Page 146 of Highland Queen

Aelith eyed us over her shoulder then threw a stick into the water.

The largest of her puppies raced after it.

“What a fine pack, my lady,” I called to her. “Where did you come by them?”

“Found ‘em in the woods,” she answered in reply.

“All of them?”

“Yes. Their dame ran off, I guess. Couldn’t find her anywhere, so I brought them all back with me.”

“Aelith has been their surrogate mother,” Banquo said. “They’ve been sleeping in her bed with her. Poor Greer has been beside herself for fear of fleas.”

“They don’t have fleas,” Aelith said, sounding exasperated.

“Aelith,” I called. I slowly approached her. Part of me thought she would run. But she stilled like a wild thing, watching and waiting. “I have something for you.”

At that, she brightened. “What?”

I dug into the pocket of my dress and pulled out a small ring I had been carrying with me for years. It was a tiny silver band trimmed with an amber stone. “This,” I said, showing it to her. “It belonged to Lady Crearwy of Moray.”

The girl hopped across the stones and came to look at the ring. Taking it from my hand, she slipped it on her still-dirty finger.

“Does it fit?”

She gave her hand a shake, making my heart clench with worry as I imagined the ring flying off into the river. “It fits well. It was very kind of Lady Crearwy to give it to me. Now, is she the same person as my sister Crearwy or is she a different Crearwy?”

“Your sister is named after the late Lady Crearwy of Moray, sister of Gillacoemgain.”

“Two Crearwys. How funny,” Aelith said then laughed very loud. “Watch this,” she told me, picking up a stone. Aiming it as best she could, she skipped the rock across the surface of the water. “See that?”

“I did.”

“Nine times. Can you do better?”

“I cannot.”

“You should try.”

I lifted a rock and gave it a go.

“Three,” Aelith said with a sigh. She patted my arm. “You need practice, Mother.”

“Yes, it’s been many years.”

Without another word, Aelith wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me tightly. “Don’t worry. I will teach you to be good at it again.”

I kissed the top of her head. “Bless you, my daughter. Bless you for your patience with me.”

She laughed lightly then let me go, hopping away once more to hunt for sticks for her pack to chase.

Banquo crossed the rocks and came to stand behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist.

“She is so wonderful,” I whispered. “Thank you, my love.”

He laughed. “She’s wild, dirty, and odd. I’m not sure how well I’ve done.”

I looked up at him. “You’ve done perfectly.”

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