“Our apologies,” Bryn added. “We were only having some sport. We’ll get back to our duties right away.”
Elise rolled her eyes. Seriously? She was already getting tired of this. “You will not,” she said in a stern voice. “I’ve got a much more important task for you.” She grinned to try and put them at ease. “You are going to teach me to do what you’ve just beendoing with those sticks. Who better to teach me than two brave warriors from Laird Jamie’s personal guard?”
They flushed at the compliment and stood up a little straighter.
“We aren’t warriors,” Martin said. “We work in the stables.”
“Not warriors?” Elise asked, flashing her most charming smile. “Then the Laird Jamie doesn’t know what he’s missing.”
The two lads puffed up with pride and broke into wide grins.
“Now, how about it?” she added. “Will you teach me?”
They glanced at each again and then Martin said, “It would be an honor.”
Bryn held out his stick. “Ye can use my staff.”
Elise took it with a nod of thanks and held it in a two-handed grip the way she’d seen them doing. Martin came to face her. He still looked a little rattled to be facing the mighty MacFinnan spellweaver, but not as awed as a moment ago. Good. One thing she didnotneed was being put on some sort of ridiculous pedestal. Didn’t everyone realize she was just a normal person like them?
“Um…well…we’ll start with defense, aye?” Martin said.
For the next half hour or so, Elise lost herself in sparring with Martin and Bryn. She picked it up more quickly than she’d expected and had soon mastered several defensive moves that had her blocking their attacks and then turning them into a counter that made them defend in turn. The clack of wood on wood was extremely satisfying. They were going easy on her no doubt, but that didn’t make it any less enjoyable. She was soon sweating and her lungs beginning to burn, but when she finally managed to land a light blow to Martin’s upper arm, she let out a whoop of triumph.
“Yes! Got one!” she turned to Bryn who was watching the match. “High five!” She held up her hand which Bryn stared atblankly. She rolled her eyes, pulled his arm up and slapped his palm with her own. “Ha!”
From behind came the sound of someone clearing their throat. Elise turned to find Andrea standing behind her, one eyebrow raised and a faintly disapproving expression on her face.
Martin and Bryn snapped to attention at the sight of the housekeeper. “We were just um…”
“The lads were just putting me through my paces,” Elise cut in, determined to ensure they didn’t get into trouble on her account. “And helping me feel at home.”
Andrea raised an eyebrow. “I see. Well, I’ve come to tell ye that Laird Jamie has requested yer attendance at the council meeting.”
Elise blinked in surprise. “He has?”
“Aye. I will escort ye there if ye are ready?”
Elise glanced down at herself. She was sweaty and unkempt, with strands of hair coming free of the plait she’d tied it in. Hardly the image she wanted to project at a council meeting. Nor did she particularly want Jamie to see her looking like she’d been dragged through a hedge. But what choice did she have?
“Of course. Lead the way.” She tossed the stick back to Bryn. “Thanks. We’ll arrange a rematch later. For now, duty calls.” She gave them a wink and walked off with Andrea.
The housekeeper led her back into the keep. She wove through a series of corridors and halls until they reached a set of stone steps. These led to an upper level that seemed to house the administrative part of the keep. Through open doors Elise spotted what looked like a countinghouse, and another room where two scribes were busy scribbling onto parchment.
Andrea stopped outside a narrow, arched door and knocked. Without waiting for a reply, she pushed the door open and Elise followed her into a narrow high-ceilinged room that wasdominated by a long table with chairs down both sides. A group of men occupied the chairs, and all turned to stare at her as she entered.
The weight of their gazes was a little disconcerting. Elise gave a tiny wave. “Er. Hi.”
Having delivered her safely, Andrea left, and it was all Elise could do not to grab the housekeeper’s arm and beg her not to leave her alone with these gruff-looking men.
There was the sound of a chair being scraped back and Jamie rose from his seat at the far end of the table. Elise’s gaze sprang to him and damn her if her stomach didn’t do an odd little flip.
“Lady MacFinnan,” he addressed her formally. “Thank ye for coming. Please be seated.” He indicated an empty seat next to his.
Elise wove her way through the room and slumped gratefully into the chair, doing her best to sink into it and become as invisible as possible. Why had she agreed to this again?
Jamie cleared his throat and resumed his seat. “I’m sure ye’ve heard by now that we have a MacFinnan spellweaver visiting us,” he said to the men around the table. “This is Lady Elise and she will be sitting in on our councils from now on.”
He proceeded to introduce everyone—names that Elise was sure she’d never remember. Phillip MacClelland and Albie she already knew, but everyone else was a stranger. They were all gruff older men who looked like they’d lived a hard life.
