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“I do understand, and I agree. But—”
“I could take Aggie.”
He shook his head. “She is good an’ loyal but no match for men out tae do ye harm.”
“What about Charles, then? Or one or two of your guards? Could you spare someone?”
He shook his head. It was not that. Charles was at Byrness and not expected back until late afternoon. He was to take charge of matters at Roxburghe while the laird was away, since Angus clearly could not be trusted. As for the guards, Robbie was not entirely convinced that they could be trusted either, at least not with the safety of his English wife.
He sighed and resigned himself to the inevitable. “If ye can dress quickly, an’ we can break our fast as we ride, I can go wi’ ye now.”
She beamed at him and swung her legs over the side of the bed. “Thank you. Thank you. Is Aggie about? I need her to…”
Robbie got to his feet and strode for the door. “I shall send her in. Can ye be in the bailey in a quarter of an hour?”
“I can. I will.” Already she was dashing across the chamber towards the bucket and washstand placed there for their ablutions.
Robbie admired the swell of her bottom as she ran past him. He had chosen well, there could be no doubt of that.
Zeus cantered down the lane leading to the village. Perched together in the saddle, they munched upon apples and let the stallion pick his own way. Although Kat had brought her own pretty little palfrey with her from Elborne, the animal had spent the last month or so getting plump in Robbie’s meadows since his wife preferred to ride with him.
In truth, that was Robbie’s preference, too.
“It is Monday. Aggie tells me that many of the women will be at the loch, tending to the laundry,” Katherine said between bites.
“Ah. Right.” He had not realised this since he had scant interest in such details. Robbie tugged on the reins to direct Zeus towards the water.
“I thought we might spend a few minutes there, then visit the Mulletts’ cottage on the way back.”
“The Mulletts’ cottage is not on the way back,” he growled. “’Tis a good mile further on. And why would ye wish tae go there in any case? I doubt we will either of us be welcome.”
“Meg Mullett will be troubled. Struggling, without her sons…”
“Aye, but they brought the family’s hardships upon themselves.”
“Not Meg. I am sure she had nothing to do with what happened.”
Robbie agreed, but the facts remained as they were. “She willnae want tae see us.”
“Well, I doubt she will refuse to open her door when the laird turns up outside, and we shall not trouble her for long. And, I have something for the baby.”
“You do? What?”
“A warm coat. I had Aggie help me to make it. The little one will need it when the weather turns colder. Which is why I want to deliver it now, not after we return from Rome. By then, the need may have passed.”
He could see the sense in her words, as well as the innate kindness and generosity which drove her to reach out to those who had wronged her.
“Aye, well, we shall see. We can drop in for a minute or two, I daresay.”
The cluster of women at the water’s edge fell silent as soon as they sighted the laird and his wife. They stood, silent, exchanging puzzled glances, several of them barefoot and ankle deep in the lapping wavelets. The water was frigid, despite the advancing summer season.
Robbie pulled the massive stallion to halt and slid to the ground. He helped Kat to dismount, then released Zeus. The horse ambled down to the loch to drink, seemingly oblivious to the tension around him.
“Laird?” began one of the women, a matron of middling years by the name of Nell Potts. She was wife to Rab Potts, the blacksmith and occasional executioner. “Is there somethin’ amiss brings ye here?”
He opened his mouth to reply but was forestalled by Kat. “No,” she announced in a clear, confident tone. “Nothing at all amiss. I merely wished to introduce myself properly and pay my respects before my husband and I leave for Edinburgh. We may be away for a while, and I was conscious that we had had no opportunity to become acquainted.” She advanced on Nell, her hand outstretched. “My name is Katherine.”
Nell took her hand briefly, then bobbed an even briefer curtsey. “Aye. Lady Katherine. The English countess.”
