They didn’t lower themselves to actually comment. Where the first woman hadn’t noticed Geordie, these two did and sneered briefly as they took in the fact that he’d obviously slept out in the gardens. She was quick about it, but had barely disappeared into the leafy haven the branches provided when two women appeared farther down the row of trees and glanced around. Geordie’s eyes were widening at the tantalizing amount of shapely ankle and calf she was showing when she grasped the lowest branch of the tree and began to climb quite nimbly upward. The woman muttered what sounded suspiciously like a curse, and then bent down, reached under her skirts to grab the back hem of the long gown she wore and pulled it forward and up to tuck the cloth through the belt around her waist. Geordie was just wondering if she was the person who had been calling out and whinnying when the sound came again from somewhere to the left and farther away. He’d barely had the irritated thought when a young woman appeared halfway along the row of trees and turned her back to him to peer up into the branches. The keep was apparently up and children were ready to play. Geordie scowled at the annoying voice followed by another high-pitched attempt at a horse’s whinny. Geordie had assumed that probably meant his own bed had been given to someone too. The man only slept in a chair below when he had to give up his bed to guests. The great hall had been overflowing with sleeping servants and soldiers, as had the kitchen, but it was his uncle sleeping in a chair by the fire that had told him just how full the keep was. There hadn’t seemed to be much choice after weeks away he’d arrived back in the middle of the night to find Buchanan crowded with people. Seeing them, he remembered that he’d made his bed in the orchard behind the gardens when he’d returned last night. Early-morning sunlight was streaming down at an angle that managed to reach him where he lay against the trunk of a tree, one of several he could see growing in rows in front and to the side of him. For a minute, he didn’t know where he was. Geordie Buchanan opened tired eyes as that call was followed by someone trying to make the sound of a horse whinnying.
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