Ewan motioned for her to go and she rushed away, her feet barely hitting the floor in her haste.
Alaric turned to Ewan with a frown. “What’s all this about resting and opening her stitches? What the hell did you do to her?”
“Come,” Ewan said. “Let’s eat. I’ll tell you all that has transpired since you left, and you can fill me in on what happened with McDonald.”
Mairin swept through the keep with a purpose, noting what needed to be done and what could be done in twenty-four hours’ time. Half an hour later, she summoned Maddie and Bertha and informed them that she’d need their help if they had any prayer of pulling off a miracle.
Maddie and Bertha assembled the women of the keep and Mairin addressed them from the top of the steps that led outside to the courtyard.
“Tomorrow we have important guests,” she explained to the assembled crowd. “And none of us wants to let our laird down.”
There were murmurs of nay and the women shook their heads.
Mairin divided them into groups and divvied up chores. She even got the children involved. Soon the keep was alive with activity as women rushed to and fro.
Next, Mairin spoke to the men who were assigned to repairs that day. She instructed them to clean the stables and ready stalls for McDonald’s horses.
Finally she went in search of Gertie to tackle the matter of food.
The cook wasn’t pleased to discover she had to prepare a veritable feast for unexpected guests. She blustered and protested, but Mairin stared her down and told her there was little to be gained by complaining. They couldn’t very well starve their guests.
“I’m no miracle worker, my lady,” Gertie grumbled. “There isn’t enough food to feed our clan, much less a horde of McDonalds.”
“What are our options?” Mairin asked tiredly. “What do we have and how can we make it stretch?”
Gertie motioned for Mairin to follow her into the larder. The shelves were frighteningly bare. They were nearly out of staples and the only meat was from the last hunt.
“We’re existing hunt to hunt. If the men fail t bring back food, we go without. We have none stored up. If we don’t replenish our stocks in the coming months, the winter is going to be a hard one indeed.”
Mairin frowned unhappily. Hopefully her dowry would be delivered long before then and the clan wouldn’t ever have to go hungry again. It hurt her to imagine the children going without.
She rubbed her forehead and temples as the ache intensified. “What if we send the men out to hunt? If they bring back something this evening, would you have time to prepare for an evening meal on the morrow?”
Gertie rubbed her chin and thoughtfully perused the storeroom. “If they could bring me back a mess of rabbits, I could make a stew and use the few bits of venison we have left over. ’Twould have a good flavor even if there wasn’t a whole lot of meat. I can use what flour we have left to make bread, and I can have oatcakes for dipping as well.”
“It sounds wonderful, Gertie. I’ll go see the laird at once about sending a few of his men out hunting. With any luck, they’ll bring home enough to make a huge pot that will last us through the McDonalds’ visit.”
Gertie nodded. “You do that, lass. I’ll start on the bread in the meantime.”
Mairin left and went in search of Ewan. She found him in the courtyard overseeing a group of younger men as they went through a series of exercises. Remembering what had happened last time, she waited patiently on the perimeter until Ewan saw her.
She gave a small wave and motioned him over. He spoke a few words to his men and then came over to where she was.
“Ewan, we have need of rabbits. As many as can be gotten. Is there any way you could spare some men for hunting?”
Ewan glanced across the courtyard to where his brothers were engaged in a heated sparring session. Curses rang out from both Caelen and Alaric as they tried valiantly to best the other.
“I’ll go myself,” Ewan said. “I’ll take Caelen and Alaric. We’ll bring back the rabbits you need.”
She smiled. “Thank you. Gertie will be relieved. She was in a panic over how to feed the McDonalds.”
Ewan’s eyes went dark and his lip curled. “I’ll make sure the clan is provided for. I always have.”
Mairin laid a hand on his arm. “I know you will, Ewan. When my dowry arrives, we won’t have to worry about what to eat anymore.”
He touched her face, palming her cheek for a long moment before letting his fingers trail down to her jaw. “You’re a miracle to this clan, lass. We’ll be hale and hearty again thanks to you.”
She flushed to the roots of her hair, warmed by the tenderness in his touch.
“I’ll be going now. Expect us back before sundown.”
She watched as he strode across the courtyard and called for Alaric and Caelen. Then she turned and hurried back to the steps of the keep. There was still much to be done in preparation for the McDonalds. She’d be lucky if she slept any this night.
CHAPTER 24
Mairin surveyed the hall with weary appreciation. It was nearly dawn and the women had worked through the night. Those with children, Mairin had sent home the night before, but a small group had stayed on with Mairin to see to the final preparations.
The result was astonishing. Not that Mairin would ever want to do such a thing again in less than a day, but she was well satisfied with the results.
The inside of the keep sparkled. The floors and walls had been washed. The candles in the ceiling fixtures had been replaced with new ones, and light danced shadows along the ceilings.
Sweet-smelling flowers ridded the musty odor of sweat and dirt, and Mairin had taken furs from the bed chambers to line the floor in front of the great stone fireplaces.
The smell of simmering stew had tortured Mairin for the last hours, as Gertie had prepared the rabbits that Ewan and his brothers brought back from the hunt. She was drooling over the idea of a hot piece of crusty bread straight from the oven.
Ewan had tried to get Mairin to take to their bed hours before, but she’d been adamant that the tasks be done since they didn’t know exactly when Laird McDonald would arrive.
“It looks wonderful, my lady,” Maddie said proudly.
Mairin looked over to where Bertha and Maddie stood and she smiled. “Aye, it does. It looks nothing like before. Even with the repairs that must be done and the damage from the fire, no one can find fault with our work.”
Bertha wiped a stray hair from her forehead. “The laird will be proud to welcome guests here. You’ve performed a miracle.”
“Thank you both for giving up your night to help me,” Mairin said. “You and Maddie tell the other women to take to their beds and not to worry about rising before noon. The other serving women can take over your duties while you rest.”
Both women nodded gratefully and hurried off, leaving Mairin alone in the hall.
Mairin surveyed her handiwork one more time before she turned and trudged toward the stairs. She’d not exactly kept her word to Ewan. Her side pained her considerably, and she hoped she hadn’t torn any of the stitches, but the truth of the matter was, the work needed to be done, and it wasn’t fair to expect the women of the keep to work long hours if she herself wasn’t willing.
She felt great satisfaction in the role she’d taken on. The women had worked long and hard but with a cheerful spirit. They had gone to great lengths to please Mairin, and een adaman turn pleased her.
For the first time, this felt like home. Her home. And she felt truly a part of the McCabe clan.
She eased into her chamber, but she needn’t have bothered. Ewan was awake and dressed and was just finishing putting on his boots.