Ceci Giltenan(32)

The discussion didn’t wait that long. Katherine had barely swallowed her first bite of the evening meal when Niall asked, “Where were ye going today that ye didn’t want an escort.”

His voice sounded very nonchalant, but when she looked at him she could see the displeasure written plainly on his face. She wanted to tell him how she felt about being little more than a prisoner in her home. Instead she said, “Niall, can we talk about this later, when we are alone?”

“I asked ye a question, Katherine, and I want an answer,” he pushed, his annoyance now clearly expressed in his tone of voice.

“I wanted to go to the heath to gather some herbs I need for medicines.” She hoped that answer would do for now.

“Why couldn’t you do that with an escort?”

“It wasn’t that I couldn’t gather herbs with an escort, I didn’t think it was necessary to pull someone away from their work for something as ridiculous as watching me gather herbs.” Now Katherine was getting angry, too. “Please, can we discuss this later?”

“There is nothing more to discuss. If ye need to leave the walls of Duncurra, ye will have an escort.” Niall said this loudly enough that those sitting closest to them stared.

Katherine nodded but said nothing. There was more to discuss but she wouldn’t do it here. She shifted her attention back to her trencher.

“Do ye understand me?”

Raising her head slowly, she leveled a glare at him and said very quietly, “Neither my hearing, nor my intellect, are impaired. I understand you perfectly.”

“Are ye angry with me?” he asked, sounding surprised.

She pulled the reins of her temper back in, adopting an unconcerned expression, before saying calmly, “It doesn’t matter. I understand there is nothing more to discuss.”

“Ye disagree?” Again he seemed astounded.

Of course, she disagreed, she thought angrily. She would not have asked to discuss it later if she felt there was nothing to discuss. She wanted to yell that at him but to do so would only raise his ire further and make everyone around them painfully uncomfortable. She said, “I would never disagree with you in public.”

This seemed to appease him and soon Diarmad drew him into conversation. She picked at the meal in front of her, but she had no appetite left for it. When a sufficient amount of time had passed and Tomas had finished eating, she excused herself to take him for a bath and ready him for bed.

Generally only the laird and the lady or their honored guests had a bath prepared for them in an upstairs chamber. Most everyone else bathed behind a screened area in one of the kitchens, where they could heat the water and fill the bath with much less effort. Katherine sent Fineen, one of Duncurra’s chamber maids, to get a fresh léine for Tomas while she led him to the kitchen. Never happy about having to stop playing and wash, Tomas grumbled and complained through the entire bath.

She felt hot and tired, not to mention still very angry, by the time she finally had him tucked in bed. The last thing she wanted to do was go back down to the great hall. She retired to their chamber to spend the rest of the evening alone, sewing.

~ * ~

After the meal, Niall sat brooding by the hearth with Diarmad and Fingal.

“What ails ye, brother?” Fingal asked.

Niall shook his head, took a long pull of ale from his tankard, and didn’t answer.

“If I had to guess,” offered Diarmad, “I would say it was the argument he had with his wee wife at the table.”

“That isn’t your concern.”

“Nay, Laird, it probably isn’t. But then I am not the one who brought the issue up during the meal for all to hear, am I?”

Niall just glared.

“What issue?” asked Fingal, who hadn’t heard the discussion.

“According to the watch, Lady Katherine wanted to go walking beyond the village this afternoon, but did not seem to think she needed an escort. She wouldn’t let him call one for her and she returned to the keep.”

“Why would she do that?” asked Fingal.

“That’s what I asked her,” growled Niall.

“What did she say?”

Niall shook his head again, and took another drink from his tankard.

“She said she would prefer to talk about it privately,” answered Diarmad.

“Then go talk to her,” said Fingal reasonably. “Surely the lad is in bed by now.”

“Now, ye see, Fingal, that is where the problem started,” said Diarmad.

“There is nothing to discuss. There is no reason for her to leave the walls alone and I told her that,” said Niall angrily. “Why would she want to?” The suspicion in his tone was clear.