Chapter Twelve
The whooshing thud of water hitting metal thundered close by, then settled into a soothing gurgle.
The sound filtered into Evie’s awareness, but she didn’t bother opening her eyes.
If Granddaddy needed help filling the water troughs for the cows, he’d call her.
It wasn’t nearly cold enough to need the heat tape to thaw the spigots, so he should be fine by himself.
Granddaddy’s pride got hurt easily now that he was getting older.
He liked to do things on his own. She rolled over and burrowed deeper under the covers, determined to snatch a few more minutes of sleep.
“M’lady? We have yer bath ready.”
Her eyes snapped open, and reality crashed in with a vengeance. Keeping the covers pulled up to her chin, she lifted her head and looked for the owner of the voice she’d never heard before. “What?”
A smiling young woman with the plump cheeks of a happy cherub hopped a sprightly curtsy.
“Good morn to ye, m’lady. I be Ada. Mrs. Farris chose me to be yer lady’s maid if’n ye find me suitable.
” Clutching a pile of folded linens in the crook of one arm, she pointed toward the hearth.
“His lordship ordered ye a fine, hot bath for soaking this morn.” She leaned in close and lowered her voice, her expression changing to one of sympathy and understanding.
“What with yer traveling so far from yer homeland and being so early in yer wedded state, I took the liberty of adding herbs that will help with any soreness.”
She took a step back and waved Evie forward, bubbling like a carbonated beverage shaken to the point of exploding.
The girl spoke so fast that it was a wonder she wasn’t gasping for air.
“We’ve a nice breakfast for ye once ye’ve dressed, and then ye can be aboot yer day.
Will that not be grand?” She skittered back and forth alongside the bed, obviously barely restraining herself from ripping away the covers to make Evie move faster. “Did ye sleep well, m’lady?”
Evie wanted to ask the young maid how much caffeine she’d had this morning, but knew that wasn’t relevant.
After all, Morganna had said there’d be no decent coffee or tea until the 1600s.
She pushed herself upright in the bed and took in the state of the room.
It was neat as a pin. Fresh candles flickered all around, and the stoked fire roared in the hearth.
A copper washtub big enough for Granddaddy to have used for watering the largest of his herds sat in front of the hearty blaze.
The tub also appeared to be lined with sheets of linen—for what reason, she had no clue.
How in the world had she slept through all of this going on in the room around her?
And here she sat naked as the day she was born. She tugged the bedclothes higher, bunching them up to her armpits. “Uhm…Ada, was it?”
The animated cherub bobbed her head and curtsied again. “Aye, m’lady.” She hurried over to the tub, set the pile of cloths on the table beside it, and waved Evie forward again, this time fluttering both hands. “Come, m’lady. The water’s nice and hot for ye.”
Evie clenched her teeth. Where in blue blazes was Morganna?
She’d promised to come back. Of course, she’d only just left last night.
Evie chewed on her lip, wishing last night’s wonderful feelings of safety, belonging, and never being alone again had carried over to this morning. Last night had been so…
She swallowed hard as a flash of heat surged through her. Last night had been so worth the wait, but now she just felt abandoned and even more like she didn’t belong.
She scooted toward the edge of the bed and stopped. Yes, she was indeed a bit sore. Not moving any farther, she yanked the covers higher. “Where is Drum…I mean…Lord Blackmorrow?”
“I dinna ken, m’lady.” Ada returned to the bedside, wringing her hands. “Is something amiss? The bath grows cold, but I dinna wish to vex ye.”
“Nothing’s amiss.” Evie fought the self-conscious urge to wrap herself in the bedsheets and drag them to the tub with her. Ada was just trying to do her job, and maybe if she got into the tub, the girl would dial her enthusiasm back a notch. “It just takes me a little bit to get good and awake.”
That seemed to relieve the girl, who returned to her bubbly self as soon as Evie had settled into the depths of the steaming, milky water.
“It smells good,” she said, breathing in the distinctly floral scent rising from the swirling liquid. Maybe that would help make up for the lack of deodorant.
“Aye, that’s the rose oils I added so the herbs for the soreness wouldn’t leave their stench upon ye.” Ada pulled the black iron kettle off the fire and added a bit more hot water to the foot of the tub. “Is yer water plenty warm enough, m’lady?”
“Fine, thank you.” Evie leaned back and submerged herself up to her chin, feeling sorry for the poor souls who’d had to carry all this water up the death trap of that stone staircase. “I appreciate everyone’s hard work to make this bath happen. This is a lot of water to carry up so many floors.”
Ada went still and stared at her. For the first time since Evie had opened her eyes, the girl was silent.
Well, now she knew how to hit the maid’s off switch. All she had to do was express her appreciation. Evie stretched to pick up one of the hand cloths and the crock of soap sitting beside it.
The young woman jumped as if someone had shot at her. “Forgive me, m’lady. If ye be ready for yer washing, I shall tend to it straight away.”
“No, no—that’s all right.” Evie waved her away.
“I’ve always washed myself and prefer to continue doing so.
” She’d only go along with this lady’s maid thing so far.
“So you have no idea where Lord Blackmorrow got off to this morning?” He could’ve at least woken her up and kissed her goodbye.
Then she remembered how snappish she’d been before they’d gone back to sleep and understood why.
No wonder he’d slipped away. He was probably suffering from buyer’s remorse. “Never mind, Ada. It doesn’t matter.”
The maid eyed her while hanging a large panel of linen on a wooden rack close to the fire.
“Aye, m’lady, I be thinking it does matter, because ’tis twice now ye’ve asked me.
” Her reddish-blonde brows quirked up to her hairline as she gave a knowing nod.
“I could be sending me brother to find out for ye. Wee Rabbie be quick as a mousie and slippery as an eel. No one ever sees him if’n he nay wants them to. ”
As tempting as that was, Evie didn’t want to get the boy or Ada in trouble. “It’s okay. I was just wondering. Lord Blackmorrow is really the only one I know here. Well, other than Murdoch. But I don’t imagine he’s anywhere close.”
Ada wrinkled her small, upturned nose. “What be the meaning of that word? Okay?”
“In this case, it means never mind. Don’t worry about it.
” Evie would have to remember to watch what words she used, or folks would be shouting about witches again.
Last night’s incident at dinner still worried her.
“How are the Heberdys? Any good gossip about them yet?” She might as well cut straight to the chase.
Beating around the bush helped no one. “By the way, could you hand me my ring? The one I left on the bedside table over there?” Morganna had advised her to never remove it, but after snagging it one too many times in Drummond’s hair last night, Evie had relented and set it aside.
The maid frowned, tipping her head like a little dog concentrating on its master’s commands. “While ye’re in yer bath? Do ye not wish to keep it dry? The oils will dim its sparkle.” Then she popped a quick nod. “Course, I can always polish it for ye. I dinna mind at all.”
“Could you please just hand it to me? And I can always polish it if it needs it.” Evie tried to see the table on the other side of the bed, but the bunched piles of covers blocked her view.
If she could spot the current color of the jewel, it wouldn’t be such a big deal, but after last night, she wanted to take every precaution, especially after Morganna’s warning.
Ada stood there, staring at her, and had once again gone mute.
“What’s wrong?” Evie started scrubbing, sudsing her arms, then her legs.
“Mrs. Farris bade me take care of ye, m’lady.” The girl buzzed around the bed, found the ring, and brought it over. “Do ye think me unable to do the tasks? Shall I tell Mrs. Farris to send ye someone else?”
Thank goodness the stone was still red. Ada was as mortal as she was. “Of course not. Why in the world would you ask that?”
With a flick of her wrist, the maid pointed at Evie.
“Ye bathe yerself. Speak of polishing yer own jewelry. Thank me for fetching water even though it’s my task to see it done proper by the lads.
” She sadly shook her head. “Ye dinna behave as if ye even want a lady’s maid.
Or is it just me ye dinna want? Did I do something wrong? ”
Clearly, she had sent the poor girl into a panic. Evie held out the cloth she’d just dipped into the crock of soap. “Could you wash my back?”
Eyes lighting up with renewed purpose, Ada took the square of roughly woven linen and gave Evie’s back the most luxurious scrubbing she’d ever had in her life.