A Time of Exile - Katharine Kerr [134]
“My thanks,” Glae stammered. “Why would you even help me? You should just let me sleep in the road.”
“Hush, hush! You’re not the first lass in the world to make a fool of herself over a good-looking rider, and doubtless you won’t be the last.”
Ewsn stuck his gray head into the kitchen and caught Samwna’s attention.
“Be back in a bit. Just going for a ride with some of the lads. We’ve been thinking about poor Myna, you see.”
“So have I,” Samwna said. “It aches my heart.”
“You’re not going to the farm, are you?” Glaenara blurted out.
“Not just yet, lass,” Ewsn said. “We’ll let your brother think things over before we do that.”
After dinner, Pertyc’s riders were welcome to sit in the great hall and drink while they gossiped or watched what little there was to see. Maer and Cadmyn were playing dice when Ewsn the innkeep, Cenedd the blacksmith’s son, and Selyn the weaver’s son came into the great hall, stood looking around them for a hesitant moment, then went over to whisper urgently to Pertyc.
“Wonder what they’re doing here,” Cadmyn remarked.
“Who knows? Seems a strange time of day to pay your taxes.”
In a few minutes a smirking Adraegyn came skipping over to the riders’ table.
“Maer, Da wants to see you. You’re in real trouble, Maer.”
“Am I now? Then why are you grinning like a fiend?”
“You’ll see. Come on, Maer. Da wants you right now.”
Up by Lord Pertyc’s carved chair stood Ewsn, Cenedd, and Selyn, all of them with their arms crossed over their chests and their mouths set in tight lines. Pertyc himself seemed to be smothering laughter. Maer shoved a couple of dogs out of the way and knelt at the lord’s feet.
“I wanted to tender you my congratulations, Maer,” Pertyc said.
“Congratulations, my lord?”
“On your coming marriage.”
Utterly puzzled, sure that this was a prank, Maer glanced this way and that. Cenedd stepped forward, looking somehow even more enormous than usual.
“Marriage,” Cenedd said. “You’ve been trifling with Glae, you little bastard, and now her brother’s kicked her out.”
“Marriage isn’t as bad as all that, Maer.” Pertyc leaned forward with a look of bland sincerity on his face. “Why, I did it myself once, and it didn’t kill me—though in all honesty it came blasted near.”
Maer tried to speak and failed while the warband snickered among themselves.
“I guess I’d best give you a permanent place in my warband,” Pertyc went on. “Can’t have poor Glae riding behind a silver dagger.”
“Now here,” Maer squeaked, “I haven’t even said I would yet.”
Cenedd flexed his massive muscles.
“Now look, I’ll make a cursed rotten husband. Glae deserves better than me.”
“So she does,” Ewsn put in. “But it’s a bit late for that now, lad. You’re the one who’s been lifting her skirts, and you’re the one who’s marrying her.”
Ewsn and Selyn stooped like striking hawks, grabbed Maer one at each arm, and hauled him to his feet.
“Now listen,” Cenedd said. “You’ve lost Glae her home. Either you give her another one, or I’ll pound you into slime.”
Maer had the sincere feeling that he was going to faint.
“If she comes to live with you here in the dun,” Pertyc said, “I’ve got just the place for her. I’ve never known as strong-minded a lass as our Glae, so she can be my daughter’s nursemaid. Here, you’ve gone all white, lad! You’ll like being married. It just takes a bit of getting used to. We’ll see what we can do about getting you a chamber to yourselves here in the broch.” He glanced at a smirking servant. “Go saddle Maer’s horse for him. He’s riding down to the village to see his betrothed.”
Catcalls, cheers, and jeers—the warband exploded into laughter.
“Hey, Maer!” Crindd called. “Now this is truly funny!”
With a deep involuntary groan, Maer shut his eyes and let Cenedd drag him out into the ward. Adraegyn came running after and gave Maer’s sleeve a tug.
“But, Maer, what did you do to Glae?”
“Go ask your father, lad. It’s too complicated to explain right now.”
A grim procession of three villagers and one newly betrothed silver dagger rode round to the back