Susan King - [Celtic Nights 01] by The Stone Maiden Read Free Book Online Page A

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    Chapter 4

     
    "There will be snow tonight," Una said. "Lome's aching bones tell me so." She peered out of the window of Alainna's workshop. The dim light silvered her hair, covered in part by a white linen kerchief, folded and tucked over her head. She was a small woman, and she rose on her toes, balancing a thin hand on the window frame as she looked out.
    "My bones do not ache, woman," Lome said. He picked up a small carved stone in the shape of a cross and turned it gently in his long-fingered hands.
    "Ach, they do so—you asked me to put a dose of willow into your ale today," Una said impatiently. "Snow for certain, between what your long bones and those gray clouds out there tell me. The sky is the same color as some of your stones, Alainna."
    "I see," Alainna answered without looking up. Her great-aunt and great-uncle had entered her workshop a few moments earlier, but she had scarcely glanced at them. "Let me clear a little more of this section, Una, and I will look."
    Alainna circled the bench, critically studying the partially carved slab of gray limestone propped there. Then she angled her claw-toothed chisel blade against the stone and tapped the handle with the wooden mallet held in her right hand.
    "This is a good piece," Lome said, setting the little cross on the table. "Finer even than the one you brought to the king. I have not seen it before."
    "I carved it this week," Alainna said, blowing away the stone dust she had created. "I promised one of those to Esa."
    "When you bring it to her, try again to convince her to come and stay here at Kinlochan," Lome said. "She is stubborn, but the winter will be fierce this year. All the omens point to it." His deep, smooth voice, whose magic Alainna had loved since childhood, held a distinct weariness.
    She glanced up, and saw him pause by the long trestle table that held several stone slabs, each as long as a man's forearm. He bent to study them, his shoulders bowed, his long white hair swinging down to hide his handsome, hawklike profile.
    "This place is freezing." Una closed the wooden shutter with a decisive bang and latched it shut. "You will catch a chill in your lungs, keeping the window open all day."
    "I need the light," Alainna said, tapping again. She paused to blow at the powder that collected at the chisel's edge.
    "It is dark as night in here," Una complained. "I can hardly see at all." She stepped forward.
    "You just closed the window," Lome reminded her. "None of us can see now."
    "There are candles on the shelf," Alainna answered. "The brazier gives out a little light, too."
    "Not much light," Una said. "And not much heat. So you might as well stop working for a little. You have not stopped all this week, I think. Oh, move, you greedy hound, taking up all the room in here. Alainna, I know you like this dog, but he is not much of a guard, or much company, lying about all day."
    Alainna glanced at the large deerhound who slept contentedly by the brazier. "Finan is a fine guard when he needs to be. And I like his sort of company. He leaves me alone."
    Lome chuckled as he found a candle and lit it with a dry stick touched to the brazier's red coals.
    "Alainna, we came here to ask you to share supper with us this evening," Una said.
    "And we came to see how you are progressing in your work," Lome added. "It is good indeed. The story stone you have just finished is even finer than the others."
    Alainna smiled. "Thank you. And I am not hungry, Una." She set down her chisel to choose a pointed iron tool, and used the mallet to drive the sharp end into the slab to clear away a small chunk of stone. "Morag brought me food earlier."
    "Morag has brought your meals in here for two days. She told me that you came late to your bed last night, and rose early to work again. You will exhaust yourself and become ill."
    "I have much to do," Alainna said as she blew away pale dust from the stone's face. "This is the seventh stone. The scenes I plan to do