The Brat Page 0,69

having been commissioned during better times. A chessboard populated with finely carved game pieces was obviously also from earlier days. Murie took it all in, then turned to survey the rest of the hall. It was large, with tapestries hanging from the walls. From a distance they appeared dull and colorless, but on approaching them, Murie saw that this wasn't the case at all; they were simply coated with dust and soot. Obviously, with so few people left to manage the castle, a chore such as beating and cleaning the tapestries would go long neglected.

"We have done the best that we cou - " Gatty began with a hint of defensiveness, but Murie cut her off.

"It shall be beautiful again once we have the manpower necessary to set things to rights," she said quietly. Gatty peered at her for a moment and then allowed her shoulders to relax. "Would you care to see the kitchens?" Murie nodded and followed.

The kitchens were large, made to feed hundreds, as one would expect in a castle this size, but only a small corner showed any recent use. Murie supposed it didn't take much room to make fish stew for so few people, and it appeared Clement was the only person generally here of late. However, she had no trouble imagining it as the hot, bustling beehive of activity it must once have been. She was determined to see it returned to that state.

"My daughters often help Clement in the kitchen as well as with serving the food," Gatty announced quietly. "However, before the plague they were housemaids."

"And they shall be again," Murie assured her. She turned to leave the kitchens.

"Did you not wish to see the pantry?" Gatty asked, following her.

"There is time enough for that tomorrow," Murie said, not wishing to see the empty shelves. She was depressed enough by all these people had endured, and simply wished to get the tour over and done.

They moved above stairs, and Murie was silent as Gatty showed her room after room. Juliana's bedchamber was small and mean, with little in the way of comfort. There was a bed, a chest and filthy rushes on the floor. There was not a single tapestry covering the windows to help keep the breeze from creeping through the rickety shutters. Murie could only imagine how cold that must be in the winter.

"How ... Why?" Murie asked, turning to Gatty. The woman's mouth tightened, but this was the only sign of her anger. She said, "Lady Gaynor died giving birth to Juliana. Lord Gaynor had loved his wife dearly and blamed the child for her death. He never forgave her. He brought Juliana to me moments after her mother died, handed her into my care and - as far as I can tell - never gave her another thought. I did the best I could, but with her father treating her so coldly and uncaring of her comfort or happiness ..." She shrugged wearily.

"And what of Balan?" Murie asked.

Gatty's expression softened. "He loves the child dearly, but he has been away battling for most of her life. He tried to reason with his father when she was first born, but there was no arguing with the old man's grief. His lordship has tried to make things better since his return, but Juliana has been so long without - "

"She no longer thinks she deserves it and cannot accept it," Murie finished on a sigh. It seemed she had more than a newly orphaned child to deal with. In truth, Juliana had been orphaned at birth, losing both parents with her mother's death. Unfortunately, her father had stayed around to torment her with his lack of love.

"Aye." Gatty hesitated and then said, "I hope you will not be too hard on the child for what she did to you in the bailey. She is - "

'You need not fear," Murie interrupted. "I was orphaned at ten and raised at court. It is not the best place for a child to feel loved and nurtured. I think Juliana and I have a lot in common." Gatty relaxed and even smiled faintly. "Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me," Murie assured her, hesitated and then announced, "I would appreciate it if you would disregard whatever gossip you have heard about me, whether from Lord and Lady Aldous or elsewhere, and judge me on my own merit."

"I never judge on gossip, my lady. Besides," she added with a grin, "we had