A Journey of the Heart by Catherine M Wilson

Author:Catherine M Wilson [Wilson, Catherine M]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: ! Yes
ISBN: 9780981563626
Publisher: Shield Maiden Press
Published: 2008-10-01T05:00:00+00:00

44. A Wicked Lie

All through midwinter’s day, while the feasting went on downstairs, I stayed beside the Lady. In her fever she had hardly eaten anything. Now she had no appetite, and a few spoonfuls of soup would satisfy her. I had to encourage her to eat, as one encourages a fussing child to take just one more mouthful. Sometimes I saw a flicker of amusement in her eyes. I think she made a game of it. I enjoyed her playful spirit, and I made tut-tut noises in pretended disapproval when she refused to open her mouth to take another bite.

When the room was warm enough, I helped the Lady move to the chair by the hearth. I bathed her, while her servant changed her bedding. Then we put her back to bed. Her servant offered to sit with her a while so that I could rest, but I sent her back downstairs to enjoy the holiday with the others. I felt such tenderness for the woman in my care that I couldn’t bring myself to leave her side.

That evening, when she found me dozing by the fire, the healer woke me and insisted I go to my own bed for a good night’s rest. When I awoke, it was midmorning, and everyone else was up and gone.

I wanted to talk with Namet, but when I went to her room, I found her napping. I was about to go downstairs to look for Maara when I heard a noise in her room. I lifted the curtain and looked in. She was sitting on her bed doing a bit of mending.

“I thought you’d be downstairs with the others,” I said.

Although the holiday was over, there was still a good deal of feasting and merrymaking going on in the great hall.

Maara rolled her eyes. “One day of it was enough for me.”

Her mock distaste for our boisterous holidays warmed my heart. I smiled.

“I’ve missed you,” I said.

“Oh.” She looked puzzled, as she tried to think of an appropriate reply.

Then I realized that midwinter’s day had gone by and I hadn’t given her her gift.

“Wait here a minute,” I said, and went to get it from the companions’ loft.

I had traded several of my best rabbit skins for a plain wooden brooch. I stayed up late every night for weeks carving an intricate design into it. When I gave it to her, she said nothing, but her smile and the way she ran her fingers over the design told me that it pleased her.

Then she gave me the gift she had made for me. It was a bow case made of goatskin, beautifully tanned and very soft. Unlike the stiff and heavy cowhide case I took to the frontier, this one was light and flexible. When I wasn’t using it to carry the unstrung bow, it could be folded and put into a tunic pocket, while the other one had to be carried over the shoulder, where it was in the way.

We were admiring our gifts when Namet looked in the door.

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