I shrug, but it is not enough for Forba. She looks at me with narrowed eyes and whispers: 'Can you help us in this situation, Megan? You are our only hope.'
'But what can I do?' I ask, though I already know what she is going to answer.
'Talk to the Laird, please, Megan, my girl,' Forba says. 'Believe me everyone wants to get rid of Kaithria. They are just afraid to say it aloud. If there is a chance that he will listen to you, let's take our chance.'
I nod. If there is a chance, we had better take it. Forba nods, too, smiles and leaves. I hesitate at Elsie's bedroom door, thinking of going straight to Sloan's room, but then change my mind. My sister is probably worried where I am.
I knock on the door and slowly open. Elsie is not there. All right, maybe she is still in the pantry. I turn and get out of the room, heading for the pantry.
Two of Sloan's aunts meet me on my way to the pantry, and they also start speaking about Kaithria and how they do not like her. They also express their wish that it would be so good if I talked to the Laird and helped him change his mind.
When they leave, I stand, a bit confused. So many people have asked me to go and speak to the Laird about changing his mind that this is becoming unbelievable. And all of them have decided that the only person who can change Sloan's mind is me. That one is interesting. Why do they think that Sloan will listen to me? Maybe they know something that I do not know? Maybe he loves me and everyone knows about it except me and Elsie? I slowly start walking to the pantry again, lost in my thoughts. Now, that everyone is of the same opinion, I am more than sure that I will go to the Laird and talk to him. But at first, I need to see my sister.
Elsie is in the pantry, as I assumed. She is happily piling packs of flour on the floor and singing, while the maids are trying to sing alongside her.
'Ah, Meg? How are you? I have almost finished here. Let's go to my bedroom and have some rest,' she says happily, wipes her hands on her earasaid and walks towards the exit of the pantry where I am standing.
'Thank you, milady,' the maids call out, and she waves at them happily.
We leave the pantry and walk along the semi-dark hallways of the castle towards our bedrooms.
'Elsie, there is something I want to tell you,' I say as we walk down the empty hallway.
'Yes?' She says, sounding interested.
I look around. The hallway is empty, but I am not sure that it is safe to speak such important things outside of our rooms. Who knows, maybe Kaithria and Lorna are eavesdropping somewhere? They certainly must not know anything about our plans.
'Let's at first get to your bedroom, and I will tell you something interesting while we are in safety. Unwanted ears may be present somewhere here,' I say, looking around. Elsie raises her eyebrows, nodding.
'I see,' she says. 'I think you are going to tell a very important thing and I am getting impatient.'
'Just wait a little,' I chuckle, as we reach her bedroom and hurriedly enter.
Elsie locks the door from the inside and goes to sit on her bed. I join her.
'Today I met several of Sloan's relatives, as well as Forba, and they all asked me to go and have a talk with Sloan and to try to convince him not to get married with Kaithria,' I say.
'Oh, I am not surprised,' she says. 'In fact, several members of the clan said the same thing to me and asked me to ask you if you can talk with him.'
'Really?' I get surprised.
'Yes.'
'Then, that is it. I will go and speak with Sloan tonight,' I say, full of determination. 'And I will go straight into his bedroom, so that Kaithria's and Lorna's ears will be out of reach. I do not want anyone to hear what we are talking about.'
'Yes, speaking to him in private is the right decision,' Elsie agrees. 'It will be unbelievable if you are able to convince him. Everyone will be happy.'
Kaithria
I close the window of my room, as it is getting colder. In the evening it becomes windy. My mother is pacing back and forth in the room, tense, as always when we are alone. Obviously, she is making new plans for rushing the wedding or making the sisters go away.
'Mother?' I ask, as I go and sit down onto the wooden chair in front of the mirror and start brushing my long black hair. 'When we were having dinner, I asked Sloan when the wedding date is going to be set, and he said that we must talk about it when we are alone. I told him that we almost never are alone, but he brushed it off and started talking with his uncle,' I add, getting annoyed as I remember being ignored during the dinner.