Along with the small glass jar of tooth powder, Crocker brought a bucket of hot water, soap, and linen cloths.
After cleaning her teeth as best she could and taking a sponge bath, Dani searched the castle and learned all she could about the layout.
Most of the doors were unlocked, allowing her to explore the creepy, dim rooms to see if she could find Gavin's sword… in case she decided to return to the future. No luck. However, she'd found plenty of yucky things, like dead rats and moldy straw mattresses with weeds growing out of them beneath broken windows.
This place had terriblefeng shui.All the crap lying around in unused portions of the castle probably caused his bad luck.
She'd found the dresses in the trunk Gavin had told her about—his mother's clothing. She would wash them… sometime. She hated doing laundry by hand. Perhaps she could soak it in a soap mixture to remove the dust and musty odor since she'd seen no dirt or staining on it. She'd also discovered a moth-eaten black cloak that she'd pulled out and started wearing against the chill.
Three doors on a lower floor were locked, the sword no doubt secured behind one of them.
From the way Ewan jingled when he walked, she knew he kept a large ring of keys on his person at all times. But how to get them… hmmm.
Bored from being inside most of the day, she exited through the main door and descended the steps. In the bailey, a lanky teenage boy was brushing a massive black horse. With his blond hair longish and unkempt, he reminded her of her students.
When he noticed her, he halted the brushing and stumbled a bit before bowing. "M'lady."
"Hi, please call me Dani." She felt weird not introducing herself as Dr. MacRae. "What's your name?"
"Hewie. But I could never call you by your given name. His lairdship would string me up."
"Nonsense." Gavin had best not discipline anyone for calling her Dani. "Where is his lairdship?"
"I've nay seen him this day."
"Did you saddle his horse this morning?"
Hewie shook his shaggy head. "I only arrived back a short time ago with a wagon full of supplies."
"I guess he saddled it himself, then."
"He kens how, but Gallagher is his." The boy patted the huge horse before him.
"Oh." Dani frowned, realizing the horse did look like a laird's fine stallion. "Do you guys have other horses here?"
"Aye. Three more—the old laird's, Ewan's, and Finch's. But his lairdship took nary a one."
"Well, how does he tour about the lands each day?"
Hewie shrugged and went back to grooming the horse.
"The chief walks," Ewan said behind her in a gruff tone.
Startled, she spun to face him. Why had he sneaked up on her?
"'Tis part of his training," Ewan explained.
Gavin hiked the estate alone for exercise, while a witch and her minions could capture or kill him at any moment? "Why aren't you with him, protecting him?" Dani asked.
"He forbids it. He believes a chief should be strong and capable."
She frowned. Although she couldn't disagree with that belief, Gavin still needed backup. "He could be outnumbered again. Or attacked like Father John."
"You must take that up with his lairdship." Ewan sent a glare toward the boy. "Why are you talking to the stable lad, m'lady? His lairdship will object."
"Why?"
Ewan lifted a brow, sending her a meaningful look.
