Guarded by the Warrior by Eliza Knight

Author:Eliza Knight
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Knight Media, LLC
Published: 2016-11-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Most afternoons, the nursery was quiet. A small blaze lit the hearth on the opposite end of the room. By the fire one nursemaid fed a baby, while another lass changed the soaked linen of two others.

Sitting at the table, a small body huddled up on either side of her, Emilia had each child practicing their letters. She was surprised at how much the older children knew. At least six of them could write their own name, as well as sound out a few basic words and formulate a pattern of letters representative of the actual word.

“All right, now erase your boards. We’re going to do a fun exercise.” They used the little rags she’d brought up to wipe their slates clean. “Are ye ready? This is called blind writing. Let’s see how steady your hands are. Write your names with your eyes closed and no peeking!”

Emilia used to love it when her instructor brought fresh games to the mix.

Through the window, whistled a shout from the guards at the gate tower. A call of greeting. Emilia and the children cocked their ears to listen and she thought she heard the chink of metal and the thunder of hoof beats.

The commotion below had the children up in arms. They leapt from the table with as much impulse control as flies, rushing to the thin window, shoving each other out of the way for space.

The shortest and plumpest of the nursemaids frowned from where she rocked a sleeping bairn. The child woke and squalled as though a mighty stone had crashed through the wall.

“Children,” she cautioned. “Settle down. Ye’ve woken your brother.”

“The king! The king is back!” they cheered, not hearing the nurse at all. “Will ye let us go down and greet him, Lady Emilia? Please, oh, please.”

Urgent curiosity filled her, too. When the king had left, it had been to ride on the Ross Clan. Whatever news he brought would be the deciding factor in her future. But still, Nurse was rising from her rocker, and Emilia feared her retaliation would be swift.

“Aye, but only if ye are quiet. Anyone who makes a fuss,” she glanced at the nurse who glared daggers at her, “will be sent to bed without supper,” she warned.

“Aye, my lady.” They all dipped and bobbed and then lined up at the door, silent as the grave.

“Apologize to Nurse for waking the bairn.”

“We’re so sorry, please forgive us.”

Nurse nodded curtly and settled the bairn back into her plump arms.

“Your hands,” Emilia reminded them when they rushed toward the door. They swiftly turned, running amok to the water basins before Alice, smart wee lass, cautioned them all to go one at a time else they not be allowed down.

Emilia tapped her foot, forcing herself not to run from the nursery. Zounds! She wanted to know right now what had happened. Her hands were shaking with nerves and she had to force herself to blink, to breathe.

Finally, the children finished washing and were ready to descend.

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