CHAPTER NINETEEN
Midgy came back the next morning. Sebastian had been out at dawn looking for the creature and found him swimming happily in a tidal pool near the castle. He had come right to Sebastian when the man had called to him. Sebastian had promptly wrapped the animal up in his rain cloak and carried him back to the outpost.
Cathlina had been thrilled, of course. She had thanked Sebastian profusely and then fed Midgy some tidbits of the dried meat. But that wasn’t enough for the otter and when Stephen, Mathias, and Sebastian broke their fast with the remainder of the previous night’s stew, Midgy sat up on his hind legs next to the table and had begged for food. They threw him a few pieces to keep him quiet. Then, he promptly trotted over to the well and threw himself in.
Cathlina gasped as she rushed to the well, watching her otter swim around in it about eight or ten feet down. Mathias and Sebastian got out of their seats and came over to watch.
“Midgy, come out of there!” Cathlina said as she lowered the bucket. “Get into the bucket!”
Midgy only wanted to play with the bucket. Sebastian shook his head at the antics and returned to the table while Mathias took the bucket rope from his wife and began hauling up the playful otter. Cathlina had hardly spoken to him since he told her of his intentions to send her back to Kirklinton and he didn’t like the silence. It was their first true disagreement since they had known one another and his stomach was in knots. He’d hardly slept because of it.
Mathias watched his wife as she removed the otter from the bucket, scolding him, and then running after him when the creature made a break for the stairs and raced up to the first floor. Mathias followed.
The first floor was where they had brought Justus after Stephen had finished working on him. They had fashioned a pallet for him near the hearth to keep him warm and as Mathias mounted the top of stairs, he could see that the otter was trying to burrow in Justus’ bed and the old man was trying to kick the animal out. Cathlina was on her knees beside the bed, grabbing the happy otter and pulling him out by his hind feet. She apologized to her father-in-law and the old man waved her off, fighting off a grin.
“He will not get any rest if you do not keep the otter away from him,” Mathias said as he walked up on them. “I have no idea why that creature likes you so much, but he does.”
Justus grunted, feeling weak and uncomfortable. “For the same reason women do,” he said. “It is my blinding good looks.”
Mathias shook his head as Cathlina giggled. “Frightening is more like it,” he said, making a weak attempt to insult him. “How are you feeling this morn?”
Justus grunted as he shifted around, trying to find a comfortable spot. “Better,” he said. “I will be on my feet by tonight.”
Cathlina cocked an eyebrow. “I believe it is Stephen who will tell you when you can get on your feet.”
Justus scowled at her. “I’ll not take orders from that mountain of a man who fancies himself a competent healer,” he scolded her. “If I want to stand, I will stand.”
Cathlina bit her lip to keep from smiling. “You had better behave yourself or I will put Midgy back on the ground and let him burrow in your bed.”
“I shall throw him out the window if you do.”
Cathlina couldn’t help but laugh as she turned away, carrying the otter with her. Mathias stood over his father for a moment longer even though he was cognizant of the fact that Cathlina was mounting the steps to the chamber they had slept in on the second floor. He waited until she was out of earshot before crouching beside his father.
“How are you really feeling?” he asked quietly.
Justus inhaled thoughtfully. “Very tired,” he said. “But it will pass. I will heal.”
Mathias nodded, his manner somewhat subdued. “I know you will,” he said. “As you have healed many times in the past. You are immortal, I think.”
Even in his uncomfortable state, Justus could see by Mathias’ expression that something was amiss. More than that, he was intuitive when it came to his son. “What is wrong?” he asked quietly.
Mathias glanced at him. “What do you mean?”
“You are a sullen man with much on his mind. Why?”
Mathias averted his gaze, pausing a moment before answering. “I told Cathlina that I am going to send her back to Kirklinton,” he said, his voice lowered. “She is understandably unhappy but I feel it is the right thing to do. With the impending battle march on the horizon, I must send her someplace safe and she would not be safe if she remained here at Kinghorn. Most importantly, I am at a loss as to who to send with her as an escort. You cannot go, I should not go, Stephen will not go, which leaves Sebastian. He will not want to go.”
Justus sighed heavily, feeling pain in his chest as he did so. “She must leave immediately,” he said. “Based on the viciousness of the Scots we saw yesterday, the longer she remains here, the greater the danger. I would not send her with a big contingent of men, however.”
Mathias shook his head. “Absolutely not,” he said. “It would attract too much attention.”
“One knight should be sufficient.”
“Who, then?”
Justus shrugged as much as his stiff body would allow. In the glow of the weak fire, his swollen eyes glittered at his eldest son. “You,” he said softly. “You should take her. You would worry endlessly if it was anyone else no matter how much you trust them. Moreover, you must face her father with what you have done.”
Mathias pursed his lips wryly. “He may very well throw me in the vault and you would never see me again.”
“Then take her to Carlisle and let de Lara escort her back to her family.
Mathias liked that idea. “A better option.”
“When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow before dawn,” he said as he eyed his father. “It will take us at least six or seven days to reach Carlisle and five to return if I am fortunate and the weather holds. I can move much faster alone. I will be gone two weeks at the most but hopefully less. There is a lot that could happen while I am away.”
Justus knew what he meant. “We will ably defend the outpost in your absence,” he said. “And if the ships from Yorkshire arrive, we will send you word. Will you be returning the way we came?”
“Aye.”
“Then we will send someone to find you along that route should it come to it. Meanwhile, remove your wife. She is not safe here.”
Mathias thought on that a moment longer before nodding his head and patting his father on the arm. “Your advice is sage,” he said as he stood up. “My thanks.”
Justus watched his son head for the narrow stairs that led to the second floor. He was such a proud and powerful man, and Justus had always been wildly proud of him, but he couldn’t have been prouder of him at any time in his life than he was at this moment. The sometimes selfish and always arrogant knight he had seen through Mortimer’s days had grown a heart in the last year and a half, but it was never more apparent than at this moment. Justus knew that the lovely Lady Cathlina had a good deal to do with that. She had made his son more than just a knight. He was a man now, and a good one.
Justus closed his eye and attempted to go back to sleep, ignoring the gentle argument that was now gaining steam over his head as Mathias explained to his wife the way of things from now on. As Justus tried to ignore the increasingly loud voices, he felt something around his feet. Lifting his head, he could see something moving in the covers, heading towards his chest. He wasn’t surprised when Midgy appeared, grunting happily as he gave scratchy kisses to Justus’ chin.
“Settle down, you silly beast,” Justus said, positioning the otter so he wasn’t lying on his wound. “Settle down if you want to stay here.”
Midgy did. When Mathias descended the stairs an hour later, the first thing he saw was his father and the otter, all wrapped up in blankets, sleeping peacefully next to the fire.
They were both snoring.