She had understood it, but that apparently hadn’t prevented it from hurting her.
The moment they drew their mounts to a halt at the steps to the keep and Merry dismounted, she found herself surrounded and caught up in one embrace after another by the women who had trailed them across the bailey. Things like “’Tis good to see ye lookin’ so bonnie, lass” and “We’re missin’ ye here at Stewart, my lady” were repeated to her over and over, and Merry would have liked to load every single one of them into her wagon and take them home to d’Aumesbery with her. At least then she would not feel so alone for, despite Una’s accompanying