Hegek nodded. “Mrs. Alrick, was it? A few houses down from Mrs. Peto’s?”
Mahrree shook her head. “That’s Miss Alrick—”
Early thirties, she recited in her head, pleasantly plump, sweet smile, long red hair, used to be a teacher, patient demeanor, loves children, but far too shy around men for her own good—
Hegek began to grow pale.
For a moment Mahrree wondered if this was such a good idea after all. It could be a very, very quiet meeting.
Unless . . .
Unless Hycymum was still there. They couldn’t find any women young enough for Grandpy Neeks, but maybe . . .
“Remember, they’re making cake today,” Mahrree added. “I think you should inspect what she’s doing and maybe . . . sample a piece? Show the girls—and Miss Alrick—that you recognize their efforts?”
Hegek cleared his throat. “I know I’ve already said this,” he began in a low voice, “but I really—”
“Yes,” Mahrree cut him off before the poor man became too emotional, “I know. But actually what you really need is to try my mother’s recipe. At Miss Alrick’s. Their attempts should be cooling right now.”
Go before my mother leaves, Mahrree added in her head. These two are going to need all the mindless chatter—and purposeful meddling—they can get.
Hegek gulped again, smiled apprehensively, and headed to the road, forgetting about the crates by his shack.
Major Shin had a couple of soldiers pick them up later that evening—since they contained such valuable information that, if in the wrong hands, could prove to be . . . well, not good—and put the crates in the back of the armory where broken weapons were stored and usually forgotten.
---
By the time Mahrree crawled into bed that night it was very late. The suggestion from her father bounced around in her mind frequently that day, and she wondered how—or even if—she should explain it to Perrin. But how does one tell one’s husband that, according to a quiet idea placed in her mind, they might someday be on the wrong side? She wasn’t even sure she fully understood it. By the time it was bedtime, she had shelved the thought far back into her mind, unsure of what to do with it. Besides, she needed to concentrate on more important matters that evening, because first she was on a spider hunt.
Poor Jaytsy had this problem at least twice a week. Ever since she saw a spider crawling on her pillow over a season ago, she frequently woke up screaming about “Biders!” crawling on her. Mahrree was ready to go to bed an hour ago, but the panicked squeal of two-year-old Jaytsy told her she was hunting “biders” first. She spent half an hour with a candle showing Jaytsy every corner and edge of her bedroom, assuring her that there were no spiders.
That wasn’t entirely true. Mahrree did see two spiders on the floor which she subtly squashed under her feet before her worried little girl saw them. Mahrree wished she was wearing her shoes. Or at least her stockings. But that was yet another example, she decided, of the depths of a mother’s love.
And yes, occasionally there were times one needed to lie to let someone believe they were safe.
Not that she’d confess that to her husband, already asleep upstairs.
She finally appeased Jaytsy and she drifted off to sleep while Mahrree told her the simplified stories of Terryp that her father Cephas always told her. Mahrree gave each one a happy ending. What was the point of the story otherwise? There were enough worries and darkness in the world that they didn’t need any more.
When she finally got into bed, after washing her feet, she cuddled up to Perrin and breathed in the comfort of his closeness.
“My wife, the mighty Bider Hunter!” he rumbled quietly. “I think I’ll be sad when Jaytsy finally figures out how to make an ‘s’ sound. But maybe not. The other day in the command tower I happened to say, ‘Ooh, I better go get that bider!’ and promptly smacked the thing with a stack of parchment and as much pride as if it were a Guarder. The two sergeants on duty just stared at me.”
Mahrree chuckled. “Didn’t know you were still awake, or I would have had you come help.”
“I shooed away the spiders last time, remember?”
“I think that was two times ago.”
“But you still love me anyway?”
She giggled and was about to kiss him when an urgent pounding came at the door.
“Oh no,” she whimpered as he leapt out of bed and into his trousers and boots in record time. Perrin ran down the stairs simultaneously buttoning his jacket and fastening his sword while Mahrree looked out the back window. There didn’t seem to be any dark blobs of horses or soldiers waiting.