“Ah, ye would think so, but alas, it isn’t.”
“Who is it, then?”
“Don’t interrupt, or ye will never find out.” She laughed at his mock pout and continued her story. “So the lass is grown now and wants to learn how to weave.”
“I can’t see how learning to weave would be a problem for her. Ye said her mother is a weaver.”
“Are ye going to let me tell this story or not?”
“My apologies, please continue.”
“As it happens, in the same village we have a lass who wants to learn how to make delicious food, the kind which keeps a man happy.” She flashed him a saucy grin.
“A very noble aim.”
“I’m glad ye think so, because here is the problem. Sadly, the lass who wants to learn how to weave lost her mother when she was very young so she has no one to teach her, and she must work in the kitchens. As fate would have it, the lass who wants to learn to cook has no one to teach her, either.”
“She is motherless as well?”
“Nay, her mother is a terrible cook, but an excellent weaver, who thinks cooking is beneath her daughter.”
“Ah, that sounds like Oren’s wife, Shea.”
“It is. Caitlin is dreadfully unhappy. She has no skill at weaving and wants to learn to cook from Ide, who is more than willing to teach her, but Shea insists Caitlin learn to weave. I was hoping Oren might be persuaded to intervene, and Ide suggested the idea might go down better with him after a good meal.”
“I doubt he can change Shea’s mind, but aye, ye will have your best chance after Oren’s belly is full of his favorite foods. Who is the other lass, the one who wants to be a weaver?”
“Meriel.”
“Meriel?” Tadhg sounded aghast. “I sent Meriel to the kitchens as punishment.”
“I know ye did, but Tadhg, she knows what she did was wrong. She admitted it to me and apologized. She won’t do anything like it again. She hates working in the kitchens and frankly, I think it is an even greater punishment for Ide than it is for Meriel.”
“My love, even if ye can convince Oren to let Caitlin work in the kitchens, there is no way ye will convince Shea to teach Meriel anything.”
Mairead laughed. “I wasn’t even going to try. Ide says Meriel’s mother and Mae were good friends. Mae and Pol only have Gallia, and I understand she isn’t thrilled about learning to weave either so Mae has no one to teach her skills to. I thought perhaps she might be willing to train Meriel.”
“I suppose she might.”
“Then ye approve?”
“Aye, Caitlin can learn to cook and Meriel to weave, as long as ye can convince Oren and Mae. When do ye plan to do this?”
“Tomorrow. I see no reason to wait.”
“My love, I’m leaving in the morning. I have some business to attend to, and I won’t return until the next day. If ye think ye might need me, ye should wait until I return.”
“As long as ye approve, I’m sure I can do this myself.”
~ * ~
As planned, the next day all of Oren’s favorites were served at the noon meal, including an apple and dried current tart to finish. He was in an exceptionally good mood, and Mairead began her campaign.
“Oh, my, Ide certainly does make a delicious apple tart.”
“Aye, she does at that.”
“I think the secret to a good tart is the crust. I understand it is very hard to make a good crust.”
“Well, some people do seem to have the knack of it better than others. My mother could make excellent tarts, too.”
“And does your wife have the knack?”
“No, not really, Shea has never been much for cooking. Mind ye, she is an excellent spinner and weaver. Most of the laird’s clothes are made from her cloth.”
“She certainly is skilled, then. I have never seen any finer cloth. Still, it is a good thing we have Ide around too, fine cloth doesn’t make for much of a feast.”
“Aye, Ide is a treasure.”
“Ye know, I don’t think I have met your wife yet.”
“I’d say ye might not have. She was here for the wedding feasts but rarely comes up to the keep otherwise. She prefers to work the loom when the daylight is at its best. She says there is precious little enough light in the winter for her to waste it eating.”
“I suppose she is right in that. But I guess it means she doesn’t do much cooking or baking then, especially not in the winter.”
Oren laughed. “No, her mind is always on her wool. In case ye hadn’t observed it yourself, my lady, I take most of my meals here.”
“Ye have a daughter, I believe, does she not help with the cooking and such?”