Amanda Scott - [Border Trilogy 2] by Border Wedding Page B

horses—even the ones we rode here—and make us all walk back home?”
    “Ye’ll take the horses ye rode,” he said. “The rest I’ll keep to teach ye never again to try to lift my beasts.”
    “Do you not fear that Buccleuch or the Douglas may yet seek annulment, not only of the wedding but of this damnable agreement you want me to sign?”
    “Nay, lad, for the agreement be in writing. Any council will support my position that this marriage be legal. Ye’ll do your part, too, I reckon, to see that our Amalie meets someone suitable to wed whilst she’s abiding wi’ ye.”
    “Amalie?”
    “Aye, sure, Meggie’s younger sister. Ye must ha’ seen her in the hall and yet again out here in the yard whilst we were discussing your hanging.”
    “I did see another young woman, aye, but what has she to do with me?”
    “Only that she has offered to bear her sister company on the journey and I ha’ decided to permit it. Two young ladies will be gey safer than one. I did try to find a serving woman to go and look after them, but they’d all liefer stay here.”
    “I see,” Wat said. He would have liked to refuse to take the younger girl, for he could foresee naught but trouble to come of including her. But if Murray could not persuade a maidservant to attend his daughter, he could scarcely blame him for wanting someone to accompany her. Another thought occurred to him. “I trust your younger daughter
wants
to come.”
    “Aye, she offered, so she must want to,” Murray said. “There’s no understanding the female mind, but my lady wife says it will do the lasses good to be together. Amalie needna stay long, though. Doubtless ye’ll see to her safe return when she’s of a mind to come home.”
    “I will, aye,” Wat said, wondering what on earth he had brought down upon himself merely for wanting to reclaim his cattle, horses, and two dogs.
    As Meg bathed, she watched Amalie bustle about, giving orders to Tetsy and another maidservant that Amalie had coaxed into aiding with the packing. She reminded Meg of a sheepdog, nipping at ovine heels to drive its flock.
    Noting that Amalie was having her own clothing packed, Meg said, “Are you sure about this, dearling? With the Borders as unsettled as they are these days, we cannot be sure how long you’ll have to stay with me. It may be a long time.”
    “Aye, well, what comes will come,” Amalie said. “I shan’t mind.”
    She was not looking at Meg but down into the sumpter basket Tetsy was organizing, but Meg saw a muscle twitch in her jaw and recognized the sign.
    Her frequently, if surprisingly, stubborn sister was determined to go with her.
    “Amalie, pray hand me that towel,” Meg said. “And, Tetsy, I want to take the embroidered shawl that my lady mother gave me at Candlemas. I left it in her solar yestereve. And you, Letty, stir up that fire more for the lady Amalie.”
    When Amalie brought the towel and held it for her, Meg stood and wrapped it around herself, saying quietly, “You will need to make haste with your bath, I fear, if we are to finish everything soon enough to suit our lord father. But first, dearling, tell me
why
you want so badly to go with me.”
    Amalie shrugged. “It is nothing to make a song about, Meg. I just cannot let you go off by yourself with all those men.”
    “Are you sure that’s all?” Meg asked. “Your determination is making the very air crackle in here.”
    Amalie shrugged. “Mayhap it is just that if I go to Rankilburn, Sir Walter will be duty-bound to find a kinsman or friend willing to marry me. I’d prefer that to waiting years more around here for our father to find me a husband.”
    Meg looked narrowly at her but knew when Amalie gazed steadily back that she would learn no more until Amalie was ready to tell her.

Chapter 4
    Though laird o’ the best o’ the Forest sae fair, He’ll marry the warst for the sake o’ his neck.
    H aving given his lads orders to join him in the great hall and bear