Read Online A Laird for Christmas by Gerri Russell - Free Book Online

“You’re a sight for sore eyes—” She stopped speaking as she sized Jules up, her smile slipping. “You don’t look so well, young man.”
    “That’s why we are here, Marthe,” Nicholas said, bringing her gaze back to him. “We need one of your special tisanes to help Jules recover his strength.”
    She frowned at Jules and dropped his hands. “He looks like he needs more than that. Both of you, sit down before he falls down from exhaustion.” She strode toward the far wall where she kept a full pantry of herbs and what Nicholas had always termed her “potions.” The woman had a gift for knowing how to treat any ailment as well as how to season food.
    Nicholas directed Jules to the small table in the corner of the room. “Thank you, Marthe.”
    “I am not doing this for you, Nicholas Kincaid,” she said while she studied her shelf. “You have some nerve comin’ here after all you put our mistress through.”
    Nicholas frowned. Lady Margaret’s cool greeting he had understood. She and Jane were close and no doubt talked about his dismissal from her life two years ago. But Marthe? The cook had always loved him. “What have I done to deserve such a chilly reception from my favorite cook?”
    She turned around and fixed him with a chilling stare. “Anyone who hurts our lady hurts us all.”
    Nicholas pressed his lips together. He wanted to deny the accusation, to proclaim his innocence, to tell her that it was Jacob who had sent him away,but he remained quiet. He had hurt Jane. There was no denying that. “I never should have left her.”
    Marthe’s gaze warmed somewhat. “You did more than leave her, Nicky.” She sighed. “You hurt her somethin’ fierce.”
    He could only nod, uncertain to what she referred, but he intended to find out. And soon.
    “Regardless of your feelings for me, I thank you for helping Jules.”
    She waved a hand in the air. “Don’t thank me yet, but when Jules is back to himself, he can come back here and thank me properly.” She busied herself with her jars and bags, tossing a bit of this and that into a small basket before she scurried to the hearth and dumped the herbs into a kettle already heating over the flames.
    She glanced up from her kettle at Nicholas. “Darn you, Nicholas Kincaid. I want to be mad at you, but seein’ you again in my kitchen…” She stirred the contents of the kettle. “Promise me you won’t tarnish our lady’s reputation any further.”
    “I would never—”
    “That’s right. Never is the right word. And if you do,” she said narrowing her gaze once more, “you’ll have to answer to me.”
    Nicholas could only stare. He did not know what to think or what to feel.
Tarnish her reputation?
he repeated in his mind, trying to let the words sink in. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing. Was that why Lady Margaret had treated him that way? Why Jane had been distant? Had he wronged her in some way he was not aware of?
    Then very slowly he opened his eyes. “I will set things right.”
    “You do that,” she said with a nod. Moments later she returned to them with the kettle and a cup. “As for payment for my tisane, a kiss on the cheek should get my heart pumpin’… that would be reward enough.” She smiled again at the two of them and an impish sparkle came into her eyes. “Better make that a kiss from each of you. One for each cheek.”
    “Done,” Nicholas said, grateful the cook had warmed up to him once more.
    Jules smiled. “ ’Twould be an honor.”
    She released a girlish giggle as she poured the steaming brew into the cup and slid it toward Jules. “Drink all of it. It’ll be a bit bitter. That’s the burdock root, but you’ll be right as rain soon after drinkin’ this.”
    “My thanks,” Jules said as he took his first sip.
    Marthe watched him for a moment then moved back to the hearth. “One more thing,” she said as she reached for a knife and sawed thin slices of meat from the boar