Seventeen
Between preparing for Easter and continuing to practice defense techniques, the weeks flew by. After Easter, Mairead still had plenty to do helping to make ready for the May Fair. It was an opportunity for the Mathesons to sell new wool as well as surplus goods produced during the winter and early spring. Matheson weavers created high quality cloth, which fetched a good price. Also, Aifric, the Matheson brew master, and his wife, Hazel, produced distilled spirits, which were highly sought after.
Although she didn’t think she was over-working herself, recently Mairead had been more tired than usual. She was in the habit of rising before the sun, often before Tadhg, but in the week before they left for the fair, she woke nearly every morning with the sun streaming through the window, and even then she had to force herself to leave the bed. On the morning of the fair, Tadhg gently shook Mairead just before dawn. “Sweetling, wake up. We must get an early start in order to be fully encamped by dark.” Mairead rose from bed but was swept by a wave of dizziness, groaned, and lay back against the pillows. “Mairead, love, I know ye are sleepy, but ye must get up now. Ye can ride in my lap for a while if ye need to rest longer.”
“Nay, I’ll be fine, I just got up too quickly.” She rose more slowly and although she still didn’t feel quite right she hurried to get dressed so as not to delay them. Father Mungo said Mass quickly—it would have been a bad omen to begin a trip such as this without receiving the sacrament of Holy Mass. Afterward they ate a hasty meal before they left, but Mairead didn’t have much of an appetite.
In spite of her desire to not be ruled by fear, not to mention all the effort she had spent learning how to defend herself, she felt nervous and bit queasy. The sun was barely above the horizon when she and Tadhg left the keep. Although when he offered she hadn’t planned on riding with him, now the thought of seating a horse for hours was daunting. “Tadhg, would ye mind terribly if I did ride with ye for a while?”
He laughed and hugged her. “Sweetling, have I ever minded having ye in my arms?” She smiled happily as he lifted her onto his horse, mounting behind her. She snuggled against him when he wrapped his arms around her as the large party of Mathesons set out. To her surprise, Mairead did fall asleep in his arms, sleeping for several hours. When she awoke later in the morning all traces of her nausea had passed. Famished, Mairead ate heartily when they stopped in the middle of the day to rest the horses.
Her burst of energy had faded by early evening when they arrived at the site of the fair. The encampment sprung up quickly and was nearly complete by nightfall. Mairead watched the activity around her, feeling a bit out of her element.
Oren approached her. “Is everything aright, my lady?”
“Honestly, Oren, I haven’t the first clue about what needs to be done.”
“My lady, it looks like it is all getting done anyway.”
“I guess it is.” She smiled weakly. She continued to chat with Oren, when Meriel approached, looking uncharacteristically timid.
“My lady, may I speak with ye?”
“Go on, Meriel, I’m sure ye have work to do,” said Oren.
“It’s fine, Oren. Meriel, what do ye need?”
“I never thanked ye, my lady. I love working with Mae. I’m learning so much. I know I didn’t deserve it after what I did, but I am so happy. I can’t ever thank ye enough.”
“I’m glad to hear how well it is going.” Mairead smiled broadly. Meriel did seem happy, and Mae only had good things to say about her work.
Meriel added, “I’m really excited to be here. Da has never let me go to a fair before, but he did this time so I could help Mae. I have to go back to her now.”
“Enjoy yourself, but be careful,” Mairead cautioned.
“Oh, I will,” Meriel called over her shoulder as she hurried away.
“That was a very good thing ye did there, my lady. Caitlin, too, has never been happier.”
“A good thing I did? ’Twas your idea, Oren. Don’t ye remember?”
Oren laughed. “I’m not as big an eejit as I once was, my lady. I know exactly whose idea it was.”
Mairead smiled. “Ye aren’t an eejit. Ye just needed a bit of help to think of a good solution to the problem.”
“A bit of help, is it? Believe that if ye will. Caitlin knows she too has ye to thank.”
“Did she come with ye, then?”
“Aye, she is helping Ide with the meals. My lady, pardon me, but ye look dead on your feet, perhaps ye should rest?”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Tadhg said as he walked up from behind and slipped his arm around her. “Shall I show ye to our quarters?”