“It leads down into the cellars,” he said. “And they have already begun the tunnel that will lead to the other side of the wall that is being built.”
She tried not to but she had to laugh. “So ye got your escape route.”
“I did. And kenning our children, it can be locked way up at the top of the door.”
“Oh, good.” She did not mention her belief that they would somehow figure out how to undo it. “Sigimor has appreciated the one ye put on his door.”
“Cannae have the little devils racing around inside the walls like rats.”
“Nay, that would ne’er do. So, when do we move in?”
“Today.”
“What? But, there are things we need to get,” she stuttered. “Beds and chests, and something for the floors.”
“And we will get them, but it appears we already have a lot. Given freely by all the others. Oh, aye, there are other things, but they can be gotten as ye decide what ye want or need. But, right now, we have more than enough to settle in.”
“Mora!” called Annys from the door. “They are bringing in some beds. Ye might want to tell them where to put them.”
Mora hurried off with Annys and fell into many hours of telling people where she wanted something put. Then she was caught up in the feast prepared and brought in. She was stunned when her uncle and his sons arrived bringing a few things, as well.
To her astonishment, the old man looked as hale as he had in the earlier days, before Robert had gotten so bad. It pleased her even more when he told her that Murdoch would be the laird when he was gone, and it was obvious Lachlan and Duncan approved. Sigimor, Harcourt, and Brett all took the young man aside and she resisted the urge to go closer and eavesdrop.
Then Jolene walked up to her and gave her a hug. “Ye will make it all yours soon.”
“I ken it. And, I have a gift for ye.”
“Really? Why?”
“Because it seemed that ye really wanted one,” said Mora as she hurried over to a chair in the corner of the hall and grabbed her bag. “Do ye recall I told ye that Freya would ne’er have kittens?” she asked as she returned to Jolene’s side.
“Aye, because she didnae go outside so she wouldnae be caught.” Jolene’s eyes widened. “She got caught?”
“She did, and by a male who didnae look much bigger than she was. I tried to catch him when it was over, but he was smart, because he ran from an extremely angry Freya as fast as he could.” Grinning when Jolene laughed and smiled up at Sigimor, Mora reached into the bag and dragged out a very small black and white kitten. “I think I have a real runt cat for your wife. He is five months old and should be a lot bigger than this. I could wait a little longer to be certain if ye wish.”
Jolene took it and held it, the kitten rubbing her face against Jolene’s. “Nay. Oh, he is so cute.”
Sigimor took it and checked between its legs before handing it back to his wife. “He is so cute. Useless, but cute.”
“I cannae promise it will be a runt,” said Mora. “They can fool ye and suddenly grow big, but the chances are, this one will be small like my Freya.”
“Just so long as it doesn’t become another George.”
“George was a fine cat,” said Sigimor.
Mora left them to argue about how fine George the rat killer had been and went to find Gybbon.
*
It was very late before there was only her family left in the manor. She tucked the children into their beds and then went to the master bedroom and flopped down onto the bed. Gybbon came in and flopped down beside her. Mora smiled when he tugged her into his arms.
“Pleased?”
“Verra much so, but are ye sure we can afford this?”
“Aye. I made a fair amount of coin when I was wandering all over the country. A lot of the things, like the furniture and even some of the windows, were gifts or extra things someone had on hand. We only had to mend a few things. My family was always set on that. Ne’er threw anything away if it was still good or could be mended, and if something they had made wasnae exactly right, they would pay for the materials used and keep it anyway, then get what they really wanted. That is why some of the windows may strike ye as a bit odd when ye finally get a chance to have a good look. We made them to fit what we were given.”
“Everyone was verra generous.”
“Aye, and grateful. This land was an empty hole, nothing here. Now there is and there will soon be men to work and guard. All the keeps near us are allies and they are having trouble placing their men as the children grow. Now there is one more choice for them. And some of their lassies, too. This land will either be grazed or planted so more food is available. We serve a good purpose, lass, and they welcome it. And Jolene even brought a nice bed for Freya,” he said, and pointed to the blanket-lined basket near the hearth where her cat was curled up.
Mora looked at her cat, then looked at her husband. “And ye have no urge to go awandering?”
“Why would I go anywhere? Everything I want is right here.”