Chapter 2
2
Alyth was used to interacting with men of the Laird’s calibre—after all, she was a Laird’s daughter and experienced in the subtle arts of charming and flirting with them. However, this man was very different. He did not look remotely fascinated with her—quite the opposite, in fact. The blue-green eyes were rendered even darker with anger, and his strongly handsome face looked terrifying.
Alyth had been trained to fight both with her fists and with weapons, but that did not stop fear rising up in her as the big man came even closer till his chest was almost touching hers.
“I asked you who you are.” This time his deep voice was a threatening rumble, and Alyth, usually so calm under pressure, found herself panicking.
This was the man who had murdered her mother, and he would no doubt have no hesitation in doing the same to her if he knew her identity. She fought her terror down with an effort, however, although for a few moments she seemed to have lost the ability to speak, particularly when Laird Carrick stepped forward and pushed her backwards against the wall.
“Now, answer me, or I will have you thrown out of my castle.” His voice was soft, but it throbbed with menace.
At last, Alyth recovered the ability to speak. “I-I am Jeannie, your new housemaid, my Laird,” she answered, dropping her gaze to the ground.
“And what are you doing with my daughter?” he asked suspiciously. “She has been told never to engage with strangers. What mischief are you up to?”
“I have only started working here today,” she replied. “And I became a little lost in the corridors. Luckily, your daughter found me then brought me here. I swear I did not approach her first. She came to me, and I have done her no harm.”
If Alyth had thought her lie about becoming lost would subdue the man, she was wrong. If anything, it seemed to inflame him more; he pushed her shoulders harder against the wall and came so close to her that they were almost nose to nose.
Alyth turned her head to avoid the penetrating gaze of his eyes, but her effort was futile, since he grabbed her chin and turned her to face him again.
He pulled away a little to focus on her better, then said, “If you do not want your first day to be your last day, then do as I say. Stay away from my daughter. Do you understand?”
Alyth nodded frantically, but then something extraordinary happened. The Laird took a step backwards and looked as the little girl tugged at his kilt, and for the first time Alyth saw an expression of tenderness cross his face. This, and the protectiveness he had shown towards his daughter, told her that he loved her enough to kill for her.
“What is it, Davina?” he asked gently as he squatted down beside her, a fond smile on his face. As he stroked the girl’s hair and kissed her forehead, Alyth suddenly saw a different man, or perhaps another side of the same one.
Davina pointed to Alyth, smiling softly. “Friend,” she murmured, then enfolded herself into her father’s embrace.
The Laird looked up at Alyth, astonishment written all over his handsome face. Gone was the terrifying frown and the intimidating closeness of his body to hers. Now he was just a loving father, and she was merely one of the servants who made his house run smoothly.
In a few days—or more likely a few hours—he would forget about her, and she would become invisible to him, then she could do what she had to do without interference.
“May I go now, my Laird?” Alyth asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
The Laird looked at her closely for what seemed like an age, and Alyth saw a strange expression in his eyes. He looked puzzled. After a few moments, he nodded, then stood up and walked away, carrying Davina in his arms.
Alyth looked after him and saw Davina looking over his shoulder at her, smiling. She smiled back and gave a tiny wave, which Davina returned, then she picked up her broom and began to sweep the floor again. She felt so shaken that it took her a very long time to calm down.
Alyth decided to go to see Maisie to ask if there was any more work for her to do. She had no real desire to do anything else; she merely wanted to be in her older lady’s company for a while, since she found her company so calming. Every time she saw her, Alyth felt like smiling.
As if she had conjured her up, Alyth saw Maisie walking towards her. She went to meet her, and just as she reached the older lady, her stomach gave a mighty rumble.
Maisie laughed and said, “Well, I was just about tae ask ye if ye were hungry, hen, but I suppose I’ve had my answer!”
“I don’t mind admitting I am ravenous,” Alyth replied. “This kind of work is much harder than brushing a lady’s hair! And although I feel a bit silly saying it, I got lost.”
Maisie patted her on the back, laughing. “Well, dinnae worry about gettin’ lost, hen, because a’ the lassies dae it in the first few days, an’ ye will soon find your way around. As for the work, ye will soon get used tae it,” she assured Alyth. “After a wee while it will be second nature tae ye. An’ remember when things get hard, ye have a roof over your head, food in your belly, an’ a wee bit money comin’ intae your pocket. An’ if ever ye have a problem, come tae me. I am a good listener, an’ I can usually help my girls an’ boys.” She laughed softly. “I might no’ have any bairns o’ my own, but the Laird’s young maids an’ manservants are my children. Now you are one o’ them.”
“Thank you,” Alyth breathed, giving Maisie a beaming smile. “That is so good to know.”
“Now, let’s get ye fed,” Maisie said. “They feed us well here, unlike some other places I could tell ye about. Ye will no’ be hungry for long!”
She led Alyth down to the lowest floor and into the kitchen. It was one of the biggest rooms she had ever seen, even bigger than the one at Cairnloch, with a huge oven on one wall and a long worktable running down the centre.
Barrels and crates lined the walls where there were shelves full of dried herbs and hooks where pots, pans, and kitchen utensils hung ready for use. Alyth smiled as she entered it.
She had always loved being in the kitchen, where the air was warm and fragrant with the mouthwatering aromas of roasting meat and baking bread. She had many happy memories of going there as a child and begging for sweetmeats from the cook, who always indulged her and gave her what she wanted.
This kitchen was no different, and Alyth closed her eyes and inhaled the scents she loved so much. Her mouth was watering, and she thought she might faint if she did not eat soon.
“Sit down at the table, hen,” Maisie instructed.
Alyth did as she had been told, and a moment later she was joined by a few other young women, all of whom greeted her in a very welcoming fashion. As she looked at their friendly faces, she reminded herself that these were ordinary women who likely felt no special loyalty to the Carricks or any other clan. They were simple people who were living their lives as best they could; they were not her enemies.
“Who dae we have here?” The first to greet Alyth was a short, plump woman with dark hair and a friendly smile. Alyth liked her at once.
“Jeannie,” she replied, returning the smile. “And you?”
“Flora,” the young woman replied. As the others came in, she introduced them as Catriona, Morag, Elise, Heather and Alison. “We are a’ housemaids, an’ there are at least another couple o’ dozen o’ us. We are an army, in fact!” She laughed, and the others joined in.
“Mistress Maisie knows we could probably manage wi’ a few less o’ us, but she has such a soft heart she cannae turn anybody away.”
The others laughed again, then Alyth asked, “Do you like working here?” She was surprised when she heard that the answer was an enthusiastic “yes.”
“Aye,” Morag replied. “Mistress Maisie is very kind. Some housekeepers can be witches who treat their maids like dirt, but no’ ours. We are very lucky.”
“And the Laird?” Alyth continued. “I have heard he looks fierce.”
“Aye, he looks that way, Jeannie,” Catriona said, “but dinnae let that fool ye. He has a heart o’ gold. But ever since his wife was killed he has become quite stern-lookin’. An’ he adores wee Davina, his daughter. He has never said an unkind word tae any o’ us, has he?” She looked around the table and there was a series of nods and a murmur of agreement.
Just then, the cook beckoned them to come and collect their food, and Alyth found herself with a hearty plate of lamb stew and two freshly baked bannocks in front of her, as well as a glass of warm ale. The stew was so delicious that she disposed of it in a few moments, and was surprised to find that when she looked up the other young women were laughing at her.
She was deeply embarrassed and a little hurt, but Flora patted her hand and said kindly, “Dinnae worry, hen. We are a’ glad ye enjoyed the food sae much. We have just never seen anybody eat sae fast. Ye must have been hungry.”
“I was,” Alyth confessed. “I might have enjoyed a dead rat if you had put it in front of me!”
They all laughed again, before Morag and Elise fetched some hot spicy fruit pudding from the cook, and they shared it between them.
“Clootie dumpling is usually for Halloween,” Alyth said, frowning.
“Well, I’ll have yours if ye dinnae want it,” Heather said eagerly, then laughed. “This is a wee treat Mairi, the cook, makes for us sometimes if she’s in a good mood.”
“I see.” Alyth was pleased, since she loved Clootie dumpling. “I came at just the right time then.”
“Mistress Maisie didnae tell us about ye,” Alison pointed out. “It was quite a surprise tae see ye here. How did ye come by the job?”
“Well, by accident really.” Alyth took a deep breath, then began to spin the tale of the ambush by the bandits and how she had walked for days to get to Leithmuir. “I just about fell down with exhaustion when I got here, but the Captain of the Guard was very kind to me and brought me into the castle, then Mistress Maisie took care of me. They are both so kind, are they not?”
“Aye, they are,” Flora said, smiling. “We are lucky tae have them.” The others murmured in agreement.
“What did ye dae before ye came here, Jeannie?” Alison asked curiously.
“I was a lady’s maid,” Alyth replied. She had rehearsed her story so many times that the use of her false name did not startle her. She frowned and waved her hand in dismissal. “But that’s a story for another day.” She paused to drink her ale, then looked around her again.
“I just met the Laird, actually,” she said carefully. “He seemed very angry. I got a bit lost in the corridors and his daughter came and found me. She seemed a bit puzzled. She looked at me for a long time, then called for her mammy. I have no idea what she means, but when we met the Laird, he was mad.”
The young women all exchanged glances, seeming absolutely astonished.
“She spoke tae ye?” Flora asked, her eyes wide with amazement.
Alyth nodded. “Yes,” she answered. “Why are you so surprised?”
She looked around at the ring of bemused faces, baffled.
“Because that wee lassie hasnae said a word since her mother was killed,” Flora replied. “The guards say they have seen her condition before; it’s called shock. Are ye sure, Jeannie? It couldnae have been another noise ye heard?”
“I am quite certain,” Alyth said firmly. “I heard her very clearly because there was no other noise around us. She definitely said ‘Mammy’.”
Heather stood up and walked around the table to squat down beside Alyth and look up into her face. She stared into her eyes for a long moment before she asked, “Dae any o’ you see what I see? Jeannie looks an awfu’ lot like Lady Carrick. Maybe the poor bairn thought her mother had come back.”
She stood up and looked around at the others, who all began to stare at Alyth.
“Aye,” Flora agreed thoughtfully.
“She also called me a friend,” Alyth went on. “When the Laird saw us together, he became so angry, I thought he was going to hit me. It was only because little Davina spoke up that he stopped himself, I think. He loves her very much, does he not?”
“Aye,” Flora replied. “Especially since his wife died. But he wouldnae hit ye, hen. If ye had been a man he might have, but he would never harm a lassie. I am surprised he even laid a hand on ye at a’. It isnae like him.”
“Well, if he thought Jeannie was goin’ tae hurt Davina…” Morag said, leaving the rest of the sentence unspoken.
There was a silence between them all for a moment before Flora clapped her hands.
“Why are we a’ gettin’ sae miserable? Come on, talk about somethin’ more cheerful, for heaven’s sake.”
She launched into a funny story about her sister, and in a few moments all the young ladies were chatting and laughing amongst themselves. Alyth pretended to join in, but it was all an act.
When she went back to her duties, she could think of nothing else but what Heather had said.
“She looks an awful lot like Lady Carrick.”
Alyth fervently hoped she would not bump into Davina and her father again.
She occasionally saw the Laird from a distance as she carried on with her work that day, but looked away quickly, not wanting to catch his eye or attract his attention in any other way. Most of the time he was with Davina, who stayed close by his side and looked up at him adoringly. He smiled at her frequently and occasionally picked her up to kiss her cheek and laugh with her.
The love between them was almost palpable, and made Alyth long to be back with her own father, back to the reality she knew, not here in this confusing state. She knew he would never give up looking for her, perhaps she would just go back after getting the pendant and the joy of seeing her again would be enough to call off her wedding.
That evening, Alyth avoided the other maids and went to the kitchen for her evening meal after they had all left. Mairi was a fat woman in her middle years, a Lowlander, and had quite a different way of speaking from the other servants. Sometimes Alyth missed a word or two, but she persevered.
“I met the Laird just after I came here,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone. “He seems a bit scary.”
“Aye, but only since his wife died,” Mairi replied. “An’ we a’ know he is soft as butter inside. He dotes on that wean o’ his, puir wee thing. Never seen a man sae lovin’ in my life. Him an’ the Captain o’ the Guard are good friends an’ a. Ye will often see them trainin’ together. The Laird is a fierce fighter, an’ a handsome devil. A charmin’ in his late twenties.” She winked mischievously.
Alyth laughed. “I have already met the Captain.” She smiled.
“Oh, he is a nice man, even though he’s a soldier,” Mairi replied, smiling. “He absolutely adores Mistress Maisie, an’ she loves him. Both o’ them are fond o’ Davina as well, because they cannae have any weans o’ their own.”
“Such a pity,” Alyth said sadly. “They would have been very good parents.”
Then Alyth changed the subject in case she aroused suspicion that she was asking too many questions. “Tell me what Glasgow is like,” she said, smiling. “I have always wanted to go there.”
They chatted amiably for a short while before Alyth yawned, pleaded that she was very tired, which she was, and went to bed in her tiny room.