Chapter 6

The morning had drifted by peacefully. Galeron and Jack had both come and gone from the upper floor, offering conversation to Em and solicitous concern for Kay’s health. She had lain quietly, stretched out on the couch with a swaddling of blankets, more as a way to not be drawn into the conversation than for any real concern for her health.

The events of the previous night still swirled in her mind. The calmness of Reese’s voice beneath her, the steady reassurance she had that, when she jumped, he would catch her, he would save her. She had never felt that way about a man before. Certainly Leland would give his life for her, would do so for any member of her family. But this was different somehow.

“Kay, are you there?” asked Em for, judging by the sharp tone of voice, what must have been the fourth time.

“Oh sorry, sis, I was just lost in thought.”

“It is M’Lady,” reminded Em with a gentle laugh.

“Oh, right, sorry,” apologized Kay again. She shrugged herself up to a seated position.

“I was asking if you were sure about sending away Alistair. Any hidden rendezvous I should know about this time?”

Kay sighed, pulling her blanket closer around her, shaking her head. “No, no hidden meanings, no secret issues. I just cannot bring myself to be with someone who passively sits back and waits for life to roll him over.”

“There is something to be said in trusting in God,” pointed out Em complacently.

“Yes,” countered Kay, “And also, ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ God does not expect you to lay in bed all day, with your mouth open, waiting for manna to drip into it!”

Kay could hear the amusement in her sister’s voice. “You are very right,” agreed Em. “If this is your choice, then that is what we shall do.”

A timorous knock sounded on the door, and Kay nestled herself into the covers more thoroughly as Em called Alistair into the room. She could not bring herself to look on him. He would have sentenced Star and Heather to death. He would have sat, safely, in his warm and cozy hall, while Star shivered in fear, waiting for rescue, waiting …

Alistair’s eyes were serene. “My dear Kay, I see that my prayers have been answered. You have been brought home safe and sound,” he offered. Kay did not trust herself to speak, only nodding as he moved around to take his seat.

Em’s voice flowed smoothly from the other side of the dark layers of curtain. “You are quite powerful at prayer, Alistair,” she intoned. “I am very grateful for the efforts you put forth to bring Kay back to me.”

“I am happy to be of service,” murmured Alistair, brightening visibly.

Em’s voice took on a more thoughtful tone. “It almost seems a shame for your talents to be wasted in menial ways. To be subject to the boring tedium of chores and miscellany, when clearly you have such an amazing talent for working the wonders of God.”

“I strive to be humble, but there are times when I would feel that way as well,” admitted Alistair, his cheeks pinkening, lowering his eyes. “There is so much I would love to do, if only I had the time.”

“We have often dreamt about having a priest available to perform special prayers for us at the monastery. Someone to pray for our departed loved ones and of course for special occasions. However, we never knew a man personally who we had faith in.” continued Em.

“I would be proud to intercede for you,” beamed Alistair. His face fell. “But of course, I have been sent away from the monastery for now.”

“We would not want to waste your talents in the tedious work of a daily life,” insisted Em, warming, “when you could be much more instrumental to the entire region’s salvation as our intercessor. Perhaps if I became your patron?”

It was as if Em had taken a torch and set Alistair alight with an inner glow. His entire body shone, and his eyes brimmed with tears.

“Would you, really?” he stuttered, almost choking in surprise.

“I could think of no other man I would entrust with our spiritual well-being,” responded Em, her voice serene. “If you would be willing?”

Alistair was on his feet in moments. “Would I be willing?” he cried out in disbelief. “It would be my dream come true!”

“The letter to your master is there on the table,” offered Em quietly. “I think the best of all possible roles for you would be as our spiritual guide and intercessor.”

Alistair grabbed up the letter, scanned it with almost unbelieving eyes, then kissed it fervently. “Thank you, thank you,” he whispered, crossing himself, looking up at the sky, then turning to run from the room, leaving the door open behind him.

A long minute passed, and then Reese walked in shaking his head in amazement, looking between Kay and the dark curtain. “I do not know how you two do it, but I am very impressed,” he commented, sitting down in the chair and pouring himself a tall tankard of ale. “I assume, given last night’s escapades, that you somehow told him he was better off in God’s service?”

Em’s voice bubbled with amusement. “Yes, we certainly did. And he agreed completely.”

Reese took a pull on his ale. “As would I,” he toasted to the black wall. He turned to look at Kay. “On a more serious note, how is your leg healing up?”

Kay shrugged off her cover, tossed it to one side, and slid over to sit on the side of the couch nearest him. She took the ale from his hand, downed half of it, then smiled as she handed it back to him.

“I am ready for an afternoon ride. How about you?”

Reese laughed, toasting her with his mug. “Nothing keeps you down, it seems!”

Em chimed in from her curtained nook. “That is for sure,” she agreed. “There was this time -”

Kay threw a grape at the curtain, shushing her. “No story telling!” she insisted with a laugh. “It would be unfair, because I cannot tell any stories about you!”

Reese leant back in his chair, a wide smile on his face. “You both are quite welcome to tell as many stories as you wish about each other.”

“That is not going to happen,” chuckled Kay. “Not until this game is a distant memory.”

Reese took a long drink from his tankard, then set it down, his eyes glinting. “I am content to wait,” he offered with a smile.