“Have you come to show Wintra the talented women who spin the wool?” Lila asked.
Dawn gestured something and Lila’s hand flew to her chest as if shocked. “You want us to spin special wool to be used for your wedding dress?”
Dawn nodded, smiling, and the women all eagerly agreed and expressed their honor in doing so.
After a brief discussion of what Dawn wanted and insisting she would leave it to them to decide, Lila walked outside with the two women and down the path a few feet.
“You are up to something, Dawn, I can tell,” Lila said quietly.
Dawn looked to Wintra and nodded.
Though Wintra knew Torr would share what he had learned with her, she also knew that village gossip could prove even more helpful. There was a trust among the peasants and it was shared only amongst themselves and never with nobles. She had learned that from the peasants who had stopped at the abbey.
“Have you heard anything about the man who grabbed me yesterday and anything pertaining to Owen or the Earl of Kellmara?” Wintra asked.
Lila kept her voice low. “Gossip has it that the prisoner has asked to stay here in Dowell. He says that Owen cares naught for his people. He lets them starve. He says that the chieftain of the clan died shortly after Owen married his daughter and that the daughter ran away because Owen treated her so brutally. He says she was a good and kind woman always thinking of others before herself. Unfortunately, her body was found in the woods, a distance from her home, and she was returned to Owen. The clan was upset that he did not give her a proper burial. He simply had a grave dug and put her in it without as much as a word being spoken.”
Wintra shuddered, wondering if she could be the same woman Torr had come across in the woods. Her heart once again went out to the poor soul.
“You should speak with Flanna,” Lila suggested. “She takes food to the prisoner, though he is housed at Elsa’s cottage recovering from his wounds.” Lila smiled and looked to Wintra. “Gossiping tongues have proclaimed that you are much like your brother, strong and brave.”
Wintra thought on Lila’s words as she followed alongside Dawn to find Flanna. She had been told so often now how brave she was that she was finally beginning to believe it herself. She recalled how Cree had told her how heroic she had been when that man had attacked her when she was young. She had fought to get away from him even though her struggles had gotten her nowhere, though Cree had insisted they had. She had delayed him dragging her into the woods and had given Cree time to reach her. It had not mattered to her then. All she had thought about was staying in her brother’s strong arms and never leaving them. She had been so relieved when afterwards he had taken her everywhere with him.
That was one of the reasons it had been so difficult for her when Cree had left her at the abbey. She had missed him terribly, and she had felt that he did not want her around anymore, and she had worried that he did not love her anymore. She was just beginning to realize how much he loved her and how hard it must have been for him to leave her there.
Dawn was pleased that she did not need to search for Flanna. She was in the Great Hall when they returned there. It was empty except for the servants she was instructing to be more diligent when scrubbing the tables after meals were finished. She certainly kept the keep clean, more so than anyone would have expected, and Cree had let her know often how pleased he was with her work.
“Is there anything I can get for you, my lady?” Flanna asked with a bob of her head.
Dawn did not want Flanna calling her my lady. They were friends, but Flanna had insisted that it was the respectful thing to do. Flanna had, however, agreed to call her Dawn when they were alone.
Dawn looked to Wintra. “We are here to discuss plans for the wedding celebration.”
Flanna beamed brightly, tears rushing to pool in her eyes. “We will make it the finest celebration there has ever been.”
Dawn insisted Flanna sit at the table with them to discuss details and make plans. It was during their discussion that Dawn gestured to Flanna that they needed to discuss something else as well.
Wintra did not understand all of Dawn’s gestures, but Flanna seemed to have no problem with them. She answered without hesitation.
“George, the prisoner’s name is George. He’s afraid and worried for his family. He has a wife, pregnant with their second child, and a young daughter. He fears for their safety if he does not return. It seems that Owen’s men use the wives who are left without husbands.” Flanna lowered her voice. “He said that Owen instructed him to do whatever was necessary to bring Wintra to him.”