The majordomo smiled broadly. “Ah,” he said as he and Dermid wrestled the tub to its desired location, “Madame is a romantic.”
Rosamund smiled back at him. “It seems a perfect place,” she murmured.
The tub was set out upon the marble terrace, and the footmen began to fill it with their buckets, slowly climbing the twin sets of steps placed on either side of the tub and dumping the water into the large vessel, which was made of hard oak and bound in polished brass bands. It was a labor-intensive effort, but finally the tub was filled.
“I shall need a seamstress, Pietro,” Rosamund said. “The earl and I traveled swiftly and upon horseback all the way from the French coast. None of our party has suitable clothing for the duke’s court. That must be remedied as quickly as possible.”
“At once, madame,” Pietro answered her with a bow. “My daughter is the finest seamstress in all of Arcobaleno. I shall send her to you.”
“Is she the one who was once Lord Leslie’s mistress?” Rosamund inquired.
“The very same, madame,” he answered her with a twinkle. “His lordship will not recognize her, for she has grown well rounded with her marriage, her children, and her enterprise.” He bowed again, and then turned and left her.
“Send her to us late this afternoon,” Rosamund called after him.
“After siesta, of course, madame,” the majordomo replied. “And she will bring a fine selection of fabrics, too.” Then he was gone.
“Maybel wouldn’t approve of your being so bold, my lady, and you can smack me for it if you will, but ’tis so,” Annie said.
Rosamund laughed. “I am at a disadvantage here, Annie, and I know that Lord Leslie had a mistress when he was last in San Lorenzo. I would prefer no surprises. Now, help me out of these clothes and into that lovely tub.”
“You’re not going naked out on that terrace, my lady?” Annie fretted.
“We are facing the sea,” Rosamund replied. “There is no one to see me.” She sat down and pulled off her boots. “Whew!” she exclaimed, peeling her stockings off her feet. “Dispose of it all, Annie, and I mean it. It’s beyond washing.”
Annie nodded as she helped her mistress to undress. “I’ve saved one clean chemise, my lady,” she told Rosamund. “When you are clean you can put it on. Dermid, go and bring in our packs,” she instructed the earl’s man.
Dermid gave her a wink and left them.
“Cheeky Scots devil,” Annie muttered.
“He likes you,” Rosamund noted.
“Aye, and I like him, but that’s as far as it will ever go,” Annie said.
“Why?” Rosamund wanted to know.
“Because you ain’t never going to leave Friarsgate, and I ain’t never going to leave you,” Annie said.
“Nay, Annie,” her mistress said. “If you love him, and he you, then you are free to wed him and go with him. I will not have you unhappy on my account.”
“Well, as it ain’t got that far yet, my lady, I don’t have to think about it, do I?” Annie remarked with a small smile.
“One day you may, and when you do, I would advise you to follow your heart, Annie. I have, and what is sauce for the goose is surely sauce for the other goose,” she chuckled.
“Oh, my lady, you say such funny things,” Annie giggled. She picked up a coverlet that was lying upon the bed and wrapped it about her mistress. “You ain’t going out to your tub as naked as the day God made you, my lady,” she said firmly.
Wrapped in the fabric, Rosamund walked out onto the terrace. “I’ll have to unwrap it sooner or later,” she said, and after climbing up the steps to her tub she flung off the makeshift gown and stepped carefully into the hot water with a deep sigh. “Ahhh,” she said, seating herself on the little stool within the tub. “This is wonderful!” Reaching up, she unbraided her long hair and began to wash it with the fragrant soap that had been placed upon the tub ledge.
Annie climbed up the steps with a bucket and rinsed her mistress’ soapy hair with water dipped from the tub. Three times Rosamund soaped her auburn hair and scrubbed it and her head free of the dirt of the long road that they had traveled. And each time Annie poured several buckets of water over the young woman’s head until Rosamund bid her to cease.
“Give me a drying cloth to wrap my head in while I wash,” she said, and she took the item from Annie to enfold it about her head in turbanlike fashion. Then she set about washing the rest of her body. When she had finished, she exited the tub and said to Annie, “Get in, girl! ’Tis not likely you will be given another opportunity.”
Annie didn’t argue. Forgetting completely where she was, she stripped her filthy clothes off and climbed into the still-warm water to bathe her hair and her body. Rosamund sat upon a bench on the terrace, wrapped in a large drying cloth and brushing her hair with her pear-wood brush, the one luxury item she had carried with her from Scotland. The warm air and the bright sunlight quickly dried her thick hair. When Annie had finished bathing, her mistress handed her another drying cloth, and the servant came forth from the tub, smiling.
“Ah, my lady, thank you,” she said. “I’m not much for all the washing you do, but after our travels it was good to have a bath.”
“But now, Annie, we have another problem. What are you to wear?” Rosamund laughed.
