Page 44 of Highland Treasure (Highland Brides 9)

“Where are we?”

“Ayr,” Rory answered.

Elysande nodded, but had no idea where that was, except that it was obviously somewhere in Scotland.

“I thought ye might enjoy a bath and a night in a bed rather than out in the cold.”

“A bath?” She breathed with happy wonder and peered at him through the darkness, able to just make out his features enough to see the smile that spread his lips.

“I thought ye’d like that idea.” Rory sounded amused.

“Very much.” Elysande usually bathed every day or two depending on the time of year. It was something she’d done since childhood because her mother insisted it was good for her health. But she hadn’t bathed since the night before de Buci had shown up at Kynardersley, and none of the men had bathed since joining ranks in the clearing at Monmouth. But there hadn’t been a thing anyone could do about it, so she’d simply done her best to ignore their stench and her own.

“Aye, so will I,” Rory said, his smile widening. “That is the one thing I dislike most about travel in the winter, no’ being able to bathe every day.”

“You bathe every day?” she asked with interest.

“I do in the summer when I can just walk down to the loch to take a dip. But usually only every other day or so in the winter. The loch is too cold then, and I do no’ like to trouble the servants to heat the water and carry up the tub nightly.”

Elysande smiled with understanding. “I usually bathe in the kitchens in the winter to save them the trouble.”

Rory nodded, and then said, “’Twill be good for the men to be able to sleep the night through without worry of someone attacking too.”

His words made her glance around at the other men. If they had been flagging while she slept, they were all alert and appeared happy at the moment. No doubt they too were looking forward to sleeping in a bed, if not the prospect of a bath.

Recalling the fact that they hadn’t been able to stay at an inn in Carlisle, she asked with concern, “Will an inn take us?”

“O’ course, lass. We’re in Scotland now. They’d no’ turn us away,” he said with a grin.

“Aye, but what about Tom, Simon and I?” she asked with concern.

“Ye’re all wearing the plaid, lass. They’ll take ye,” he assured her.

Their reception at the inn was nothing like their experience at the alehouse in Carlisle their first night. They’d obviously dragged the innkeeper from his bed, but once he heard they had nine horses that needed stabling, and wanted four rooms, as well as food and drink for nine, the man perked right up. Suddenly beaming and full of good cheer, he ushered them into a large front room with three long trestle tables in it. While they seated themselves at the center table, he rushed off, disappearing through a door at the back of the room, promising to return quickly.

Weary smiles were shared around the table as they heard the man bellowing for everyone to get up. “We have guests!”

“Definitely a friendlier reception than in Carlisle,” Tom said with a wry smile.

“Aye,” Elysande agreed, thinking this made her even more embarrassed by how Rory and his men had at first been treated in the English city.

Sighing, she glanced around at the men, and then stopped and looked them over again. “Where are Simon and Fearghas?”

“They waited with the horses for the stable lad to come take them,” Rory answered. “They’ll be along shortly.”

“Oh.” Elysande nodded and relaxed. Rory and Alick had ushered her inside with most of the men following. She hadn’t noticed that anyone had remained behind, but should have realized they would.

The innkeeper returned then, followed by a young woman, both of them bearing ale and assuring them food would follow quickly. Surprisingly it wasn’t long after that before food actually did start arriving: bread, cheese, sausages, pottage and even warmed-up cottage pie, followed by pear and custard tarts, gingerbread, crispels, which were round pastries basted with honey, as well as an almond-filled pastry baked in honey and wine that made Elysande moan when she tasted it.

“The sweets are the reason we come here,” Rory said with amusement as he watched her try one after the other.

“I can see why. I think I should like to live here forever,” she announced.

The men chuckled at the claim, but were too busy gobbling up the delicious desserts to comment.

As they were finishing their meal, the innkeeper appeared and moved to Rory to bend and whisper in his ear. Elysande heard him murmur his thanks and saw him slip the man a couple of coins and wondered what it was about. It wasn’t long after that though that he asked if everyone had had their fill and was ready to retire. Elysande wasn’t surprised by the round of ayes in answer. They’d ridden hard all day and part of the night, and now that they’d eaten, the men were no doubt beginning to feel their lack of sleep from the night before.

Rory escorted her from the room and up a set of stairs to the second floor. He stopped at the third door along the narrow hall, and opened it, announcing, “Fearghas and Donnghail, ye’re in here.”

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