Page 82 of Claimed Highland Brides

“Do ye have some time tae talk?” Jamesina asked.

Fiona nodded. “For ye? Always.”

Jamesina sat herself down on the bed with a sigh. Fiona put down her book and turned to face Jamesina. “What’s troublin’ ye?”

Jamesina sighed again. “That Sassenach...” she began.

Fiona crowed. “I knew it! Ye have tender feelings for him do ye no? I saw ye stealing glances at supper last night.”

Jamesina glared at her. “Will ye haud yer wheest and let me speak?”

“Apologies.” Fiona was still grinning. “Please continue.”

Jamesina took a deep breath. “He says that he’s taken wi’ me but I dinnae ken wha’ tae believe.”

“Ye dinnae trust him?”

“No, I do not.”

“Mmm...” Fiona tapped her chin thoughtfully.

Jamesina nodded her understanding. “He is a very charming man. Very educated and very-” she burst out in frustration.

“Jamesina!” Fiona grinned. “He’s only been here but a day.” Fiona thought that her sister was impulsive as always. The man was charming, he could easily be the son of an English Duke, but they did not know him well. “One can not fall in love in a day.”

“Well it was a matter of days for you and Daividh”

Fiona blushed. “Alright, why don’t ye stay here with me and the twins. He isnae likely tae come here. Besides, Daividh has put him tae work so he should be busy for the rest o’ th’ day.”

Jamesina folded herself onto the bed, as Aidan dive-bombed into her lap. She caught the boy absently even as she fretted. Fiona patted her knee. “Dinnae fash. All will be well.”

* * *

Delwyn was rather surprised at the amount of work it took to run a rural Scottish keep. He was currently taking an inventory of all the stored food so that the laird could calculate how long they would last before they were depleted. According to the records given to him by the laird, there were fifty people or so living in the keep from the lowliest chimney sweep to the laird himself. Furthermore, about three hundred families occupied the cottages on Douglass land, not including the hundred miners that dug for gold and had their own camp.

At any time, one of these people would be entitled to petition the laird for food and so it was not as simple as seeing how much food was there and dividing it among those present. He had to account for contingencies and emergencies, certain foods going bad before they could be used, visitors, and any change of weather.

Once he was done, the laird wanted his recommendations on keeping the stocks of food at sustainable levels through the winter.

It’s only my first day!

Back home, he had provided quite a bit of the meat that his household ate, but he had not had to contend with the day-to-day running of the manor house.

He had hoped to catch a glimpse of Jamesina this morning at breakfast but none of the family save the twins had appeared. Thankfully, they were quite happy to inform him that the laird had already left for the mines, and the others would break their fasts in their chambers as was their wont. The dining hall was filled with the palace guards and various other inhabitants. Simon came to sit with him and they struck up a conversation. He had rarely met a man who could say as much as Simon did without giving away a single thing.

He finished his inspection of the cellar and climbed up to the main kitchen, hoping to pilfer a loaf of bread to quiet his grumbling belly. Mrs. Fitz sat him down, plonking a bowl of soup in front of him with some freshly baked bread.

“So ye’re the new Sassenach steward eh?” she said as she bustled about.

“Yes, I am. I expect that I must be a bit of a novelty around here.”

Mrs. Fitz snorted. “Not really. The girls’ mother was English, ye see. Although she was not one tae stick out much.”

“Are you saying I do?”

She flung him a wide-eyed glance. “Weel, let us say ye hold yersel’ apart. It makes people notice ye.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to do that. Perhaps it is my expectation that I would not be exactly welcomed.” He scooped some soup up with his spoon, awaiting her reply. She simply continued to bustle about as if she had not heard and so he ate in silence. Finally, when she was done with her duties, she lowered herself on the bench across from him.