A Widow Plagued by Allie Borne

infection within the keep. However unjust Mortichai's fate had been thus far, no one was willing to share it.
    Sara knew that the gift of a wagon, horse, and pig polk, could go far in helping Mortichai establish himself as something other than a sin eater. New clothing would be enough to reinvent the man into an independent farmer. As a boy, Mortichai had experience tending live stock and could do so again.
    To ensure his loyalty, she would ask Sir Gavin to offer Mortichai the use of a few acres on the boundary of the village, should he return with positive results. Now, she need only provide him a writ, explaining his duty to any who might stop him along the way. As unlikely as it was that a man would be able to read the message therein, Lord Sander's seal would sway all but the highest of officials.
    ~
    “Ye did what?” Gavin bellowed from his hip bath in the solar.
    “I-I asked the local sin eater to deliver Sir John to his father.”
    “And how is he possibly to be successful in that venture? I have yet to fully depose of Lord Polk's troops.”
    “I-I had not thought of that eventuality, Sir Gavin. I had only thought that the longer the men remained within our keep, the longer Hannah faced untold danger. Besides, the men are busy at the slope. Were some to have stayed in the woods before the keep wall, all they will see is a bedraggled man leading a cart of pigs.”
    Sara sank upon the bed, chin trembling and head aching from the exhaustion and stress of the last several days.
    Standing boldly from the water and striding to the linen cloth lain across the chair, Gavin dried himself and eyed Sara balefully. “Lucky for us, my troops arrived and have been stationed. Adam told me of yer hair-brained venture. I have assigned three men to flank the wagon and escort this “sin eater” to Lakeshore Manor.
    “When they return successfully, we will, ourselves, embark upon our own mission.”
    Sara's heart raced. “Leave the manor? At this juncture? Is that wise?”
    “Tis necessary. My second in command will protect the keep. We will deposit young Hannah with Lord Anther's household and continue on to pay homage to King Edward. Tis necessary to establish my authority here at the manor. His majesty readies his troops to leave again for Calais. Were we to wait, it could be years before we establish my authority here, if at all. I cannot possibly maintain such a tenuous position for long.”
    Sara shuddered and prayed silently that their luck would hold. Millie bustled in, Elizabeth in tow, and placed her unceremoniously in Sara's arms. “I've a score of folk to feed, and Adam is useless if I'm not about to keep him at his duties. Ye'll need to keep track of the bairn tonight, I'm afraid, My lady.”
    “Think nothing of it, Millie. I am grateful for thy unfailing service. What would I do without thee?”
    Millie blushed and waved away Sara's gratitude as she bustled out the door.
    Sir Gavin watched curiously as Sara scooted herself against the bed's headboard and lowered her gown to nurse. Although nothing but the rounded curve of her breast could be seen above Elizabeth's head, Sara blushed at the intimacy of nursing before Gavin.
    She barely knew this man, and yet, he had been present at the most vulnerable moments of her adult life. No husband was ever present at the birth of their children; yet, he had physically moved her infant within her womb, lifted her, and assisted with the birth of her daughter.
    It all felt too close, too intense. She was not yet ready to see him again. And yet, there he stood, with nothing but a bit of linen wrapped around his narrow waist, staring at her exposed breasts as if he, too, wished to partake of their contents.
    “Is the keep secure?” she asked, hoping to remove his focus from her person.
    “Aye, tis,” he responded, never removing his eyes from her exposed collar bone and breast.
    Slowly, he moved closer to her position on the bed. At that very moment, Elizabeth chose to