"I cannot go out."
"It is not safe just now."
"I know."
Rachel put an arm around her mother's waist and smiled when she noticed her sister coming out to join them. She usually remained quiet when her mother and sister were together, because they had some sort of special bond. She didn't feel left out, but she was always intensely interested in observing the bond.
"Aren't the two of you a sight," Anna said, "standing there looking at a bush."
Their mother smiled, turned and hugged Anna. "It has grown much taller."
"Much, much taller."
Catherin's expression became confused then. "I have the need to go out."
"So do I. But mother, Kevin promised no one would hurt us and he has kept his word these thirteen years."
Catherin nodded and put her head on Anna's shoulder. "Tell me again."
Rachel expected the same story she had heard in English since she was a child, but this time it began differently.
"The King killed him," said Anna.
"But not before he suffered," Catherin added.
"Aye. Do you want to know how much he suffered?"
"Nay, it is enough to know he did."
Rachel had not heard that before and when she started to ask who, Anna shot her a warning look, so she remained quiet. They were all three staring at the bush, but none of them really saw it.
Anna continued, "We went back and burned the house. We saw the servants safe and rode horses. We swam, and hugged Rachel, and cried, and laughed, and nearly drove poor Harold daft. Then we came back, the lads built this cottage and put the door in the wall so we could go out any time we wanted."
Catherin said, "I want to go out now."
"So do I -- in the worst way. It is the first time we have not been allowed."
"Would Kevin stop us?"
"I think this time he would, but not to punish us, to keep us safe. And not only us, Mother, but all the others. We must not let the enemy know there is a door."
"I keep telling myself that, but it is not helping."
"Would it help if you stayed in the Keep for a while? You can see outside the wall from the windows and staying busy has always helped us."
"We cannot leave Rachel, someone might..."
"I pity the man who tries."
Catherin grinned. "So do I. We have taught her well."
"Indeed we have. We have taught her to do things other women would find unthinkable, and she will not hesitate should the need arise."
"I miss Athena, she was a good woman. Do you think Thresher will ever come back?"