"'Twould do no good. He would just pat their hands and tell them to give it more time."
"Andrina says a wise lass can out think Macoran." Kannak had their full attention and savored the moment by taking a sip of water and then slowly setting her goblet down. "I am not to tell, but she prefers William and wants no other, not even ye, Stefan."
Jirvel grinned and Stefan rolled his eyes. "I am overjoyed to hear that," he said. "Diarmad and I have discussed it and he wants his sister to marry for love. But suppose another lad asks afore William? Macoran will likely give her to the first."
For a long moment, each of them was lost in thought. Then Jirvel spoke up. "It would serve Macoran right if we did the matchmaking for a change. Tomorrow when the girls return, Stefan will ride to William's cottage and ask him to come help with something."
"Help with what?"
"We will have to think o' something."
"But we cannae tell Andrina what we are up to," said Kannak. Suddenly realizing she had just given Stefan something to hold over her head, she turned her glare on him.
"What did I do?"
"Take a pledge not to tell."
"Ye need a pledge over such a thing as this? Ye dinna trust me, wee bairn?"
"I would be daft to trust a bletherskite?"
"Then ye have my pledge this once, but in the future I will only give it on more important matters. Time for bed, wee bairn."
Kannak would have ignored him, but she was tired enough to go anyway. She got up, put her bowl and goblet in the washing bucket and went off to bed. "Wee bairn indeed." She let the curtain down and disappeared behind it.
Stefan grinned, put a hand on Jirvel's arm to get her attention and whispered, "Ronan has asked Macoran for ye. He was the first and thinks he has ye."
Jirvel took an exhausted breath and let it out. "Thank God I am married."
"He hopes to bribe the priest to set yer marriage aside."
She abruptly caught her breath. "Has Macoran given his permission?"
"He said not and he also reminded Diarmad another has asked for ye as well. Perhaps…"
Kannak shouted from her bedchamber, "What be all the whispering?"
"We hope to annoy ye so ye cannae sleep." Stefan shot back.
"Well 'tis working."
Jirvel smiled, lowered her voice even more and leaned closer, "Perhaps what?"
"Perhaps ye might not smile so sweetly at him tomorrow."
"Perhaps I should spit in his face, ye mean." She brought both hands up and rubbed her temples. "What am I to do?"