“Tell me about them.” Morag noticed that Mazelina always stood, but Morag decided to sit on a stool she found.
“I fear that I’ll be forgotten and that I’ll never get married or have bairns.”
“Go on.” The woman nodded.
“That’s all.”
“Is it?”
There she went again, answering questions with more questions of her own.
“I dinna ken what ye want me to say.”
“I see something troubling you. Something that has to do with Sir Bedivere. Tell me about it.”
Morag felt embarrassed and was hesitant to bring up her kissing episodes with Bedivere to anyone. “Well, if ye can see into my mind, then ye already ken what ye want me to tell ye. Therefore, I dinna see any reason to say it.” She stood up and wrapped her arms around herself, staring at the ground.
“Your sister, Fia, would look at your body actions right now and see that you are lying as well as trying to close yourself off from the rest of the world. That is not the way to protect yourself.”
Morag let out a deep sigh. It was no use trying to keep anything from her. “Oh, all right. I’ll tell ye. I kissed Sir Bedivere and I liked it.”
“And?”
“Stop answerin’ me with more questions.”
“And?” Mazelina asked again.
“And it scared me. There, I said it. Are ye happy now?”
“Are you happy?”
“Mazelina, I am here to learn from ye how to use my gossipin’ in a positive way. Ye havena taught me a thing.”
“Haven’t I?”
“Stop it!” she cried, stamping her foot. “I want to be mentored the way Imanie taught Fia, Willow, and Maira. Teach me somethin’ that I can use to make a difference, to do somethin’ important in my life.”
“I am not Imanie and I’ll not have you commanding me to do anything.”
“Ye’re right. I’m sorry.” Morag decided she’d better watch her step or Mazelina might decide not to mentor her after all.
“In order to learn anything, you will need to know yourself first.”
“Ken myself?” Morag made a face. “I hope ye dinna mean in a . . . sexual way.”
“Is that all you can think of? Kissing and making love?”
“Well, I admit, it has been on my mind a lot ever since my sister had a baby and my cousins married. I am eight and ten years of age and still a virgin with no husband. When will it be my turn?”
“When do you want to marry?”
“As soon as I can.”
“What about loving a man? Does that matter to you?”
“Mazelina, most girls are married at a much younger age than me as part of an alliance. I dinna think lovin’ a man really matters, do ye?”
“Is that what you truly believe?”