Page 85 of Bound to a Warrior
Duncan shook his head. “I’m going to need to learn more about her mother and whatever plans she had for them.”
“Probe carefully and quickly,” Reeve warned. “Mercy may not know she carries vital information.”
Duncan nodded, not happy with the thought. What had Mercy’s mother been up to and just how much did Mercy truly know?
For the next couple of hours they discussed the matter and what each had learned on their prospective missions, until finally Duncan asked about Bryce.
“I saw him two days ago,” Reeve said. “He’s almost done forming plans with the western contingent. He should be home in a day or two.”
“I have a thought,” Duncan said. “I spent some time in Pict territory. I believe it would wise of us to befriend the Picts more than we have.”
“They would fight with us?” Reeve asked.
“I believe they would. I don’t think they’re foolish enough to believe they are safe from this king,” Duncan said.
A rapid double knock sounded at the door, the signal that it was someone known to them. Trey unlocked it and his father entered.
“How goes the news?” Carmag asked.
And for the next couple of hours the men talked, though through it all Duncan kept glancing at his chafed wrist. He wondered what Mercy was doing and worried that she felt a stranger in her new surroundings. And then there was the information she may know. He not only needed to speak with her, he needed to be with her. He needed to hold her hand.
Finally he asked his father, “Is Mother showing Mercy around the keep or the village.”
Carmag shook his head. “Mara is busy delivering Brena’s baby.”
“Have you seen Mercy around?” Duncan asked, moving to the edge of his chair.
“I saw her walking in the village and waved, but didn’t have time to stop since I wanted to come here and see what has been learned.”
“I’m sure she’s fine on her own,” Trey said.
Duncan stood. “We’ve been shackled together for weeks and then I suddenly thrust her out on her own in a place where she knows no one. That’s not very chivalrous of me.”
Reeve grinned.
“Don’t dare make a remark,” Duncan warned and walked to the door.
“Go rescue your fair maiden in distress, but—”
“Shut up, Reeve,” Duncan warned again and walked out slamming the door behind him.
Reeve laughed. “Damn, but if he isn’t in love.”
Trey and Carmag agreed with nods and laughter.
Mercy didn’t remain at the smithy after Duncan had left. Finally being on her own, she wasn’t certain what to do with herself and oddly enough she wasn’t looking for company. She preferred time to think. Something she had done much of when she was home with her mother, or mostly when her mother wasn’t home or otherwise occupied.
She had learned at a very young age to entertain herself, and when her father had insisted she be educated, she took to her lessons eagerly. After that, she explored everything she could. There was no holding her back. She wanted to learn everything about everything.
While she would have preferred to avoid her stitching lessons, her mother hadn’t allowed it. She had told Mercy that there may come a day that she needed to stitch more than a garment. Her mother introduced and stressed the knowledge of numbers. She had insisted that Mercy know how to keep tally of what belonged to her and how to bargain for better prices with traveling merchants. And most importantly, how to hide money so that no one knew your true worth.
Her mother had established a small fortune while mistress to the king, but unfortunately she had spent much of it trying to locate the true king in an attempt to make Mercy his queen.
But all that was behind her now. Life had changed suddenly, in the blink of an eye, and Mercy had never had the time to consider the ramifications. She had been on the run since her mother had sent her away with a quick kiss and a promise they would be together soon.
She was shackled to Duncan soon after and only now was she truly on her own. And she momentarily felt lost, adrift without oars and no shore in sight. She would love to believe that Duncan was her knight to the rescue, but there was her father to consider. And what man would truly wish to defy the king?
Though Duncan had, recalling how he had informed the soldier in no uncertain terms that she belonged to him now. She had told him once that she had belonged to no one, and yet she didn’t argue when this time he claimed that she belonged to him. Perhaps it was because she felt that he belonged to her.
