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"He was being held captive by one o' those damned infidel princes," her father said grimly. "Three years the poor bastard rotted in some foreign cage."
"Aye," Gawain said solemnly, but then cheered and added, "But he escaped. There's no keepin' a Stewart where they're no' wantin' to be. He escaped and is recuperating with friends. As soon as he's well enough to travel, he'll be on a ship home."
"Recuperating?" Merry asked with alarm, reaching up to cover one of Alex's hands with her own as she straightened, and his hands settled on her shoulders again. "Was he injured?"
"Nay, nay," her father assured her, and then admitted with some concern of his own, "At least there was no mention o' injury. From the letter we received it sounds as though he was weak and half starved is all. He'll be home soon enough."
Merry sank back against Alex's legs and chest as she absorbed this news. Kade lived. All would be well. At least here at Stewart. He would return and take her father and brothers in hand and run Stewart in her place. It would be one worry off her plate, for she truly had been fretting over how Stewart would continue on with three drunks running it, but once Kade was back...Well, this was the best news she'd had since her marriage.
Tilting her head back, Merry offered a beaming smile to her husband. "'Tis good news. All will be well."
"Aye," he agreed quietly, a small smile playing about his lips.
"Aye!" Eachann Stewart said gruffly. "'Tis the grandest news imaginable. And surely the two o' ye will stay to celebrate it?"
Alex glanced to the man, hesitated, and then peered down at Merry, lifting one eyebrow. "Do you wish to stay and celebrate? We could stop the night and continue on in the morning."
Merry smiled wryly at the offer, knowing he was no more comfortable with the idea than she. Grateful he had made it, she nevertheless shook her head. "I think I'd like to continue our journey. We've a long way to go and much to settle at d'Aumesbery."
Alex nodded and glanced to her father. "I fear Merry is right. We do have to return home. We only stopped to say hello on the way and let you know that we will return for a longer visit another time if we are welcome."
"Oh, aye, ye're welcome here, lad," Eachann Stewart assured him generously, and added brightly, "Mayhap next time ye come, Kade'll be back and ye can meet the boy."
"I would enjoy that," Alex assured him solemnly, slipping a hand to Merry's arm to help her maneuver herself from the tiny space she was inhabiting on the bench between her brothers. The two younger men were far enough gone in their celebrations that it apparently didn't occur to them to give her the room necessary to extricate herself and, in the end, Alex simply lifted her up and off the bench and set her on her feet once she was clear of it. They turned to leave then, but Merry paused as Brodie suddenly caught her hand, bringing her to a halt.
Glancing back, she raised her eyebrows curiously when she saw his solemn expression.
"'Tis oddly quiet here without ye, Merry," he confessed somberly.
"Aye," Gawain agreed, and then added, "I didna think we would, but we miss ye."
Merry felt her heart squeeze at the soft words and impulsively moved back to give both her brothers a hug.
"We will come back soon," she whispered as she squeezed them both, an arm around each of them, and then added gruffly, "Try no' to drink yerselves to death or break yer fool necks ere we do."
The two men grinned as if this was a fine joke, and Merry shook her head as she straightened, then turned and took the hand Alex offered, allowing him to lead her out of her childhood home. It took them several moments to make their way through the people crowded outside the keep doors. The size of the group had grown while they were inside, and none of them was shy about letting their disappointment be known that she wasn't staying any length of time. It made her feel a bit guilty, but did her heart good as well. At least she knew, did things go terribly wrong at d'Aumesbery, she had a home and people to return to who would welcome her with open arms.
"'Tis good Kade is returning," Alex murmured once they were finally on their way again and traveling out of the bailey.
"Aye," Merry agreed, a smile stretching her lips. It truly was the best news she'd had in a long time.
"You will worry less about your father and brothers with him here to watch over them."
Merry glanced to him, surprised by the astute observation, but then merely nodded. "Aye. I will."
They rode in a companionable silence after that, Merry thinking about her brother and what it would mean at Stewart for him to return. She had no doubt he would take up the reins there. Her father had no interest in running the place. Merry only hoped Kade could somehow make the three men give up, or at least slow down, on their drinking. Perhaps with him there Brodie and Gawain could be reformed. At least they would have a strong male lead to follow rather than their father. It was a possibility...if her father allowed him to take over this time...and if Kade returned to Scotland unbroken by all he'd experienced, she added unhappily, and began to fret about what shape he was in.
Merry was so caught up in her thoughts and worries about her brother that she didn't notice when the sun began to set or wonder why they were traveling so late into the day. It was only when Alex called a halt and she released her worries to glance around that she saw it was now full night. They were in a clearing beside a loch, the moonlight reflecting off its surface and making it easy to see despite the hour.
Her gaze slid to Alex in question then, but he was already dismounting. Once on the ground, he paused for a moment while he waited for his legs to recover from sitting his horse for so long and then moved around to hold his hands up to her.
"'Tis late," Merry murmured as he lifted her off her mare.
"Aye," Alex agreed, but didn't explain and merely said, "Take a minute to find your legs ere you try to move about, Merry. You will be stiff from the ride."
She nodded silently and clutched his arms as he held her up, and then released a breath and murmured, "Thank you" when her legs had recovered enough to hold her up without issue.
Alex then led her farther along the lake to tend to personal matters. He said she could bathe if she wished, but the water was cold so she made do with a quick wash. They then returned to camp and parted ways, he to tend to the men and she to see what she could do about the tent.
Una had been busy and the tent was already set up, the furs and their belongings laid out. Merry paused in the tent flap, aware that Gerhard stood not far away, his eyes burning a hole in her back, and then moved inside to collect the sack holding her dresses. She had no doubt that the soldier would raise a fuss with Alex about the possibility of her sleeping in the tent with him where she might kill him in his sleep. Merry had no wish to have to hear Alex asking her to sleep elsewhere or choosing to sleep elsewhere himself. At least if she simply did it now herself, she could avoid that, she thought unhappily, and turned to hurry back out of the tent with her belongings.
Una and Godfrey were both inside the wagon arranging things when she arrived. Merry suspected that the lad had also helped Una set up the tent and that was why it was all done so quickly. She knew the boy still felt bad about attacking the maid and had been doing such thoughtful little things in an effort at repentance. Seeing the single pallet of furs the two were now setting out, Merry cleared her throat and murmured, "Ye shall either need two o' those or to make that one bigger do ye no' mind sharing it with me, Una."
The maid and Godfrey both sat back on their haunches to peer at her with surprise. It was Una who asked, "Ye're no sleeping with yer husband?"
Merry grimaced. "What? And have Gerhard insistin' on sleeping in there with us? Nay. I shall sleep in here with you."
Godfrey and Una exchanged glances and then set silently to work rearranging the furs, and Merry was relieved that they were not questioning her further or commenting on these new arrangements. She set her sack of gowns just inside the wagon and then climbed inside and moved forward on her knees to help them.
The men had finished tending to everything else needed to ensure a relatively safe and comfortable camp when the trio climbed out of the back of the wagon. Several rabbits and a bird or two had been trapped or shot with a bow and arrow and set over the fire to cook. Merry's stomach gave a loud growl as they joined the men around the fire, and she was glad to see that the meal was nearly ready. She sat beside her husband when he gestured her over, but said little and ate quickly before excusing herself for the night and making her way to the wagon. Merry had burrowed herself under the top linens and furs on her side of the pallet when Una arrived. They both whispered a quiet "Good sleep" to each other, and then Merry was left to her thoughts and misery. In a desperate effort to stave off the misery trying to claim her, she was reminding herself that this was her choice and she had not been banished there when she heard the rustle of the bit of tarp hanging over the end of the wagon being moved.
"Una?" Alex's irritated voice came from the darkness. "Do you know where my wife is?"
Merry heard rustling as the maid shifted about beside her, but was already unburying herself from the furs and sitting up herself. "I am here."
"What the devil are you doing here?" Alex asked, sounding most annoyed.
Merry opened her mouth to respond, but then let it close, her eyes widening as he suddenly clambered into the back of the wagon with them.
