Page 58 of Only a Breath Away

“Fine, I will take the orphaned bastard bairn intae my care.”

“Will ye promise he will hae land and a title?”

A woman rushed by with a pot of porridge causing me tae step from the path.

I resumed, “He will hae land and a title,fine, he can come with me, in trade — is there a young woman traveling with the laird? She is named Sophie, I believe she is here.”

“I daena ken, I heard tell of someone… I will find out her name.”

She rushed away.

While she investigated, I took stock of the kitchen. There were bread loaves baking, a deep brown color, a thick stew bubbling on the hearth.

I opened my messenger bag and took out a large vial of powder that I carried with me, just in case. It had been invented in Riaghalbane, and was enough for an army because of that time in Boston when I swore I would never be without a proper sleep potion again. I strolled across the room, hiding it in the folds of my skirt, tae the cauldron. I wafted in the scent and spoke tae the woman stirring it. “Is this the stew for the laird of the castle?”

She nodded.

I smelled again. I said, “It needs salt. Do ye hae some salt?'“

She went for salt while I popped the cork from my vial and dumped the entire contents in, and as she returned I grasped the spoon and stirred the pile of white powder down intae the stew before she could see. “I found the salt already.”

She left me tae the stirring.

Auld Arthuretta returned. “A young woman accompanied the men from the battle, she has been placed in the dungeons.”

“Och nae, I will not leave until she is returned tae me.”

Her eyes wide, “How will… how do we…?”

“Daena worry on it, after ye feed Ormr and Domnall and the guard, weariness will overtake them, once they are asleep, I will free Sophie and I winna bother ye again.”

“And ye’ll take Lochinvar with ye—?”

“Who is Lochinvar — the bairn?”

“Aye, daena forget, he has lived here since he was wee, and he will die at Ormr’s hands.”

I said, “How auld is he? I thought he was still a wee bairn!”

“Nae, he is a fine lad, he works hard and has a strong sword arm.”

“Och, he sounds even more trouble. But aye, I will be a woman of m’word. Just feed the stew tae the laird and his guard and I will take Lochinvar and Sophie verra far from here.”

Her eyes glanced nervously at the soup.

“Should I eat the soup?”

“Nae, stick tae bread today.”

She nodded, turned, and began directing everyone that it was time tae serve the meal.

CHAPTER 47 - MAGNUS

Master Cook and I sat on the hill overlooking the castle, our guns beside us, binoculars up tae our eyes. He said, “This is taking a long time, how long are we supposed to wait?”

“I daena ken.” I swept the binoculars back and forth. “I suspect it will take her a moment tae subdue a castle and rescue a maiden, alone.”

“This is nuts.”

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