Chapter 9
The morning came, and Rose was especially worse for wear. She did not sleep well at any point, and the gnawing nervous tension had remained with her through dream and black-filled sleep in equal measures.
Still, there was much to be done. She could not simply mope about and worry over the future.
Rose was the lady of this house, this castle, and keep, and she would do her best to serve that role.
The people here depended on her to maintain her duties, after all.
And Rose was nothing if not the type of person who would resolutely put the needs of others in front of her own.
As she finished dressing, Peggy accompanied her down the hall and stairs to the main level, ready to begin the new day. Children rushed by her suddenly, laughing and swatting at each other. She was surprised to see them so rambunctious and loud, happily squealing as they played.
It was so different from how they would behave in an English home. There was undoubtedly no shouting at this early an hour, and running through the halls? Certainly not.
However, as she turned over her shoulder to watch them rush down another hall, Rose noticed the smiling faces watching them, the men and women exchanging words and greetings. They were some of the clan members that she’d seen last night, and others were newcomers.
A chuckle broke free of her as she continued with Peggy toward the kitchen, seeking out Eilidh for instruction as to the day’s tasks. It was impossible to deny the exuberant energy the children brought with them.
“They’ll bowl someone right over,” Peggy complained, scowling in their direction.
“I think most everyone here is prepared for their sudden arrival and departure, Peggy.” Rose grinned, trying to keep the mood light. “We’ll just have to get used to being on our toes.”
She scoffed at that, and they continued down the hall until they reached the main entrance, turning down the other to reach Eilidh. Rose was proud that she remembered the path, and as she entered the warm space, she was surprised again to see it bustling with life.
Oskar was chatting with Eilidh as if they were the oldest of friends. The men whom Rose had seen yesterday when they came out of a meeting with Laird MacKay were coming and going from the room, smiling and speaking with the servants, all in a jovial, jesting manner.
It was so different.
The air of sophistication she noticed in all the homes she’d visited during her youth was always accompanied by one of constraints and restrictions.
Lively conversation existed, but there were places and times for such things.
This was a wild mix of all social classes, people existing as just that, with no concern for who they should and should not be speaking to.
“What on earth is all this?” Peggy whispered so that she would not be overheard. “Have they no decorum to speak of?”
“Oh, Peggy,” Rose patted her arm, shaking her head at her maid, “it is fine. We are in a new home, a new country. We will simply need to get accustomed to their culture.”
Shaking her head, Peggy stole her arm back, heading toward the back of the kitchen where Rose could spot Eilidh. As her maid went to the rear of the room a few feet away, Rose couldn’t miss the way she muttered to herself, Peggy complaining about “the savagery of it all,” and the “blasted noise.”
Rose had to assume that she meant the children and likely the bagpipes that played from the great hall, which could still be heard down in the kitchens.
While it was quite a shock to the usual start of their days together, Rose’s heart sank somewhat.
This was to be their home, and it was apparent that Peggy did not approve of it.
You must focus on your tasks, Rose. Your duties to the castle.
The thought of duty nearly had Rose stumbling as she crossed through the kitchen to join Eilidh and Peggy where they stood at a table for preparing food. Laird MacKay had been quite blunt about his expectations, and she was still unsure of herself.
But she shook all that away, concentrating on what lay in front of her, which happened to include the open door at the back of the room.
Through it, Rose could see a large field that stretched behind the keep, rows of vegetation planted and being tended to supply the kitchen.
Both men and women shared a place in the field, and her jaw dropped slightly before she clamped it shut again.
Women in the fields doing manual labor. Quite a different culture indeed.
“And a fine morning to ye, me Lady.” Eilidh’s voice shook Rose from her thoughts, and she spun around, offering a smile and a curtsey to her, Peggy watching curiously.
“Och,” Eilidh shook her head with a smirk, “save yer knees, lass. Ye’re nae in England anymore.”
Rose caught herself, standing upright as heat crept into her cheeks. She rolled her lips between her teeth before letting a grin escape.
“I have forgotten. Though I will admit to being quite happy to avoid curtseying so much. My knees thank you.”
Eilidh barked out a laugh, her hand clapping down on her thigh where it was covered by a stained apron.
In moments, Rose found herself laughing right along with her, and the two of them stood with grins for a moment.
The conversation had won her a little goodwill from the woman, and she was clearly the most essential member of the clan to win over, aside from the Laird, of course.
As Rose took an apron that hung and a hook, Peggy hurried to her side, grabbing her forearm as she pressed her lips to her ear to whisper.
“You should not be lowering yourself to these barbarian customs, my lady. You are of high birth and English.”
“Peggy,” Rose turned to her, dropping her chin as she secured the apron around her waist, “they are not barbarians. This is our home now, and you will treat its residents with respect. The Highland way of life might be different, but it is not savage.”
Her maid backed down quickly, her wide eyes pinned to Rose’s face for a moment. Still, she lowered her head and said nothing more about it. Rose returned to Eilidh, allowing the woman to show her through the process of making bread.
Rose kneaded the dough with excitement, burying the nagging thoughts of everything she needed to do into the stuff. It was a bit therapeutic, but it couldn’t completely absolve her of her worry.
Still, the sound of Peggy’s gasp as Rose took to the work was unmistakable. She continued to be quite shocked by the notion of her lady working in the kitchen, trying more than once to step in.
“Peggy,” Rose spoke softly, leveling her maid with a stare, “I want to do this. Please, there are several more tasks to keep you busy.”
“I…Of course, mistress.” Peggy stepped away, Rose’s chest twinging lightly from scolding her.
Quick enough, however, Rose went back to the work of kneading the dough, and her mind began to drift as the repetitive motions lulled her into a bit of a trance.
Her conversation with Dominik crept into the front of her mind. A month…
A marriage needed to be consummated, and Rose still didn’t feel quite at home here herself. As much as she would try, it was still uncertain if the Highlanders in the keep even accepted her. Whether or not she belonged in the clan remained to be seen.
The bread went into the oven, and Eilidh showed her around the rest of the kitchen before she led Rose and Peggy to the healer’s chambers to make introductions.
When they arrived, Rose was surprised to see a single woman in the dimly lit room, standing at a table near the back with her back to them. From what she could tell, the woman was grinding herbs; the sound of a mortar and pestle moving against each other was loud, surrounded by a gentle humming.
“Och, and where’s Nigel gotten himself to? Is he not meant to be here teaching ye?”
The young woman turned around, smiling broadly as she wiped her hands on her own apron. Her eyes landed on Rose and Peggy, and she cocked her head.
“He’s yet to make an appearance this morning, which isnae much of a change if I’m honest.” She leaned over toward Rose, putting a hand up to her mouth as if she were sharing a secret. “He’s a fondness for the drink that keeps him from the sunlight well into the day.”
Rose stifled a laugh, looking between Eilidh and the young woman as they chuckled to themselves. Peggy just grumbled behind her, and in truth, Rose was becoming especially vexed with her maid.
“I take it this is the new lady of the castle.” The cheery, young woman turned to her, offering a nod and a grin. “Pleasure, me Lady. I am Fiona. I train as an apprentice under Nigel, but as ye can see, I’m usually on me lonesome until at least midday.”
“A pleasure to me you, Fiona.” Rose nearly curtsied again, but she caught herself, and the women in front of her laughed.
“Apologies.” Rose shook her head, playfully gripping her brow as if she were consumed by a headache. “Apologies. I’ve yet to master all the new customs in this lovely keep.”
“And ye mean to, me Lady? Ye may have yer work cut out for ye.” Fiona raised a brow at her, eyeing her with an air of such easy calm that Rose immediately took a liking to her.
“I daenae ken what they teach young missus in England, but I’ll reckon it’s a fair bit different than what ye’ll find here. ”
“Indeed, it is.” Peggy cut in, narrowing her eyes at the woman, and Rose was forced to wave her off, stepping in front of her increasingly surly maid.
“Nothing I cannot handle, I assure you. I have already mastered the talent of not curtseying to everyone, and I even managed to eat my supper like a proper Highlander last night.”
More laughter filled the room, and Fiona took a step forward to clap a hand down on Rose’s shoulder.
“I saw that with me own eyes, me Lady! Well done.” The young healer’s apprentice offered Rose a smile. “I’ll make a Highlander out of ye yet with that determination.”
Even having known her for such a short time, Rose felt at ease with Fiona.
They were very alike in age, and she brought such a feeling of warmth with her that it was impossible to deny the allure Fiona possessed.
Rose was so on her own here in the keep, and even Peggy had made her feel such loneliness all morning because she had been so opposed to the Highland customs.
True camaraderie seemed very possible with Fiona, and Rose’s heart soared at the prospect.
“I promise to be your best student, Fiona.” They smiled at each other, and Eilidh playfully rolled her eyes.
“Verra well the both of ye. I wished for ye to explain a bit of the fundamental skills our new lady must acquire, Fiona. Nae have the two of ye chittering like birds about the last goings on in the castle. If I find that the Lady develops a keen ear for gossip, I shall ken precisely who to blame.”
Fiona blushed, clearing her throat. “Of course, Eilidh. As ye say.”
“Good, now,” Eilidh turned to Peggy, “we shall leave them to it. I’ll have use for ye in the kitchens as we prepare the meal for this evening.”
Peggy was about to interject when Rose shot her a look. This was not the time nor the place, and Peggy would need to learn the ways of the keep just as she did. Fighting back a scowl, Peggy turned to Eilidh and curtsied.
“Of course.”
It was the first time Rose had seen a curtsey being used as an act of defiance, and she bit her tongue as opposed to chastising her maid. She would have to come around in her own time.
Eilidh led Peggy out of the room, and Rose remained with Fiona. As soon as it was just the two of them, the healer turned to Rose with a wide-eyed expression of excitement.
“Ye must tell me everything about England. I will take every bit of gossip ye have; I daenae even care that I willnae have any clue as to who ye’re speaking of.”
Rose laughed. “You truly are quite obsessed with the latest on dit.”
“On dit?” She cocked a brow.
“It means gossip, but in the language of the French. In England, it is very stylish to refer to it as such.”
“Oh.” Fiona’s eyes widened all the more, and Rose could not keep herself from laughing.
“Unfortunately, I’m not as well-versed in it as you might like, but I will do my best.”
“I will make do, me lady.” Fiona wrapped her arm around Rose’s shoulders, leading her to a set of chairs off to the side. “I will make do.”