he had a letter from my father.”
“Oh, I… Oh…” Glenda rushed around the room, doing nothing productive whatsoever. The woman opened the wardrobe wider, banging the door into Aliah’s shoulder before shutting it again. S he rushed to poke at the non-existent fire , then turned to mess with the coverlet on Aliah’s bed. “You will at least pack your bow?”
“And my arrows,” Aliah said sarcastically. She pulled a couple gowns, shifts and hose from the wardrobe and tucked them into the satchel. “Help me change into a more suitable riding gown.”
Glenda clucked and tugged at Aliah’s gown until she shoved the maid’s hands away and finished the job herself. The woman was completely useless.
“Be cautious , my lady.”
“I assure you, Glenda, I will not let any man put my bones in his beard, no r shall I succumb to death from the cold.” She’d almost forgotten to get her cloak. She pulled out the black wool, fur-lined cloak, and then switched from slippers to her sturdy leather boots.
“Oh, I do hope that is the case, my lady. Arbella seems to have made it alive. Which le a ds me to believe you might also.”
“Your encouragement overwhelms me.” Aliah bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. “Fare thee well, Glenda.”
Tears brimmed in the older woman’s eyes. Despite her fear of the Scots and all the crazy notions she’d filled their heads with, Glenda meant well, and had been the only motherly figure Aliah had ever known . Dropping her satchel, she pulled her maid in for a hug, breathing in the scent of bread and rosemary that always seemed to cling to her . She would miss her.
“I shall return soon, Glenda. ” She wished to tell her maid of her promise to the church and that she intend ed to grace the sanctuary’s threshold come the first day of spring, but word would get to her father who was certain not to agree. As much as she wanted to tell Glenda, she couldn’t take the chance.
Glenda nodded, wiping a tear with her sleeve. “I shall pray for your safety.”
“I thank you.” Before she lost the courage she’d summoned to embark on this sudden journey, Aliah quit the room and the only home she’d ever known.
Chapter Two
G ritting his teeth, Blane helped the lithe and bonny lass climb onto her mount. Her curves were supple
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