Chapter 7
“Oh, to be a goat,” Anna crooned as she kissed the soft nose of the gray and white goat.
The runt of the litter. “I daresay there is absolutely nothing going on between this one’s little ears.
Just pure joy, a desire to gobble up oats, and the occasional impulse to ram something with his head. That sounds like bliss to me.”
Katherine, who was picking wildflowers, laughed heartily.
“I think I would rather be a kitten, curled up by someone’s fireplace.
That would be a rather nice life.” She looked up at Anna.
“How are you feeling today? I must say, there’s less concern among the staff this morning. They trust in you, as I do.”
“That is good to hear,” Anna replied, as the baby goat bleated for more scratches between his ears. “I refuse to disappoint them.”
A quiet sigh escaped Katherine. “And if His Grace should make you leave?”
“Impossible. My stance has not wavered, and shall not waver, no matter what that Duke might want,” Anna replied.
“I have had quite enough of men telling me what to do and where to go and how I ought to exist in this world. I will not permit this man to deny me my home, deny us our home, not after everything I have already endured. Indeed, the only man who can make me do anything is this little darling; I would pick an orchard clean of apples for him if he but asked.”
She pressed a firm kiss on the top of the little goat’s head and received a small head-butt of affection in return.
Relaxing slightly, Katherine nodded. “Animals are superior to men. They’re simpler.”
“The animals or the men?” Anna flashed her friend a wicked smirk.
Chuckling, Katherine replied, “The animals. They’re not selfish or cruel; they never leave you guessing what they want.
They give love without expectation, and there’s nothing so loyal as an animal.
” She twisted a length of long grass around the stems of her wildflower bouquet.
“Maybe, I wouldn’t say that if I were faced with a wolf or a bear, but at least I’d know, if it hurt me, that it’s just attacking me because it’s hungry or it sees me as a threat. ”
Anna’s expression softened, her heart aching for her dearest friend. “You never have to fear anything like that again. I hope you know that, dear Katherine. I will protect you; I will always protect you, and that is yet another reason why I will not give up this home of ours.”
They shared a comfortable silence for a while, with the goats running free, scampering around, and throwing themselves physically at the two women as if they could sense the change in mood and wanted to lift their spirits again.
Soon enough, as Katherine swiped her bouquet away from two mischievous goats that were trying to grab a treat, it worked. The lady’s maid laughed and swung the bouquet from side to side, her face lighting up as the goats followed the flowers, lunging left and right, leaping to snatch a mouthful.
“One of the girls at the market was telling me how a goat saved her life,” Katherine said, chuckling as a goat missed the flowers and landed in her lap, where he seemed dazed for a moment before deciding to settle down for some pats and scratches.
“She was telling everyone that she’d finally found the secret to scaring off unwelcome men,” the lady’s maid continued.
“Well, rather, she was telling us all that her disgrace of a husband left to visit his brother months ago, and hasn’t been back since, all because she brought home a baby goat to take care of.
She was keeping it in her bed, or so she said, and it kept butting her husband in the stomach whenever he’d try to get into bed with her. ”
“And didn’t her husband do anything about it?” Anna asked.
“On the one occasion he managed to throw the goat out, it screamed all night. Naturally, he threatened to kill it, but he couldn’t catch the sweet thing.
Apparently, it was quite the sight, watching him stumble drunkenly after this creature for hours and hours, all to no avail.
Then, that night, it screamed again, just bleating and bleating and bleating until he couldn’t bear it anymore.
Next morning, off he went to his brother’s, never to be seen again. ”
Anna burst into laughter, her amusement blending with Katherine’s as the two women giggled together, surrounded by the very creatures that had chased off such a beast. They seemed to realize their part in it, as they crawled into the women’s laps, curling up into a sleepy cluster.
And as Anna looked down at the goat in her arms, a new idea began to take root. Rather, someone else’s idea, repurposed for her own troublesome beast…
There had been enough activity inside the manor, with two groups of staff trying to get things done—neither very happy with the other—to keep Jeremy busy until early evening.
Mostly, he had been handling complaints, encouraging his people to be reasonable, making a list of rooms, both occupied and unoccupied, and settling into what would be his study.
I’d like to see her find some reason to protest about that, he mused as he left the bright room that overlooked a calming garden. There’d been nothing in it when he’d chosen the room, but he had no doubt that Anna would come up with some rationale as to why he shouldn’t have it for himself.
Thinking he might rest his eyes before dinner after his struggle to sleep last night, he was on his way to the stairs when his housekeeper appeared in the grand entrance hall.
“Ah, Yer Grace!” she called out. “There ye are. I was just comin’ to see what time ye’ll be wantin’ yer dinner? There’s chaos afoot in the kitchens, with two cooks tryin’ to take charge, but it’s well-stocked.”
Jeremy paused and drew out his pocket watch. “I will dine at eight.”
“Will Her Grace be joinin’ ye?”
“I doubt it,” he replied, wondering if he ought to invite her. “Ask her anyway.”
The housekeeper dipped her head. “Aye, Yer Grace.”
As she walked off, Jeremy continued up the stairs to the rooms that now served as his chambers, and he decided he’d quite like to dine with Anna. Distracting as she was, beautiful as she was, it was more a matter of comfort than pleasure: he was sick to death of his own company.
Indeed, before the fire, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d dined alone.
It wasn’t something they did at McIver Castle, where meals were meant to be shared, and the dining room was filled with discussion and friendly arguments.
The tradition had started with his parents, and the brothers had continued it long after their mother and father were gone.
I could always make her come to dinner with me, he considered with a smirk, as he imagined throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her to the dining room. But then she’d just sit there with a scowl on her pretty face, no doubt refusing to speak to him at all.
The matter of taming the lady of the house was proving to be more complex than he’d anticipated.
She’d think him false if he took a softer approach, but he didn’t want to scare her with his hardest tactics.
No, he needed to figure out a way to strike a balance, keeping her guessing as to which method he might use next.
He stifled a yawn as he entered his chambers and stripped down to just his shirt and trousers, then stooped to remove his boots.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the bed and imagined Anna curled up beneath the covers, waiting for him. But, of course, he was entirely alone.
Ye were a damn fool to trust ye were in the right room last night.
He hadn’t punished the maids who had put his few belongings into Anna’s chambers and directed him to that room when he’d sought to retire to bed.
After all, this manor was as unfamiliar to them as it was to him; they couldn’t have known they’d got it so very wrong.
Besides, Jeremy wasn’t entirely convinced that a member of Anna’s household staff hadn’t been responsible for the mistake. A trick to make him look foolish or, worse, like a lecherous beast who couldn’t be trusted, adding to the reasons why he shouldn’t be there.
He padded over to the bed and sat down on the edge, reaching for the fastening of his trousers… when he felt something bump against his calf.
An expletive rasped from his throat. That maid of Anna’s had said there were too many ghosts in this manor, and, for a second, he thought she might have been talking literally. A ghoul under the bed, now bashing against his leg.
The next instant, he came to his rational senses and glanced down.
“What the…”
A furry head seemed determined to leave a mark on the pear-shaped muscle of his calves, with the faint tap of tiny, cloven hooves pattering on the wooden floor as it charged.
He raised an eyebrow. “Where did ye come from, eh?”
Reaching down as the little goat attempted to butt him again, he scooped the creature up and held it firmly against his chest. Absentmindedly, he scratched the coarse fur of the goat’s chest as it stared at him, clearly surprised to be disturbed.
It let out an anxious bleat.
“Did that rascally lass put ye in here, eh?” Jeremy asked, as he allowed himself a darkly amused chuckle. “Ye certainly didn’t wander in by yerself, now, did ye? Ye haven’t the hooves for opening doors.”
The goat’s little tail began to flick back and forth, while it strained to try to get a taste of Jeremy’s face.
“I am sorry, but I can’t have ye making a mess in here,” he said as he rose to his feet and set the goat back down. “If that lass thinks otherwise, she’s in for a surprise.”
Leaving the innocent creature to potter around, Jeremy hurried out of his room, making sure to close the door behind him, and headed off to find Anna.
Clearly, this was some sort of punishment for him accidentally being in her bed the night before, and he was ready to show her what he thought of her attempt.
Where would she be at this hour? Her chambers?
He turned in the direction of that fateful room, only to see a familiar figure approaching him.
Anna’s lady’s maid, walking with her head down and her mouth moving as if she were talking to herself.
The same woman who had been out in the goat pen with her earlier. A co-conspirator if ever he’d seen one.
He cleared his throat loudly.
The maid came to an abrupt standstill, her eyes flying wide. “Your Grace… I didn’t see you there.”
He noticed that she took a step back, her throat working as she swallowed. He had scared her, even though that was not his intention.
“What’s your name?” he asked in what he hoped was a less threatening voice.
“Katherine Miller,” she replied quietly, her chin dropping to her chest.
He gave a small nod. “Well, Katherine, there seems to be a goat in me chambers. As ye’re so fond of the creatures, ye’re to remove it at once.”
Her head snapped up, the quickly smothered curve of a smile tugging at her lips.
“I am afraid I can’t do that, Your Grace.
” She took a breath, her chin tilted up with sudden confidence.
“Her Grace asked for the poor thing to be kept inside until it’s strong enough to join its brothers and sisters. She chose the room, Your Grace.”
“Did she now? And who do ye take orders from?” he growled in reply, no longer concerned about her fear.
He wouldn’t hurt her, he wouldn’t even take a step closer to her, but he wouldn’t let her think she could speak to him as if he were no one of importance, either.
Katherine fidgeted with the edge of her apron, looking around as if one of the paintings or tapestries on the wall might offer an answer or get her out of the situation altogether.
“Her Grace...” she replied after a moment, her voice wavering.
“As I am her loyal maid. But… I can take the goat to the sunroom instead, if it’s a disruption to you? ”
He had to admire the woman’s courage for not buckling under the pressure of his question.
Loyalty wasn’t so easy to come by, and Anna clearly had a trusted and faithful companion in Katherine.
Still, his admiration did nothing to temper his annoyance, for if the rest of Anna’s staff were as dedicated to their mistress, then his residence there would continue to be very uncomfortable indeed.
This needed to be nipped in the bud. Immediately.
Expelling a frustrated breath, he rolled his eyes. “Forget it. If anyone is going to remove the goat from me room, it will be Her Grace herself.” He stared at the maid, giving her his hardest look. “So, tell me, where is she?”
“I… was just on my way to see her,” Katherine answered, her face draining of color.
“Where?” he demanded to know, quickly losing patience.
The maid flinched, her mouth twisting into a grimace as if the idea of revealing that information physically hurt her. Yet, what choice did she have? He would find Anna, one way or another; he just hoped that this maid was clever enough to understand it would be better if she simply told him.
Shoulders slumping, Katherine muttered, “She’s in the library.”
“See? That wasn’t so difficult.” Hiding a satisfied smirk of his own, he turned around and walked off down the hallway.
If Anna thought that putting a mischievous animal in his chambers would somehow be enough to make him pack up and go to a dilapidated house by the sea or a crumbling city townhouse, then the evening was about to become very educational for her.
Indeed, if she were already in the library, maybe he’d show her a few history books until she finally understood that a Scot would never accept English rule. Sure, the English might win a few battles, but they would never win the war, especially when it came to sovereignty.