“Ye took it much better than we expected.”
Master Cook asked, “Lady Mairead, do you see a solution?”
“Aye, I will go tae the castle, where I will speak with Auld Arthuretta in the kitchen. I will demand Sophie. You will wait here on the hill with this gun.” She passed him a sniper rifle. “Dost ye think ye can shoot it?”
“Hell yeah.”
I asked, “How do ye ken this will work?”
“Because, as I told ye, the woman in the kitchen works for me, she has the most power in the castle and I am going tae demand she help us. What ye men ought tae hae done months ago, but ye are too busy wavin’ yer weapons around tae be reasonable.”
“Tis a fair insult. What are we goin’ tae do while ye handle it?”
“Ye will wait here on the hill, aimin’ yer cocked guns at the walls, until I return.”
She began down the hill.
I called, “What are ye plannin’ tae do?”
“I am planning tae get Sophie, I hae had enough of this.” She pulled her cloak down, covering her face as she went.
We watched her stalk across the grounds, approach the bridge, and cross intae the castle. She remained unhindered. A man accompanied her inside. I watched through binoculars. “She has entered.”
Master Cook said, “I don’t see how she survives.”
“She keeps survivin’ somehow.”
CHAPTER 46 - LADY MAIREAD
As the guard accompanied me across the courtyard, I could see the men, just returned from battle, lookin’ verra weary. I nodded as I passed a man who looked gravely injured.
I asked the guard. “Has Laird Ormr returned from the battle yet?”
He said, “He got in a few hours ago.”
I said, “I could see that ye hae traveled verra far. I am sure it is good tae be returned tae the castle.”
He gestured toward the door of the kitchen.
I entered and met my acquaintance. “Auld Arthuretta! Tis wonderful tae see ye!”
She started when she saw me, her whiskers waving in the flurry of her excitement. “What! Mairead! What ye doin’ here? Ye shocked me!”
There were a dozen people at work on the meal, and my co-conspirator was in the middle running everything. I lowered my voice, “I told ye once that I would need yer help, tis today.”
She looked around, tae make sure we were nae overheard. “The laird has just returned, the men are hungry, I daena ken. I am nae sure I can—”
“What would ye want me tae do for ye in return?”
Auld Arthuretta put her hands on her wide hips. “Ye could do what I asked years ago, tae take the orphan intae yer care.”
“Och nae, I daena hae time tae deal with the orphaned bairn.”
“He has been kept here for long years and ye ken where he is from. Tis verra dangerous for him here. Ye ought tae take him and give him a castle and some land, make a proper laird of him.”
“Och, ye are driving a tough negotiation…” I shook my head. “I think he will cause a great deal of trouble, can I do anything else for ye, dear Auld Arthuretta?”
“Nae, this is all I want, for ye tae take the—”
