“For a hot bath, dry clothes, and food I’d climb to the top!” Kiera shooed him away. “Our laird needs you more than I.”
He gave her a barely perceptible wink. “Take care of her, ladies. We’ll be in later. Ye’d best be rested and ready to play.”
The last few words were whispered in her ear. Blushing, she lifted her skirts and began climbing. The heat from his words propelled her to the second floor where they took a break to see the Great Hall.
“A hundred men have exercised at the pike, all at once, in here,” said Hetty proudly.
“There’s nothing this grand at Castle Leod.”
“Beyond it is another hall, then Laird Malcolm’s office and that of Master Duff. There’s a balcony on the corner.” Hetty pointed across the room. “There’s a garderobe there, and one above it atween yer chamber and yer solar.”
“The Great Hall is lined with oak so the wind off the ocean shouldna blow up yer skirts,” said Bessie. Hetty gave her a look of shock at speaking of such things in front of the lady. Bessie moved close and spoke crisply. “Lady Kiera married a pair of MacDougals. Do ye ken the clan?” She waited for Hetty to shake her head. “There’s few lassies born where they’re from, so they marry in pairs. Two of the laird’s older brothers spent the summer at Castle Leod. They married Lady Alana Sinclair, the last child of the Earl of Caithness. Another pair are married to Lord Lovat’s niece, Lady Fiona Menzies.” She waited for Hetty to acknowledge that women of such importance accepted the double marriage. “The wives dinna complain. Far worse happens to lasses who are married to wicked men, aye?”
Hetty thought it over, frowning the while as Kiera waited anxiously. The person who really made things happen in a household was the housekeeper. After what had happened at Castle Leod, Kiera knew what it could be like if Hetty disapproved of her.
“Aye,” replied Hetty abruptly. Her brow cleared. “All saw that Laird Malcolm cares for ye. When he was here afore we kenned he was a good man, as is his brother. And we ken ye a wee bit as well, my lady.”
“You do?”
“Aye.” Hetty laid her fingers on Kiera’s arm. “My lady, many lassies will be thankin’ ye for the spoons ye carved with yer own hands. Each is a wee bit different,” she explained to Bessie, “so each lass had sommat of her own when she married. The baubles ye sent may be wee trinkets to ye, but to a lass who has naught, they were like gold.” She removed her hand and nodded briskly. “Ye’ll have no gossips or wickedness aimed at ye here, my lady. I will see to that!”
Kiera’s chin began to tremble again. She’d been so worried that her past mistakes would follow her.
“Nay, my lady, dinna weep. I didna mean aught by it!”
“Lady Kiera’s tired from travel, and the bairn,” said Bessie. “Best we get her in a tub of hot water and some food in her belly, aye?”
Eager to finally relax, Kiera grasped the thick guide rope and hauled herself up the last set of stairs. She allowed the older women to fuss at her because it made them feel useful and welcomed. And yes, she could use some tender care.
An anteroom to her right was broken by a door in a wooden partition. When the door was opened heat flowed out. A tub sat by the fire, a screen around it. She moaned in joy. The two women quickly stripped off her sodden clothing. Soon she was in bliss, soaking her bones in heat.
She had her bath, her bed, and some food. All she needed was a pair of husbands.
* * * *
Malcolm declined another tot of whiskey from the keg he’d opened. The arrival of Kinrowan’s lord and lady was something to be celebrated, especially as Kiera was already carrying a babe, proving her fertility. They were in the men’s hall on the first floor near the kitchen. Kinrowan was so large it had a place for them to gather and train out of the weather as well as an armory below with direct access to the bailey.
He and Duff wished to find their own celebration with their wife. They’d have to take a narrow stair up a floor, pass through the smaller hall, then the Great Hall, to get to the larger corner stairs. They had the entire third level of the tower to themselves. Above it a chamber the same size would be their nursery. A guard room and observation tower was on top with a full wall walk around it. Each corner of the walk was covered by a turret with a conical roof, no doubt a comfort to the guards during the rain.
“Kiera was happy to find her dog here.”
“Aye,” replied Duff, “especially as she kens ye’re not fond of Chester. The beast is noisy, barking at anyone and anything, but he’s a good lad.”