It was only a few minutes before the door opened and Lila to hurry in.
“What is this I hear?” Lila asked.
Dawn smiled and reached out for Thomas who went contentedly into her arms. She looked from the babe to Lila and back again.
“Do not think to distract me by asking about Thomas.” She beamed proudly. “He is doing wonderful and he barely fusses. He is such a good baby. And Paul has returned to the fields, though he tells me that he has been giving the task of helping to plan next year’s crop and he says it will be much larger with the fields being expanded.”
Dawn smiled seeing her friend happy and hearing the hope in her voice. Thomas gurgled at her and she caressed his soft cheek. His eyes lighted and he smiled. Her heart soared and she wished— oh how she wished—she would one day have children of her own. She feared though that her affliction would pass to one if not all her children and that would break her heart. She would not want one of her children to suffer as she had.
“Now back to my original question,” Lila said and Dawn knew she would not be able to avoid answering it this time. “Did Cree actually stop and order you not to go into the woods until he returns?”
Dawn nodded.
“He worries over you.”
Dawn frowned and shook her head.
“Yes, he does,” Lila argued. “Some of Colum’s men have been spotted a distance from here and there is talk that Colum may be among them. That is where Cree goes now to find them. And he has not ordered anyone to stay out of the woods except you. As I said he worries for your safety.”
Dawn did not bother to shake her head again. Lila would continue to argue the point while she was trying to comprehend it.
“The women gossip,” Lila said and paused.
Dawn waited knowing that any time Lila hesitated to speak that she was about to deliver troubling news.
“They say that you are the devil’s mistress and that is why you do not have to toil as others do. Your chore is to please the devil and he wants nothing interfering with his pleasure.” Lila paused once again before asking, “Has he had his way with you again?”
What did she say to her friend? Did she let her go on thinking that Cree had taken her virginity or did she confide how their new feudal lord will not spill his seed inside her? The answer came easily. She was too embarrassed to let anyone know the truth… even her dearest friend.
Dawn nodded, for what did it matter? People would believe what they wanted to. The truth would be hers and hers alone.
Lila spoke low when she said, “You do realize that you could be with child already?”
Dawn glanced down at Thomas sleeping contentedly in her arms and her heart ached to know the pleasure of cradling her own child in her arms.
“You are like the sister I never had,” Lila said. “I am here for you no matter what happens.”
Dawn smiled and pressed a hand firmly to her chest.
Lila got teary-eyed. “I love you too.”
The subject was changed then, nothing more needing to be said, both women understanding the depths of their friendship. Lila moved from subject to subject being her talkative self. Dawn would interject with hand motions now and again or to answer a question.
Lila left a couple of hours later and Dawn got busy soaking the branches she had gathered in water so that they would soften enough to bend and fashion into a wreath. She refused to allow her thoughts to linger on Cree, though she did give thought to going to the keep tomorrow and seeing if she could be assigned a chore. Perhaps if she had a chore like everyone else people would cease to gossip about her.
Day gave way to night and Dawn soon found herself seeking the solace of her bed. She was about to slip into her only nightdress when knock sounded at her door. She was hesitant about answering it with the lateness of the hour. If it was Lila she would have simply entered by now or Paul would have called out to her. So who was it at her door?
She cautiously opened the door, though just a crack and was surprised to see Dorrie standing there.
“Old Mary has need of you,” Dorrie said annoyed.
Dawn nodded and when she opened the door and stepped out Dorrie was gone. It was just as well, she had no desire to have Dorrie accompany her to Old Mary’s place. She hurried along, the village quiet this time of night and the air chilled. Autumn would soon be gone and winter upon them. She wrapped her threadbare cloak more tightly around her and hurried along worried over Old Mary. She lived removed from the village, her cottage set back in the woods.