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Conrad regretted speaking so freely now. The last thing he wanted to do was anger Rook. He should have chosen his words more carefully. “I – just meant that I’ve heard she is a beautiful young lady now and all the men are vying for her attention.” He hadn’t really heard that at all. The gossip was that Willow was naught but a flirt and no man seriously looking for a wife would ever consider marrying her. Still, Rook didn’t need to hear that about his only daughter. It would only make him furious. He’d want to kill any man who said it aloud.
Rook’s frown turned into a smile, making Conrad realize he had managed to mend the situation.
“Aye, she is quite a beauty. That is what worries me,” said Rook. “I don’t trust any man around her. I am sure they will all be after her virtue.”
“I’m sure,” said Conrad, thinking this was going to be a long week. “I will do my best to keep her away from the men. I mean, I will keep the men away from her, my lord.”
“Good. Then we have a deal. How much do you want?”
Conrad glanced back at his sister who was motioning for him to join her. It looked like she felt uncomfortable standing there. She had a hard time just talking to his squire since she was a very timid girl. He didn’t know how to help her overcome her shyness as well as her fears. The sooner she was taken into Rook’s care the better. The girl really needed a mother to raise her, not a brother.
“Oh, I couldn’t take money from you.” Conrad waved a hand through the air in a dismissing manner. “Not when you are going to mentor Hazel upon your return.”
“Have it your way.” Rook finished off his ale.
“Hazel needs to be around another woman at her age, and I’m afraid there are things a brother cannot teach her. The sooner your wife takes her under her wing the better. The past few years my mother had been too ill to be of any help with Hazel. So please hurry back, my lord.” He lifted his tankard to his mouth and started to drink.
“Hazel can stay with Willow until my return,” said Rook.
Conrad almost choked on his ale. “With Willow? Nay, that’s not necessary, my lord.” Visions of his sister in a low-cut bodice and three men clinging to her arm flitted through his head. Willow was not at all who he wanted mentoring his little sister.
“Of course,” said Rook. “Willow would be happy to have her. My brother and I are taking her cousins to the Highlands, so I am sure she will be anxious for the company of another girl until her cousins return.”
“We’re ready, Uncle Rook.” Two girls walked up with Rook’s brother, Rowen.
“Hello, Sir Conrad,” said Rowen. “You’ve grown much taller since the last time I saw you.” He reached out and pumped Conrad’s hand.
“Sir Conrad will be watching over Willow while we’re gone, so we are free to leave now,” Rook explained.
“You’re going to be watching over my cousin?” asked the girl with the sword strapped to her back.
“Sir Conrad, I’d like you to meet my daughter, Maira,” said Rowen.
“And I’m her cousin, Morag,” said the other girl.
Conrad thought the girls were attractive and became curious as to what Willow looked like now.
“Sir Conrad, my daughter’s chamber is at the top of the stairs and down at the end of the corridor,” Rook told him. “Please tell her our arrangements. If she has any questions, have her meet me in the stable within the next ten minutes. If not, I’ll be gone.”
With that, Rook, Rowen, and the girls headed away.
“My lord,” said Conrad’s squire, Toby, heading over with Hazel right behind him. “My lord, Lady Hazel doesn’t feel comfortable standing in the great hall, not knowing anyone.”
“Then introduce her to some people.” Conrad shoved his empty tankard into Toby’s hand. “Now, if you’ll all excuse me, I have an errand to run that I am not anticipating is going to go smoothly at all.”
* * *
Willow tiedthe front laces of her bodice as she kept her eyes fastened out the open window. The guests were arriving quickly. She had to hurry and get down to the courtyard to meet the men. If she moved faster, she might get first pick amongst the unmarried lords and knights. Without her sister and cousins here, there shouldn’t be much competition at all.
“My crown,” she said, hurrying over and picking up the jeweled crown on her dressing table, placing it on her head. The late queen had willed crowns to her, Fia, and Maira, as well as heart brooches that depicted them to be members of the secret society of strong women called the Followers of the Secret Heart.
She reached out and picked up her brooch, running a loving hand over it as thoughts of Imanie filled her head. The old woman told them they all had unique skills. Fia’s talent was the power of observation and reading body language. Maira’s skill was her ability to handle weapons.
“What about me?” Willow asked Imanie. “I don’t like to fight, like Maira. What is my strength?”
“She only likes to dress up and bat her eyes at men,” Morag told her, making the rest of the girls laugh.
“Don’t laugh,” scolded Imanie. “Even that can be a strength as well.”
