“Aye, an’ he sends what he can, but it is never enough.” She paused for a moment, looking down at her son, who had been lulled to sleep by the rocking motion of the horse. “I am no’ the only one. We are a’ hungry.”
“You can tell me about everyone else when we reach the castle.” Minna said grimly. “I want to know all about your troubles. I want to help.”
There was silence for a moment.
“Dae ye know about the devil?” Eilidh asked suddenly.
“I know about the devil in the Bible,” Eilidh replied, puzzled. “Why?”
“Because he comes here,” Eilidh replied. “He leaves signs. That is why this village is cursed. That is why we are hungry.”
Minna said nothing for a moment. She had no belief in such superstitions, but she sensed that now was not the right time to say so. Eilidh was in no state to hear her opinions. “What signs?” she asked curiously.
“Stones laid on the ground in a pattern o’ five-pointed stars,” Eilidh replied. “Agnes Mullen said she found a goat’s skull once but I dinnae know if that is true or no’. She likes tae hear herself talk, that one.”
Minna was silent, and they rode for a short while until they came within sight of the castle. When they went over the drawbridge two of the guards came to meet them. They looked in puzzlement at Eilidh, and one of them helped her off her horse at Minna’s request.
“Please fetch Thomasina for me,” Minna asked, then turned back to Eilidh and David. “She is one of our kitchen maids and is weaning her own baby, but she has enough milk left to help you. But before you can feed your baby you must eat enough yourself.”
Eilidh was looking at Minna as though she was an angel who had descended from heaven. When Minna went to the kitchen, she turned to one of the guards and asked: “who is she?”
“The Laird’s sister,” the man replied. At Eilidh’s expression of disbelief, he laughed. “Hard tae believe, is it no’? She is such a good lassie an’ he is a piece o’ - well, I will no’ say the word in front o’ a lady but ye know what I mean.”
“She is an angel,” Eilidh breathed, smiling as she looked down at her son.
Just then, Minna came back with a tall, pretty redheaded woman who smiled at Eilidh at once. “Hello, hen,” she said warmly. “I am Ina. Is this your wee lad?”
“Aye,” Eilidh replied. She looked at the other woman anxiously as she took the little one out of her arms. However, when they went to the kitchen and David began to suckle strongly at Ina’s breast, she was visibly relieved.
“You can stay here for a few days and share the feeding of the baby,” Minna told her. “Then gradually go back to feeding him yourself while we make sure you have enough food to sustain both of you. I have an idea for the village that will make sure that no-one ever goes hungry again.”
5
Minna was relieved that her task had gone well that night. As well as the grain, she had managed to steal some extra meat, and some jars of preserved fruit, which was why she had needed the big draught horse. Now, as she stabled Benny, she kissed his velvet nose and filled his manger with oats, then did the same for Caesar.
“You have done well tonight, my boys,” she said happily. She sighed as she went upstairs to her bedroom. It had been a productive night, but exhausting, and she was more than ready for bed.
Suddenly she froze as she heard a sound that filled her with dread and alarm. It was the muffled scream of a woman and the furious grunting of a man, as well as the noise of frantic scuffling. A fight was obviously going on, and she knew the voice of the man at once. It was Jamie, her drunken wastrel of a brother. She rounded a bend in the staircase, then her eyes met a scene that made her recoil in horror.
* * *
Unlike previous nights, Jamie’s drinking spree had not rendered him unconscious as soon as he arrived home. In fact, he was feeling rather lively, just in the right mood for grabbing a woman and doing what came naturally. Whether she consented or not, was immaterial to him. He was the Laird, and his word was law. Anyway, he was much bigger and stronger, and it was a woman’s duty to submit, was it not?
He had seen a new chambermaid that morning and had been immediately smitten by her obvious charms. She had all the right womanly assets that made him harden instantly and he immediately wanted to drag her into his bedroom and have his way with her. Generous breasts gave way to a small waist and curving hips, and although a pretty face did not matter much to him, she was attractive in a cute, elfin way, with big blue eyes and long fair hair. He liked the look of her, and wondered what she would look like underneath her rather shabby maid’s uniform.
He had approached her and smiled. “I see that you are new here,” he observed looking up and down every inch of her as he circled around her.
The young woman took a step back, startled at having been approached by the Laird himself. “Aye, m’Laird,” she said nervously. “I only came here yesterday.”
“What is your name?” Jamie asked pleasantly.
“It is Katrina, M’Laird, but everybody calls me Katie.” She looked at the floor, blushing, but suddenly the housekeeper, Rose Mackintyre, came to take her by the elbow and usher her away.
“Excuse me, M’Laird,” the woman said, her voice respectful but firm, “but Katie has an awful lot tae dae today. She has tae learn everything fae the beginning, an’ it is hard work. Come wi’ me, hen.”
Jamie stared at her frostily, trying to intimidate her, but Rose had out-stared better men than Jamie Darroch, and at last he turned away.
Katie looked at Rose, expecting to be reprimanded. “Sorry, Mistress,” she said, her voice trembling, “but the Laird - there is somethin’ about him that scares me. I am probably just bein’ stupid.”