Aeschene knew she must sound insane. Deep down she prayed he wouldn’t take her up on her offer.
“Aeschene,” Marisse whispered. “Ye cannae mean—”
“Aye, I do,” she interrupted. “Raibeart has much anger in his heart and who can blame him for it? I will be a constant reminder of all that he and Colyne have lost. Mayhap, if they could take some of their anger out on me-”
“You’re mad!” Raibeart said. “Richard would kill me should I ever lay a hand on any woman in anger.”
“Ye’re damned right I would.”
Richard hadn’t heard the entire exchange, but he had heard enough. On his way to Seamus MacCullough’s hut to inquire about crops, Richard had seen the small band of misfits and decided to approach. He thought his wife completely insane when she first suggested Raibeart beat the hell out of her. She was fully prepared to stand in her father’s stead, to take a beating if only to help rid his younger brother some of his anger.
He had to give the woman credit; she had guts.
His brothers spun at the sound of his voice. Marisse and Aeschene took a few tentative steps away. ’Twas all he could do not to laugh at the sight of the woman who had, only moments ago, offered to take a beating, to suddenly shy away at the sound of his voice.
“No one is going to beat anyone,” he said. His tone of voice left no room for argument.
“I wasn’t planning on beating her,” Raibeart said.
“Good,” he replied as he stepped between his brothers and took his wife’s hand. Leading her away, he said, “What on earth possessed ye to even suggest that Raibeart beat ye?”
From the corner of his eye, he watched as she struggled to find the right words. “Honestly? I dunnae ken. The idea popped into my head, and well, it sounded like a good idea when I thought it.”
Richard shook his head in dismay. “Truly? Ye would have taken a beating meant for yer father, just to appease my brother? And ye would have lied about it?”
“Richard, I want to fit in here. I want to belong.”
Incredulous, he asked, “And ye think a beating is the best way to achieve yer goal?” He could understand her desire to fit in and belong, but mayhap she’d gone a bit too far.
She stammered for a moment. “Well, when put that way …” her words trailed off.
“No one is going to beat anyone,” he told her firmly. “I will hear no more talk of it.”
“Then how will I gain Raibeart’s good favor?” she asked.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Hell if I know,” he said.
“Well that isn’t very helpful, Richard.”
’Twas the truth he had no good advice for her. As he himself was still trying to figure out what to do with and about her. His mind still warred with his heart, warning him not to trust to easily, if ever at all.
In all honesty, he did want her to feel at home here, for here she was going to be for a very long while. And aye, he did want to eventually get to a place where he felt he could trust her. “Time,” he finally offered. “Ye must simply give it time.”
“I am not known for possessin’ an extraordinary amount of patience, Richard,” she told him.
Although she was being quite serious, he couldn’t resist the urge to smile. “Be that as it may, lass, you’re going to have to try to be patient.” Even if she possessed the patience of a saint, her life here would not be easy, especially in the coming months. Hopefully, once he began to be comfortable and trust her, his brothers and the rest of his clan would fall into step.
“I shall try,” she told him. “I will do my best to show all of ye that I am a woman of my word. I will never betray any of you.”
He sent a quick prayer heavenward that she spoke naught but the truth.
Chapter Twelve
Aeschene was more determined than ever to be seen as a useful and valued member of her new family and clan. Knowing that actions were often more profound and important than words, she decided she would begin immediately. If her conversation with Raibeart and Colyne were any indication of how the rest of the clan felt, she certainly had her work cut out for her.
“I should like to help prepare the noonin’ meal,” she told Marisse.
Colyne was unafraid to voice his confusion and opinion. “What can ye do?” he asked.
His question wasn’t intended to hurt or injure her feelings, of that, she had no doubt. ’Twas simply an honest inquiry.
“I can do many things,” she told him with a most sincere smile.
“But ye cannae see.”
As if I needed a reminder, she mused before replying. “But the rest of me still works quite well. I can knead bread, stir pots, chop vegetables-”
“Do ye nae cut yer self?” Raibeart interjecting with a good measure of disbelief.
Aeschene and Marisse giggled. “I quickly learned, after nearly cuttin’ off my finger, to go slowly.”
As they walked back to the kitchens, Aeschene answered each of the lads’ questions honestly.
“Are ye ever afraid?” Colyne asked as they walked through the gate.
“Of what?” she asked for clarifications sake. In truth, she was afraid of many things. Right now, her biggest fear was never being accepted here.
“Of fallin’ down or trippin’ over something,” he replied. “I think I’d be afraid of that if I could not see.”
“Oh, I still take a stumble every now and again,” she admitted. “But if I let the fear of gettin’ injured get the better of me, I might never leave my room. And that is no way to live.”
Apparently satisfied with her answer, he didn’t ask any other questions until they arrived at the door to the kitchens. “Do we have to help too?”
“Aye, ye do,” she told him.
She heard each of the lads groan.
“I ken this is nae yer idea of a grand time,” she told them. “But ye can oft find satisfaction in knowin’ ye have helped another. Now, let us go inside and be useful.”
Marisse would later describe the look of horror on Hattie’s face when Aeschene announced she wanted to help. A blend of horror and bewilderment that caused the poor woman’s eyes to spring upward and her mouth to fall open.
“But, m’lady,” Hattie stammered as she looked to Marisse for guidance. “I-I would not ken what I could have ye do.”
Aeschene smiled her warmest and most sincere smile. “Do not fret so, Hattie. I wish only to help, as do Raibeart and Colyne.”
“Them?” Hattie screeched incredulously.
All eyes turned to look at what had caused such a reaction from their cook.
“Aye, them,” Aeschene said doing her best to ignore the poor woman’s apparent distress. “They are big, strong lads, do ye nae agree?”
Hattie tried speaking, but the words were apparently lodged in her throat.
Speaking over her shoulder to the boys, Aeschene directed them to fetch water for their cook. Thankfully, neither boy argued. “And do not get lost on yer way,” she reminded them. “Elst I will come lookin’ for ye myself.”