She would find none. The two maids had caged her between themselves and the wall, and she would have to push past them to get away.
River doubted she would dare.
“Why daenae ye go back to where ye came from?” one of them asked. “We daenae want yer kind here.”
“Aye, go back to London,” said the other one.
“I’m from Culross,” said the girl.
“Why do ye sound so funny, then, if ye’re from Culross?”
“That’s what people sound like in Culross.”
“Ye sound Sassenach to me,” said the first woman. “Doesnae she sound like a Sassenach?”
“Aye,” said the other. “Because she is. She lies, she’s nae from Culross. Tell the truth, where are ye truly from?”
“Culross,” said the girl drily.
“Well, that’s still right next to the Sassenachs,” said the first woman with a shrug. “Bet they rubbed off more than their accent on ye.”
By then, Arya and Colby had noticed something was wrong, too, and they had come near River, pausing their game. River approached the three women, her footsteps deliberately heavy, and the two who had cornered the poor girl turned to look at her.
River didn’t know what she expected; an apology, perhaps, or the two of them scurrying away, embarrassed to be caught by the Lady of the Clan. Instead, the two women hardly acknowledged her at all before they turned back to the third girl, continuing their harassment.
“Well, go back to Culross,” said one of the maids.
The other one elbowed her in the ribs. “What good is that goin’ to do? She’s nae from Culross, nae truly.”
“I truly am,” said the girl.
No one expected River to intervene, and so no one paid her much mind. They weren’t used to her being involved in household matters. Disputes like this between maids would normally fall under her jurisdiction, but no one cared what she had to say about it.
But they would.
“I think that’s quite enough,” she said, stepping closer to the three women. “Why are ye bein’ so cruel to this poor lass? What is the problem here?”
The two maids had the decency to lower their gazes. One of them mumbled, “Naethin’, me lady.”
But it was too late. River had already seen the whole thing.
“Dae ye take me for a fool?” she asked. “I was standin’ right here, listenin’ to ye and neither of ye cared. Nae only were ye rude to this lass but ye showed nae respect towards me. Towards yer lady.”
The two women mumbled some half-hearted apologies in response. Behind them, the girl pushed herself off the wall, her eyes never once leaving River.
“Ye’re both to leave the castle immediately,” River said. “I will notify the housekeeper that ye arenae welcome here anymore.”
The two women blanched, their gazes snapping up to River.
“Me lady,” said one of them, “where will we go? What...what will we do?”
“Ye should have thought about that before ye ran yer mouths,” River pointed out. “Why daenae ye go back to where ye came from?”
“But me lady?—”
“Ye heard her,” said Finlay, stepping between the two women and River. “Go now. Keep what little dignity ye have left.”
The two women, seeing that they couldn’t change River’s mind, scurried off. The moment they were gone, the girl rushed to River and gave her a clumsy curtsy, one that had more enthusiasm than skill.
