For Orkney cottage residents or visitors

[hardlyagravated]

Laurel has made her way home from the Mansion, and is slicing up some carrots for stew. Her hands, however, are obstinately shaking, and eventually she slices her thumb rather deeply. She swears under her breath in a fashion much more Agravain than Laurel in nature, shaking a little harder, face pale.

All is clearly not well.

Comments

[sirbeaumains]

"My lady Laurel?" Gareth, who had been just passing through, stops short. He starts toward her. "Are you hurt? What happened?"

[hardlyagravated]

"It is nothing - I was clumsy." She lifts her hand, applying pressure with the other, but it is still bleeding; it was a deep cut.

[sirbeaumains]

"Here, let me--" He fumbles about until he finds a dishrag that at least looks clean and offers it to her.

[hardlyagravated]

"Thank you." She sits down, still holding the thumb. "I think some of the carrots have blood on them now - they'll need to be thrown out."

[sirbeaumains]

"I'll get them. Are you sure you're alright?"

[hardlyagravated]

She shakes her head, absently. "I'll be well enough, I trust." A pause, then she says quietly, "My lord husband has gone, I believe."

[sirbeaumains]

"Yes," Gareth says, taken off guard. "I-I mean-- I think so."

[hardlyagravated]

A weak smile. "Everyone else knew, then."

[sirbeaumains]

He flushes, embarrassed. "I mean, I hadn't talked to him, or- or anything. I just stopped seeing him about, so I assumed. I'm sorry."

[hardlyagravated]

"No, it's well." She looks down. "He avoided me enough while he was here that it took me longer to be certain."

[sirbeaumains]

"I'm sorry. He shouldn't've-- I'm sorry."

[hardlyagravated]

"You could spend a day and a half listing the things my lord husband should have done but hasn't," she says, wearily. She's keeping her voice dry and detached. She is not going to fall apart.

[sirbeaumains]

"Is there anything I can do?"

[hardlyagravated]

"Nothing I can think of, Gareth. I thank you." A pause. "There's a man who is angry with me. I don't think he will do anything rash, but you should be aware that he may mean the family harm."

[sirbeaumains]

"What? Why is he angry?"

[hardlyagravated]

"It is... complicated," she says, quietly.