Chapter 4
The young woman who came to look after Margot the next morning was as unlike the quiet, deferential maid who had served her the night before as chalk was to cheese.
She almost bounced into her room, laid a tray of tea and oatcakes beside Margot’s bed, then threw open the curtains before turning to her with a wide smile.
“Good mornin’, mistress,” she greeted her with a brief curtsey. “I am Catriona, an’ Milady has sent me tae be your maid.”
Margot returned the smile, unable to help herself, since the woman’s good humour was so infectious. Catriona was tall for a Scottish woman, but like many of her compatriots, she had a head of bright red hair and sparkling blue eyes. Margot liked her at once.
“It’s very good to meet you, Catriona,” she offered warmly.
She began to sit up, but Catriona was at her side at once, pulling up her pillows to make a pad for her back so that she was comfortable. She looked pleased in her work, unlike many of the servants who had worked for her father.
She placed the tray across Margot’s lap. “I was given these by Milady. I hope these are tae your taste, Mistress. If no’, I can ask her for other ones.”
She moved across the room and picked up two dresses from a chair, then held them up for Margot’s inspection. One was grey-blue and the other deep crimson, both long-sleeved with round necks.
“They are exactly what I would have picked for myself,” Margot said. “Will they fit, though?”
“I am handy wi’ a needle, mistress,” Catriona replied. “We can make a plan till the new ones are ready.”
New ones? Margot thought. It sounds as though I will be here for a long time. But, of course, I will be here till he lets me go.
She said nothing, however, but drank her tea and nibbled one of the oatcakes; suddenly she felt very anxious, wondering if she would have to make yet another escape.
“I have heard a wee bit about London, mistress,” Catriona said as she bustled about the room, readying the washstand for Margot to use and generally tidying up. “What is it like? Is everybody there rich?”
Margot laughed. “By no means! There are very poor people and very wealthy people there. I’m sure it is the same here.”
“But I have heard that there are balls an’ parties a’ the time,” Catriona went on, her eyes sparkling. “Have the ladies’ dresses got diamonds and pearls on them?”
“Whoever told you that?” Margot asked, laughing. “Not at all! Mine certainly don’t! I wish they did!”
“An’ the river, is it as big as they say? I hear great big ships sail down it, an’ it has bridges an’ towers an’ palaces on its banks.” Her eyes were wide with fascination. “I heard some o’ the master’s guests tellin’ him about a big church called St Paul’s Cathedral. They said it was beautiful.”
“Indeed it is,” Margot confirmed. “But I have not been to London for a long time. The River Thames is quite a sight. London is enchanting, Catriona, but I am sure Scotland has some fascinating places too.”
“Aye, it does,” Catriona agreed, smiling. “I hope ye get tae see them, mistress. I went tae Edinburgh once an’ saw the castle at the top o’ the hill. I was shocked at how big an’ fierce lookin’ it was.”
“I will have to go and see it for myself,” Margot said. “Perhaps you can come with me!”
“I would love tae, mistress!” Catriona said, giving Margot a smile that warmed her heart.
Catriona took the tray from Margot as she finished her tea, then helped her out of bed.
She washed quickly then tried on both dresses, which fitted her reasonably well, although they were a little long, since Eileen was taller than Margot.
Catriona solved the problem by tying a belt around her waist and hitching the skirt up a little.
When they looked in the mirror, Margot smiled.
“You’ve done well, Catriona,” she said. “Thank you.”
Catriona returned the smile, and Margot felt warm inside, as if she had made a new friend. She wondered whether she would soon be employed as a maidservant or something similar, and if so, how her nationality would affect her situation. Scots were not fond of Sassenachs.
Catriona led her to the dining room, where she was to meet Callum and Eileen for breakfast. As soon as she walked inside, Callum turned and gave her a warm smile. He stood up politely, then pulled out a chair for her with his good arm.
Eileen’s mouth lifted at the corners in an expression that was not a frown, but not quite a smile. “Good morning, Margot,” she greeted her. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, I did, thank you,” Margot replied. She looked at Callum. “How is your shoulder, my Laird?”
“The healer gave me a draught for the pain,” he told her. “She said that it will take a few weeks to heal properly, but I feel fine, Margot. Thank you for asking.”
Margot went to help herself to some food, taking a little longer than was necessary to give herself time to think of what she was going to say next.
She felt extremely awkward; she was a stranger here, and an English stranger.
Every time she opened her mouth, she was judged, perhaps even by these seemingly kind people.
She sat down with a plate of porridge and some eggs, then looked across at Callum, only to find his dark gaze already waiting for her.
“I-I have been thinking,” she said hesitantly, “if you lend me a horse, I can go and stay with one of my cousins for a while. They are all married to Scottish Lairds, and I’m sure they would welcome me.
I am very grateful for your hospitality, but I do not wish to take any further advantage of you.
I feel as though I have trespassed on your kindness long enough. ”
Then she remembered that she might not have any chance of leaving at all, since Callum had bought the right to keep her there.
Eileen paused with a spoonful of porridge halfway to her lips. “You Sassenachs have a talent for securing lands and estates,” she remarked, and for the first time her sweetness was gone and Margot heard a hint of bitterness in her voice.
She tensed for a split second, and was about to reply with a bland remark to soothe the sudden tension, but Callum cut in, his voice sharp.
“You are going nowhere,” he claimed. “There are dangerous men out there who are on your trail, and you have neither weapons nor the ability to use them. Even if you did, you would likely be outnumbered. No, Margot. You are staying here, where you’re safe.
After a while, the fuss may die down, but for the moment—well, you must remain here where you will be looked after. ”
Suddenly, Eileen’s face lit up in a sweet smile. “Yes, Margot, please stay,” she encouraged her. “It will be lovely to have another woman about the place.”
Margot was astonished at Eileen’s about-face, but she gave no reaction apart from a smile. She kept her eyes on the table for a moment as she tried to think of something to say, but in the end she decided that she had no choice but to agree.
“I will stay, but on one condition,” she replied, then she took a deep breath and looked at Callum. “I want to work for you so that I can pay you back the money you spent on me. It must have been a considerable sum, and I would feel very ungrateful if I did not repay it in some way.”
Margot cast a glance at Eileen, expecting her to react with shock and disgust at the information that her betrothed had bought a woman, but to her amazement the other woman did not bat an eyelid.
It was as if she heard about people being bought and sold every day.
It was most odd, she thought, but then Eileen was turning out to be someone who was full of surprises, and not all of them were nice ones.
“Let me think about this for a while,” Callum inquired, then he smiled at her. “This is a very unusual predicament for me to be in.”
Margot tried to look away, but she felt herself drawn to Callum’s gaze, drowning in his deep brown eyes.
The now familiar thrill ran through her, making her tingle everywhere before settling into a sweet pulse between her thighs.
Eventually, she managed to drag her gaze away from him and applied herself to her food, but she could feel herself blushing, and hoped that neither of the others had noticed.
Callum and Eileen thankfully began to discuss other matters, mainly things that concerned the castle and the estate, but Margot was too distracted to listen.
She finished her breakfast without even realising what she was eating, and only came back to full awareness when Eileen said, “You’re very quiet, Margot. What is on your mind?”
Margot almost panicked before she thought of something to say. “I-I was just wondering what has happened to my horse,” she explained. “I raised her since she was a foal. We were inseparable, and now I have no idea where she is.”
Eileen reached out and took her hand. “What is her name?” she asked gently.
“Pinkie,” Margot replied. “Because of her coat. She’s a strawberry roan with a white mane and tail.”
“She has quite unusual colouring,” Callum remarked. “I will send some of the guards to look for her, but if anyone has her, I’m sure she will be well treated. Good horses are hard to find.”
Margot nodded slowly. “Thank you,” she said, with a sad sigh. “I appreciate it, but I doubt you will find her now.”
Callum said thoughtfully, “You love horses, do you not, lass?”
“I suppose I do,” she replied. “They always seem to respond well to me, and my mother was a very good horsewoman who taught me how to ride and how to handle them. Pinkie was the only horse I ever raised from babyhood, though, which is why I love her so much. We are like sisters.”
She laughed softly, but her heart was breaking. “I miss her so much.”
“Would working with other horses help?” Callum asked. “You’re clearly a person who loves them, and I need someone knowledgeable to attend horse fairs and choose breeding stock for me. I would, of course, provide protection for you.”
His tone was encouraging, and Margot felt almost happy for the first time since she had left home to follow her father.
“Thank you, I—” she began, but before she could finish speaking, Eileen butted in.
“Goodness, Margot, you are clearly a lady of class and status,” she stated, frowning.
“Such work is beneath you. I think you should be my companion. That way, we can keep each other company. Each of us would have another woman to talk to. I must admit, I sometimes find it quite tedious being among so many men. I also have many friends I can introduce you to. We get on well together, do we not?”
Margot was deeply disappointed, but her position was too precarious to argue. Callum had bought her, yes, but he had no obligation to keep her. He could toss her away to fend for herself any time he wished to, or he could make her pay each penny back any way he wanted.
She doubted he would do such a thing, since he seemed to be an honourable man, but she could not take the chance.
Callum was staring at Margot again. He had not been able to get this brave and beautiful woman out of his mind since the first time he saw her at the House of Pleasure.
At first, he had pitied her, since she was so small and helpless against a crowd of leering men whose intentions were obviously evil.
However, as she had fought back against those enormous odds he had begun to realise that Margot Tewsbury did not deserve to be pitied, but admired.
She had defended herself like a tigress, and when the situation demanded, she had done the same for him.
As well as all that, she was beautiful in a way that called out to his masculinity in a purely primal way. He had to admit that his betrothed was a lovely woman, but she did not stir his senses and his soul the way Margot did. He liked her, but this feeling was different.
Margot was his in every way—she was his possession and he could do anything he wished with her, but he had no intention of treating her like a slave.
He was not quite sure of the part she would play in his life, but she would certainly stay with him for a long, long time.