“Come in,” she answered, tensing slightly in case it was Duncan.
The door opened and the two maids she had met the previous day entered. Maisie gave her a timid smile and a polite curtsy, and the other woman, whose name Eliza had not bothered to find out, did likewise, but without the smile. Indeed, her face bore such a sullen expression that Eliza would have put her in her place if Maisie had not been there.
She looked at the older woman for a moment, then said, “You may go. Maisie can attend to me from now on.”
The maid raised her eyebrows in surprise, then nodded and fled, no doubt as glad to see the last of Eliza as Eliza was to see the back of her.
She turned to Maisie, who held out another dress. It looked much the same as the one she had been wearing, but in a shade of deep red. It was functional rather than fashionable, and that suited Eliza, since she had never liked fussy clothing.
“I am sorry these are sae plain, Milady,” Maisie apologised. “They belonged tae a governess, no’ a lady.”
Eliza smiled and patted Maisie’s shoulder. “I am not a lady either,” she said. “Please don’t worry, Maisie. The dress is fine.”
Maisie looked immensely relieved and while she was helping her mistress to dress, Eliza asked her all about life in the castle. She was a mine of information, and Eliza learned much about who did what in the household and whom to ask for help if she needed it.
Eliza knew she had a lot to learn, but she had made a start. The biggest obstacle she would have to face, she realised, was the fact that she was English. However, her biggest weapon was sheer determination, and she was not short of that!
Eliza went down to the dining room to eat breakfast with Duncan, but was disappointed to find that the room was empty except for a single manservant who was waiting for them to arrive.
“Is the Laird late?” she asked.
“No, Milady,” he replied. “Laird Sinclair always eats breakfast in his study. He only comes tae the dinin’ room in the evenin’.”
Eliza practically growled. She always ate with her sisters, and it was the most enjoyable time of their day. She had been looking forward to talking with Duncan, finding out more about what would be expected of her, and what her duties would be. Now she was alone with no one to talk to, and she was furious that he had not even had the courtesy to tell her about his morning routine.
She ate a little of the rich and delicious food that had been laid out on the sideboard for her, but she was too angry to have much of an appetite. Eventually, she went back to her room to find Maisie, who was making her bed.
“Can you take me to the garden, please, Maisie?” she asked.
Maisie smiled and nodded, and a few moments later they were outside among the flowerbeds and trees, with the scent of herbs and flowers of all kinds wafting around them.
Eliza took a deep breath and smiled as she looked around and saw a stone bench under an apple tree, which she thought would be a perfect place for her to sit and sew when the weather was fine. Already her fingers were itching to be active again, since she could not abide having idle hands, and she was already looking around for flowers which would inspire a tapestry.
Suddenly, her head whipped around as she heard the sound of metal on metal and the loud, aggressive shouts of fighting men. She walked through the gate in a high stone wall and stopped dead, astonished at the sight that met her eyes.
Dozens of men, most of them half-clothed, were battling each other with swords, fists, and clubs; some were even wrestling on the stone-flagged floor. The air was foul with swear words and the stench of sweat, but Eliza was transfixed, awed by the animal-like violence and the air of raw masculinity. It was brutal but beautiful, and her feminine instincts were deeply aroused by the sight of powerful muscles flexing and deep voices roaring threats and insults.
She knew that she could not compete with them, but Eliza wanted to learn how to defend herself. She had never wanted to be the kind of feeble creature who waited for a man to rescue her from danger, and the thought of the arrow flying past her the day before emphasised just how vulnerable she was. She was never going to be able to wrestle, but she was sure she could learn to use a sword.
She saw the Captain of the Guard, the man Duncan had called Jerry, and approached him. He looked surprised to see her, but gave a stiff bow and a salute.
“Can I help ye, Milady?” he asked.
“Yes,” Eliza replied. “I would like to be trained in sword fighting, sir.”
Eliza heard some derisive laughter from the men behind her, but she looked back with a glance that could have split rocks. The men knew who she was, and fell silent. The Captain’s expression was one of utter incredulity as he stared at her, but after a few moments he shook his head.
“I cannae give ye permission without the Laird’s approval, Milady,” he replied. “It is his decision, no’ mine, but I can tell ye he willnae like it!”
Eliza turned around and began to walk towards Duncan’s study, but Maisie ran up to her, her voice desperate.
“Milady, he is in a council meeting, an’ he willnae be pleased tae be disturbed, please?—”
However, Eliza was not to be swayed. The guard tried to block her path, but she pushed in front of him then opened the doors to the council chambers, and twenty pairs of astonished eyes swivelled around to look at her.
Duncan jumped out of his seat and marched towards her, his eyes blazing with anger. “What are you doing here?” he demanded. “This is no place for you.”
Again there was the hard Laird in front of her, instead of the man who would have loved to see her beg. No matter, she refused to cower.
