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“Go to the kitchen and request some herbsfrom the cook.”
“That is me mother!” the stable boy announced with a big smile.
“I ken, boy. Now, go and fetch the medicine from yer mother,” he said with a small smile.
Jonan's heart sank as he watchedthe boy. He desired another child. There had been joy in the keep once, when he was with his late wife and Leah. He and Leah had been happy, and he thought it was gone forever... until Amelia.
“She is beautiful, is she nae?” he asked, and the horse neighed.
“Where did the lad head off to?” he wondered as he stepped back out of the stable.
Looking to the keep, he saw Amelia return with her maid and guard.
“Amelia,” Jonan called but she did not look his way.
“Amelia!” He raised his voice the second time. Though Mae and Rayuk turned their heads his way, Amelia did not look until she disappeared into the keep.
Did she pretend nae to hear me?
“Milaird! I brought the medicine!” the boy returned panting.
“Have ye ever given medicine to any of the horses?” he asked.
“Nae,” the boy shook his head.
He gave the boy new instructions before the news could dampen his spirits. “I want ye to tell yer mother that someone should call me when the Lady is prepared to have her breakfast,” he ordered and the boy ran off again.
The keep had become more crowded in a matter of minutes than when he had left earlier that day. As he entered, his eyes searched the length and breadth of the ground floor, but he saw no sign of Amelia.
“Where is the Lady?” he bellowed.
“She headed up to her chambers, milaird,” a maid replied.
“Has she had breakfast?”
“Aye, milaird,” she replied.
“Did the stable boy nae give me instructions to the cook?” he asked, irritated.
“She decided to have her breakfast in her chambers, milaird,” the maid answered.
“Alright, ye may be on yer way,” he said dismissively before heading up the stairs.
She is avoidin’ me.
Jonan marched past his chambers to Amelia's and hisfist was about to strike the doorwhen it slid open. Mae stood in the doorway, stunned, holding Amelia's finished plate.
“Would ye step out of me way?” he asked sternlywhen it became clear that she was not moving out of the way.
“I apologize, milaird, but the Lady is havin’ a bath at the moment,” Mae told him.
Jonan stood there waiting for a more believable response but none came.
“So why are ye in me path, Mae? Why would ye nae let me see me wife?” he asked more firmly.
“The Lady asked that I kept everyone out while she bathed,” she replied in a shaky voice.
Amelia is avoidin’ me. He considered asking Mae what she knew, but hispride got in the way so hedecided against it.
