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.Graham had rewarded Chaumont handsomely, but since Mary seemed to have inherited Aila's role as chatelaine, Aila felt they had more than earned their reward."Oh, there ye are," said Mary, swooping into the room, wearing an elaborate turquoise silk gown, her long hair down to her waist."Could ye watch Johnnie?" she asked Chaumont, handing over their three-year-old son."I've promised Lady Graham I'd let her personal maid do my hair.Please dinna be late," she said to Aila and Padyn, "or yer mother will skin me alive."She gave Chaumont a quick kiss and then turned to run off, but Chaumont caught her hand and drew her back to give her a proper kiss.They smiled at each other for a long moment, until Gavin tried to sneak by unnoticed, wearing riding clothes."Where do ye ken ye're going?" asked Mary.At fourteen, Gavin had grown into a strapping lad."Fergus said he would let me ride Thunder today." Aila smiled at the stable master's name.His recovery had been slow but steady, and he was now back at his post."If ye're late, ye'll have to go to Lady Graham yerself and explain why," Mary warned.Gavin blanched and returned back the way he had come, presumably to change clothes."Yer mother certainly knows how to strike fear in the hearts o' many," commented MacLaren dryly."Including my dearest husband?" asked Aila.They had responded to her mother's demand they visit with the family, since she claimed she had not seen her grandchildren for so long she would not be able to recognize them anymore, though in truth, it had been only one month since their last visit.MacLaren had grumbled about being manipulated but had made arrangements to go to Dundaff.Lady Graham had a full day planned for the family, and everyone was expected to participate.The servants swooped in to take the children to dress, and Aila and Padyn found themselves alone for a few precious moments."We should dress," said Aila, but Padyn pulled her close."That would be counter to my desires."Aila shrugged against him."And mine, as well, but 'tis for family.""Family? Are ye saying I am related to that she-devil?""Aye, 'tis true, and perhaps ye'll find one in yer own bed if ye dinna watch what ye say about my mother," exclaimed Aila.She struggled against him briefly, but MacLaren held her tighter."Aye, ye are my family," he said, looking down at her."I have been blessed more than I e'er thought possible."Aila sighed."I do love ye, my husband.""And I ye." Padyn started pulling up her chemise, and he kissed her gently from her temple down to her lips."But we'll be late." Aila broke away."Mother will be furious.""She'll be angry at us whate'er we do.At least this way we'll have a really good reason for her fury.""What will we say to my mother?" Aila wrapped her arm around his neck."Tell her we were working on her fourth grandchild.""I canna say that!"Padyn covered her mouth with his, and Aila found she was not going to be saying anything for quite some time.Author's NoteA great lover of history and kilt-wearing, sword wielding men, I nestled this story into the intrigue of 14 century Scotland.In 1346, while England was theoretically busy fighting France in what would later be known as the Hundred Years' War, young King David of Scotland decided to invade northern England and took the town of Liddesdale.Unfortunately, King David underestimated the English response, aided by the superiority of the Welsh longbow, and he was captured in a bloody battle at Neville's Cross.According to legend, the leader of the Grahams urged King David to order a charge into the English archers, shouting, "Give me but a hundred horse, and I will scatter them all." Unfortunately, none followed Graham except his own clan, who were slaughtered by the longbow.This story picks up where history leaves off, imagining what happened next to the Grahams.Aila Graham in this tale is destined for the convent and, as such, receives far more education than was stan dard for that time, particularly for a woman.Though not much survives, we still have some writings from women of that time (all nuns) proving at least a select few received extensive educations.Since one of the main fields of study would have been the Scriptures, Aila is familiar with the Latin Bible.During the 14 century, no English translations of the Bible were available, since the Church had decreed anything other than the Latin was heretical.John Wycliff was the first to produce an English version of the Bible in the 1380s.This irritated the Pope so much that, even forty-four years after Wycliff's death, his bones were ordered to be dug up, crushed, and scattered in the river.One of Wycliff's followers, John Hus, was burnt at the stake in 1415, using copies of the English Bible as kindling
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