Chapter 8
Amara jerked the chamber door open at the sound of the knock, fully expecting to see Rhys on the other side.
Her eyes widened when she spotted a young maid with dark blonde hair and grass-green eyes.
She was a little on the plump side, but her expression was open, not hostile like she’d seen on most of the other clan members when she’d arrived.
The maid hesitated at the doorway, holding a pile of folded cloth under one arm, and a tray of food in the other. She stared at Amara with a mixture of hesitancy and curiosity. Apparently, curiosity won out.
“I’m Nina, me lady,” the younger woman said. “I’m to be yer maid.”
Amara stepped back as Nina went inside the chamber. She walked straight over to the bed taking up most of the middle of the chamber, and set down the pile of cloth.
“I’ve brought ye a change of clean clothes and some food,” Nina said, strolling next to the side table where she set down a tray of mutton swimming in dark juices, a large slice of warm bread with steam still rising from it, some fruit, and a pitcher of ale with a tankard.
“Thank ye.” Amara went to the food tray first and broke off a piece of bread. She moaned with pleasure when she put it in her mouth, the soft warm bread slathered with honey teasing her tongue. The hard bread and nuts this morning hadn’t done much to quell her hunger.
“A bath will be up shortly,” Nina said, her voice chipper.
“I told the lads to be careful this time and to nae slosh water all over the stairs.” She laughed, shaking her head.
“Last time they brought water to this level, they left a trail dripping down the steps. Arnold, poor man, slipped in one of the puddles and nearly broke his leg.”
Amara nodded as she leaned down to taste the stew. It was surprisingly good, the juices spicy and the meat tender. She didn’t know what she’d expected from the O’Donnell’s, but she was glad the food was tasty.
“I brought ye one of the house dresses,” Nina continued. She walked back to the bed and lifted the folded cloth, revealing a worn but serviceable brown dress with all the accessories. “’Tis plain but clean. Cook made sure the sleeves werenae tattered, and said even a Murdoch had to be presentable.”
Amara stiffened, but before she could say anything, Nina apologized.
“I apologize, me lady. Me mouth, ‘tis a curse sometimes. Words come out that I daenae even ken I was thinkin’ of.”
The corners of Amara’s mouth tilted upward. She’d said much the same thing about her own wayward tongue. It was comforting to know she wasn’t the only one who had a runaway mouth.
“I suffer from the same affliction at times,” Amara said, then paused. “Ye ken who I am, then?”
Nina nodded, then spread the gown across the bed. Her hands went to work trying to smooth out the wrinkles. “Aye, we all ken.”
Amara watched the maid work, a frown tilting the corners of her mouth down. “And ye daenae hate me… like the others? Resent me bein’ here?”
Nina turned and looked at Amara, then shrugged. “I daenae ken ye, so I cannae form a judgement on ye.”
That was not the answer she’d expected. By the cold and even hostile reception she received from the other women as she and Rhys had entered the castle, Amara hadn’t expected to find anyone who would talk to her, much less show her an ounce of kindness.
“This chamber is usually saved for special guests.” Nina walked over to the corner of the room where a dark green drape hung suspended from the ceiling.
Pulling it aside, she revealed a tub and disappeared behind it as she took cloths and started wiping out the inside.
“Leighton complains the chamber is too drafty, but nay one else has made such complaints.”
“Leighton?” Amara asked.
“Aye. He’s one of the elders, a councilman.” She paused to look over the rim of the tub at Amara. “That’s where the laird is now, talkin’ to the council. I suspect they’re makin’ plans to get Finn free.”
Amara winced even though it wasn’t her fault her father was holding the man prisoner.
“Leighton, he’s the peacemaker.” Nina continued, shaking her head with a laugh. “Some say he’d negotiate with a ghoul, if he had the chance… or even the devil himself, is what I say.”
Amara smiled at the image that popped into her mind, of an older man talking his way through a conversation with a spirit. What would he offer it to stop haunting? A chamber of its own? A promise that it could haunt certain nights?
“’Leighton is pretty much the only person who can calm our laird,” Nina said, jerking Amara from her fanciful thoughts. “Leighton and the young lass, Daisy.”
Amara, finished eating her food, walked over to the bed and sat down. “Does the laird get angry often?”
Nina’s head tilted to the side in contemplation. “He rarely smiles, except for when he’s around his daughter. He’s like a different man, then. ‘Tis enough to make a lass’s heart skip when the laird smiles, though, I tell ye.”
Amara hadn’t seen Rhys smile yet. When he’d met with his daughter after they’d first arrived, his back had been to her, but she didn’t doubt Nina’s words. He was a handsome devil already, she could just imagine how much more so he would be with his expression softened.
Finished with cleaning the tub, Nina stepped around the curtain and walked over to the bed. She fussed with the clothing again and Amara figured she did so just as an excuse to stay there and talk with her.
“Sometimes, we see the laird riding on his big, black stallion late at night.” Nina paused and wrapped her arms around her chest, letting loose a shudder. “’Tis a bit frightenin', me lady, if I’m speakin’ truthfully. He looks like the demon of death, hauntin’ the land.”
“But he isnae,” Amara said, smiling at the maid’s overactive imagination. “He’s just a man out for a ride.”
“Aye,” Nina agreed. “I ken he’s nae, he just looks like one. Nay one says anythin’ to him, of course. He’s the laird. But we also think those late night rides may help him with his temper.”
“Is it really that bad?”
She nodded. “I heard he once broke a man’s nose for touchin’ a silver comb that belonged to his late wife.”
Amara felt her gut tighten.
He must have loved her very much.
When Amara remained quiet, the maid blushed slightly then changed the subject as she went around the chamber straightening things and wiping away dust here and there.
“The steward, Tomil, is sweet on one of the dairy maids, but he’s too careful with his coin to purchase a brooch to show his affection and intentions.” Nina chuckled and shook her head.
“Does she return his feelin's?”
“I think so, but I daenae ken for sure.”
Nina’s hand lifted to her lips, and she tapped the tip of her finger against them thoughtfully.
“Let’s see… Och! Last week, Leighton’s youngest grandson tried to sneak into the army, but got caught.
” Nina laughed again. “He tried to pretend he was a soldier, as if any O’Donnell wouldnae ken it to be a lie. The lad’s barely ten years old.”
Amara smiled. It was nice to be around someone so cheerful and relaxed.
It had been too since she’d heard someone else laugh.
Aside from William and Myles when they were being silly with each other.
Until now, with this maid, she hadn’t realized just how dark and depressing Murdoch Castle was.
She couldn’t even recall the last time she’d seen one of her own clansmen laugh with ease or tell a joke.
Her father’s ill temperament had spread to the rest of them.
“Oh, if ye go to the south wing, make sure ye take a shawl. Now that side of the castle is drafty… always colder nay matter the time of day.” Nina stopped and turned to face Amara, her expression now serious.
“I have a warnin’ for ye, me lady,” she said cryptically. “Daenae trust the spiral stairs near the chapel. They be cursed!”
Amara blinked. “Cursed?”
“Aye,” the maid nodded seriously. “Stable boys swear they hear knockin’ from inside the wall.”
“Do ye believe them?”
Nina’s serious expression slipped, and she frowned. “I daenae ken. I’ve never been over there. Sometimes, I think they are just lazy and tellin’ tales like that keeps them from having to climb those old stairs.”
A loud knock sounded on the door, causing both women to squeak with surprise and jump out of their slippers. Before Amara had a chance to call out and bid the person entrance, the door opened.
Her heart caught in her throat at the sight of Rhys standing framed in the doorway.
He’d changed clothes and looked fresh and clean, unlike herself who was still waiting for a bath.
Amara suddenly felt a bit self-conscious and lifted a hand to smooth her hair.
Her eyes widened when she felt the tangles there and realized she must look an absolute fright.
Heat burned its way up from her throat to her cheeks.
He stood there, staring at her for a moment, his large body filling the entrance to her chamber. She swallowed thickly, trying to push her heart back down to her chest where it belonged.
What is it about this man that makes me lose me senses?
Even though she was still sitting on the bed, she felt her legs go weak.
If she had to stand now, she didn’t know if she could do so without falling flat on her face.
Her gaze traveled to his face, the way his eyes seemed to burn with some hot emotion as he looked at her.
At his mouth, and the reminder of how they’d almost kissed.
Rhys’s gaze shifted to Nina and his eyes narrowed as if he hadn’t realized the maid was there. He stepped into the chamber, then pointed at the door.
“Out,” he commanded Nina who shot Amara a sympathetic look before obeying her laird and rushing out of the chamber.