As they stepped into the sitting room, Erskine watched as Magret stood by the hearth, folding her arms, her brown eyes now darting between the two of them.
“If ye have brought trouble to me door, Erskine, I’ll have nay part in it,” she said sternly. “Ye ken I look after me and me family well.”
“Aye, I ken,” Erskine knew Magret had daughters of her own, the youngest of which had married the year before. It was why he knew Magret would have a spare room in the house. With her formidable nature, he could think of no one better to guard over Laura while she was hiding. “I daenae bring trouble.”
Erskine knew that was a lie…Laura’s situation could well prove great trouble to the clan yet. He glanced at Laura with these words, who returned the look with equal anxiety.
“Then tell me why ye have brought a strange lad into me house,” Magret’s sharp words Erskine could see made Laura stand straighter. He couldn’t help but admire her for that.
“Magret,” he knew he would have to tell her the truth. “This is nay lad.” Erskine turned to Laura and gestured for her to remove her hat. She did quickly, turning her blue eyes back to Magret.
“My name is Laura Hamilton,” she said softly, adopting her normal tone once more.
Magret’s eyes widened in surprise. She looked up and down Laura for a moment before stepping toward her and tapping her chin, urging her to look up more. After a beat of silence, Magret’s old-wrinkled face spread into a lopsided smile.
“Well, well, ye were very convincin’, lassie.”
“That was what I was hopin’ for,” Laura smiled.
“It doesnae answer me question, though,” Magret turned her sharp brown eyes back to Erskine. “Ye best start do some explainin’, Laird-to-be.”
“Aye, I will, Magret.” Erskine flicked a glance back to Laura before resuming his focus completely on Magret. “What Laura has nae told ye is that she is the daughter of a Sir Hamilton from London. She was recently betrothed to what, we shall call for now, one of the most odious men I have ever had the fortune to meet. To escape her fate, she deceived her way into me entourage —”
“That is a little harsh,” Laura’s interruption he ignored and quickly pushed on.
“She did. She wished to escape to Scotland. The woman she was goin’ to stay with is now, unfortunately, nay longer with us. So, Magret, I have come to ask ye a favor —”
“Ye want me to hide the lassie?” Magret stepped away, folding her arms again. “What part of ‘daenae bring trouble to me door,’ do ye nae understand, Erskine?”
“It is just for a little time. We are goin’ to try and figure out a way to help her escape her fate,” Erskine could see Magret was wavering. She was looking between the two of them.
“I daenae like this,” she returned her gaze to Laura.
“Please?” Laura’s voice was clearly desperate. She stepped toward Magret. “I promise to make myself of use to you in any way I can.”
“The daughter of a ‘Sir’? Pah!” Magret laughed. “Doin’ what? Cookin’ and cleanin’?”
“If that is what you need from me, then yes, of course,” Laura said, her hands clasped together around her hat.
“What if I asked ye to empty the chamber pots? Or to help me look after the sick? Would ye do that?” Magret was clearly testing Laura. Erskine turned his attention to her, but he could only see the resolve in those blue eyes.
“Of course,” she replied, her voice strong. “I would do anything.”
“Well, ye must truly be desperate then, lassie,” Magret sighed and uncrossed her arms.
“I’ll give ye some money too, Magret,” Erskine assured, “to help pay for her food.” Laura snapped her head toward him, clearly surprised by these words. Magret did still not look completely convinced.
“Why do ye wish to run from yer betrothed?” she was watching Laura closely, those brown eyes narrowed. “Nay redeemin’ qualities in this man?”
“None,” Laura shook her head.
“What is wrong with him?”
“I do not want to marry a man who uses his fists more than words,” Laura looked down as she said these words. Erskine knew it was more than that. They had spoken before of the Earl’s strange tastes in the bedroom. From what Erskine had seen of the Earl at the gambling hall in London, that man would not hesitate to force a woman into his bed.
That cannae happen to Laura.
“Well, I have nay likin’ for a woman beater,” Magret sighed and turned away from them for a minute. Erskine held his breath as he waited for the woman to turn back. If Magret said no, he did not know who else to turn to. He trusted the healer more than anyone else in the town. She was not a gossip, she kept secrets close to her chest, and despite her sometimes-flinty nature, she was loyal and had a fierce heart beneath. Through the years, Magret had attended his family many times up at the castle.
