Apparently, uncaring if it was unkind or not, Kenna shrugged and moved around her mother to drop back onto the bench, then stifled a yawn. “Goodness, I hope the men return soon. Else I’ll be sleepin’ on the tabletop ere they do.”
“You do not have to wait up for them, dearling. You can retire if you wish,” Lady MacKay said, rubbing her daughter’s back affectionately. “The men could be quite a while.”
Claray blinked at those words, her eyes widening as she realized she had not even considered sleeping arrangements for their guests . . . and that was a problem. MacFarlane only had six bedrooms. Her father occupied the largest, which left five rooms for eight children. As the oldest, Claray had her own room, as did her brother, Eachann, as the only male. The other three rooms were shared by her six sisters, two girls to a room. She was happy to give up her own room, but would have to wake up her siblings to provide rooms for the MacKays as well as Aulay and Alick.
She’d barely had the thought when the kitchen door opened and Mavis rushed out, heading in her direction. Standing, Claray hurried to meet the woman.
“Mavis, we ha’e to make room fer the MacKays and Buchanans. We need to wake—”
“’Tis done,” Mavis interrupted soothingly. “We rearranged where everyone would sleep when the Buchanans arrived. Young Eachann has been on a pallet in yer father’s room since, and young Islay and Cristane gave up their room too, and shifted to share yer other sisters’ rooms fer them as well so each man had his own room. When we got word that the MacKays had reached the border of MacFarlane, the Buchanans said they’d shift to the barracks so Laird and Lady MacKay could take one o’ the rooms, and the young Lady Kenna could have the other. I immediately sent maids up to change the bedding and clean the rooms.”
“Oh,” Claray breathed. “Well, that’s fine, then.”
“Aye.” Mavis smiled faintly. “I came to tell ye that the water is ready fer yer bath. Would ye like it now?”
“Oh. Nay. ’Twould be rude to leave Lady MacKay and Kenna—”
“Do not fret over that, Claray,” Annabel MacKay said now, letting her know they’d heard everything. “We had a long journey and are very tired. It’s probably best if Kenna and I find our beds now.”
Claray felt herself relax at this news and nodded as she turned back to Mavis. “Aye. I’d like me bath now, then.”
Once the maid hurried back toward the kitchens, Claray returned to the table, asking, “Would ye like something else to drink or something to eat ere ye retire?”
“Not for me, thank you. I fear I am too tired even to chew,” Lady MacKay assured her.
Covering another yawn, Kenna nodded in what Claray could only assume was agreement since both women then stood.
“Well, then, I’ll show ye to yer chambers,” Claray murmured, and led the way above stairs.
By the time she escorted them to the rooms that had been made up for them, wished them good night and headed along the hall to her own room, Mavis was stepping onto the landing. The older woman carried a tray with food and drink on it, and was followed by a parade of servants bearing a large tub and buckets of steaming water.
Claray hurried the last few feet to her door, quickly opened it and stepped inside to get out of the way for the servants to enter. She then left the door open and moved to sit on the foot of her bed to retrieve a sleepy Squeak from where he was nestling inside the borrowed plaid she wore. Claray petted the wee creature soothingly while she watched her bath being prepared. The servants set down the tub, and then began to dump in the water, each leaving after their task was done, until only Mavis was left.
“There we are, then,” Mavis said as she closed the door behind the last servant. “Let’s get ye bathed and tucked up in yer bed all nice and comfy. Ye must be tired after yer trip too.”
“No’ really,” Claray said as she set Squeak on the bed and stood to walk to the steaming bath. Once there, she unhooked the plaid from around her neck, and undid the rope she’d used as a belt to let the material slip away as she admitted, “I slept through most o’ the trip.”
Mavis chuckled as she took the plaid from her. “Ye always did sleep on long journeys. Yer mother, God rest her soul, was the same way, and yer father just used to shake his head in wonder at the pair o’ ye, that ye could.”
Claray smiled faintly at the claim as she removed the borrowed shirt and handed it to Mavis before stepping into the tub. Her mother had been close with her sisters and brothers, and the family had traveled several times a year to visit them. The closer ones had been easy to get to and allowed for short day trips or overnight stays. But the ones who had married into clans further away had meant much more in-depth journeys that they’d only taken once or twice a year.
Most of her sisters had found those longer trips a boring trial, at least the journeys themselves. They’d complained that they were exhausting and miserable, and that by the time they arrived at their destination, it took days to recover enough to enjoy the visit. But Claray and her mother had been the opposite. They’d pretty much slept through what everyone else considered the hard part of such journeys, and then had lots of energy for the actual visits themselves on arriving.
“Lovey’ll be happy to see ye on the morrow,” Mavis commented as she folded the plaid and shirt. “Edmund says he’s been pining fer ye in yer absence.”
Claray frowned at this as she sank into the hot, steamy water and reached for the soap Mavis had set on a chair beside the large tub. She took a moment to dip her head under the water to wet her hair, and then began to soap and wash it as she asked, “Where is Lovey? I’m surprised he’s no’ shown himself by now.”
“Oh, well, yer father thought what with everything going on and all the visitors about, it would be best if Edmund kept him in his rooms in the stables until the morrow.”
“Oh,” Claray sighed the word, and supposed she couldn’t blame her father. Lovey didn’t like many people, and she supposed with the bailey full of soldiers it might be less stressful for him to be kept out of the way. She’d make her way down to the stables to see him in the morning, she decided. She’d go right after she approached Father Cameron for advice on her issues with the marriage bed.
“Let’s get yer hair rinsed,” Mavis suggested, setting the material aside and reaching for a bucket. “Then ye can finish yer bath while I find ye a gown to set out fer the morning.”
“Thank ye.” Claray sat up in the tub and tipped her head back for Mavis to pour the water over. Once it was done, the maid wrung out her hair and wrapped a smaller linen around it to keep it out of the soapy water while Claray quickly finished her bath. She then brought another, larger linen for her to dry off with when she stood to get out.
Claray dried herself off quickly, and then wrapped the large linen around herself toga style and moved to the fur in front of the fire to brush her hair. That’s where she was when the door suddenly opened.
Claray glanced around in surprise, thinking Mavis must be leaving for something, and then blinked when she saw that it was Conall entering. He paused in the doorway when he saw her by the fire and Mavis setting a fresh gown over a chest in the corner, then held the door open expectantly. It was all he had to do. Nodding, Mavis murmured a good night to Claray and then bustled out of the room.