Iliana shook her head at the other woman in exasperation but could not contain a small smile herself as she peered at her companions. Janna’s red hair was red no more. ’Twas a muddy brown, with great clumps of horse dung hanging from it. Her lovely new plaid was in a similar state. As was Mavis, who also had a great smear of the stuff down one side of her face. Both women stood, arms akimbo, heads bent as they peered with disgust at themselves. ’Twas not a picture Iliana would soon forget, she decided, shaking her head with amusement and turning back toward the pile and a still laughing Seonaid.

Stepping to the edge of the pile again, she braced herself and reached out a hand to her sister-in-law. Sobering slightly, Seonaid took the offered hand and tugged even as Iliana lurched backwards. Between the two of them, they got her to her feet and managed to lurch several feet away from the manure.

“Ugh!” Janna muttered, shaking her arms and watching the dung fly.

“Gor!”

“’Tis disgusting!”

“Putrid.”

“I smell like a—”

“Privy?” Iliana supplied dryly.

Janna paused and glanced up at Iliana, then suddenly burst out laughing. “Oh, me lady!” She tried to stem her laughter and replace it with an apologetic expression, but failed. “’Tis sorry I am, me lady. But yer hair, yer lovely hair looks—”

“Like yours?” Iliana suggested wryly, a small smile tugging at her lips.

“No doubt,” came the self-deprecating laugh, then she groaned as she caught a good whiff of herself. “I smell worse than Sean now.”

“And I worse than Willie.” Mavis muttered. They shared a wry glance; then Janna suddenly perked up, mischief playing on her face.

“I think I’ll find him an’ plant a nice big kiss on his lips…if he doesna fight me off first.”

“Do not let him,” Iliana suggested lightly. “Mayhap he’ll be willing to take his bath early.”

“Aye, mayhap.” Janna grimaced as she peered down at herself. “If ye’ll excuse me, me lady?”

“And me?”

“Aye, of course.” Iliana watched the two women go, then glanced toward Seonaid, who was scraping dung from her legs and feet with her sword. “Would you like first crack at my bath?”

“Nay. The loch is good enough fer me.”

“As you wish.” Iliana turned toward the keep, only to pause. She could not, would not, go through the kitchen like this. Sighing, she headed around the building. Much to her amusement, no one seemed to notice the state she was in as she hurried to the front door of the keep and rushed inside. It was not until she came across Ebba on her way upstairs that she got any reaction at all.

“My lady!”

Iliana smiled at the servant’s dismayed expression as she passed her on the stairs. “Aye, Ebba. I shall need a bath.”

“At once, my lady.”