especially when so few people are here.” She flattened her thin lips for a second and shook her head in disapproval. “I’m just hoping that young serving girl didn’t hear you talking about Lord Middleham’s suspected prowess in bed. Or about him pleasuring you, Lady Urquhart.”
Maggie hoped so as well, but she didn’t like being taken to task by the likes of Mary. “Well, the man willna be pleasuring ye either. Ye’ll be leaving here just like me, hopefully sooner than me.”
Mary’s hands curled into fists at her sides. Her eyes narrowed. “I’ll change his mind about sending me away. I’m quite confident that the king will back me in my case to take my poor sister’s place as Lord Middleham’s wife.”
Maggie wasn’t in the mood to argue any longer. The woman couldn’t be reasoned with, wouldn’t accept that Nicholas didn’t want her. She turned to head toward the kitchens. It was time to meet the people who really mattered around here.
* * *
Two weeks had passed and Nicholas still had both Maggie and Mary in his keep. They were driving him crazy. He spent more and more time with his men, even consider ed moving out to bed with them in the knights’ quarters. Now as he broke his fast and sat at the head of the trestle table, he found himself with little appetite. Maggie sat on one side of him, Mary on the other. Neither had spoken a word yet and the tension was getting to him. The keep ran as smoothly as it had at Urquhart; the servants were enamored of Maggie. Yet she’d done as little as possible in the way of guiding Mary in running a household even though he’d ordered her to do so. She always had some excuse or another for not doing so. Mary had come to him again last night with tales of all but pleading for Maggie’s guidance and being refused. He’d had enough.
He washed down the bread he’d eaten with a swallow of mead. Then he looked directly at Maggie. “You will take the time today to begin instructing Mary.”
“I’ve been doing so fer days now. Is there something specific ye have in mind?” She glanced at Mary with suspicion. “Has she come to ye with complaints? I’ve got a few of my own.”
Mary sipped her cup of mead and a look of beatific innocence spread over her face. “You’ve barely explained anything to me. Mainly you’ve had me working on the mending, which I understand is necessary.” She smiled tolerantly at him.
Irritation flashed in Maggie’s eyes. “Ye’ve done a poor job with it, too! I’ve spent more than one night repairing the faulty mending ye’ve done.”
“Enough!” Nicholas blew out a deep breath and noted the amusement flickering on the faces of a handful of men from where they sat breaking their fast at a nearby table. “I’m weary of these games the two of you are playing with each other. You will get along, Maggie, and do as I’ve told you or… . ” He let the thought fade off. He’d already warned her more than a few times she was skirting the need for him to apply the flat of his hand to her bottom again. Maybe he should use the paddle this time.
Her brow wrinkled in vexation and t hat defiant chin of hers shot up. “Why am I the only one ye threaten to behave? Why no’ —”
The hard look he sent her way had her slamming her mouth shut. “Mayhap you need a day spent in your bedchamber thinking over your behavior of late, of how you resist doing as I’ve ordered.”
Her eyes widened and then narrowed. “’Tis no’ right my being kept from my duties. Who will do them if I’m sent to my chamber?”
“I could —” Mary began only to swallow her words at Maggie’s fierce glower.
“She isna ready to take charge.” Maggie’s breasts rose and fell with her anger.
Nicholas watched all too closely the movement of those plump breasts. Too often he thought about how they might feel cupped by his hands. Too often he watched the sweet sway of her hips as she crossed a room. She’d begun haunting his dreams
Maggie hoped so as well, but she didn’t like being taken to task by the likes of Mary. “Well, the man willna be pleasuring ye either. Ye’ll be leaving here just like me, hopefully sooner than me.”
Mary’s hands curled into fists at her sides. Her eyes narrowed. “I’ll change his mind about sending me away. I’m quite confident that the king will back me in my case to take my poor sister’s place as Lord Middleham’s wife.”
Maggie wasn’t in the mood to argue any longer. The woman couldn’t be reasoned with, wouldn’t accept that Nicholas didn’t want her. She turned to head toward the kitchens. It was time to meet the people who really mattered around here.
* * *
Two weeks had passed and Nicholas still had both Maggie and Mary in his keep. They were driving him crazy. He spent more and more time with his men, even consider ed moving out to bed with them in the knights’ quarters. Now as he broke his fast and sat at the head of the trestle table, he found himself with little appetite. Maggie sat on one side of him, Mary on the other. Neither had spoken a word yet and the tension was getting to him. The keep ran as smoothly as it had at Urquhart; the servants were enamored of Maggie. Yet she’d done as little as possible in the way of guiding Mary in running a household even though he’d ordered her to do so. She always had some excuse or another for not doing so. Mary had come to him again last night with tales of all but pleading for Maggie’s guidance and being refused. He’d had enough.
He washed down the bread he’d eaten with a swallow of mead. Then he looked directly at Maggie. “You will take the time today to begin instructing Mary.”
“I’ve been doing so fer days now. Is there something specific ye have in mind?” She glanced at Mary with suspicion. “Has she come to ye with complaints? I’ve got a few of my own.”
Mary sipped her cup of mead and a look of beatific innocence spread over her face. “You’ve barely explained anything to me. Mainly you’ve had me working on the mending, which I understand is necessary.” She smiled tolerantly at him.
Irritation flashed in Maggie’s eyes. “Ye’ve done a poor job with it, too! I’ve spent more than one night repairing the faulty mending ye’ve done.”
“Enough!” Nicholas blew out a deep breath and noted the amusement flickering on the faces of a handful of men from where they sat breaking their fast at a nearby table. “I’m weary of these games the two of you are playing with each other. You will get along, Maggie, and do as I’ve told you or… . ” He let the thought fade off. He’d already warned her more than a few times she was skirting the need for him to apply the flat of his hand to her bottom again. Maybe he should use the paddle this time.
Her brow wrinkled in vexation and t hat defiant chin of hers shot up. “Why am I the only one ye threaten to behave? Why no’ —”
The hard look he sent her way had her slamming her mouth shut. “Mayhap you need a day spent in your bedchamber thinking over your behavior of late, of how you resist doing as I’ve ordered.”
Her eyes widened and then narrowed. “’Tis no’ right my being kept from my duties. Who will do them if I’m sent to my chamber?”
“I could —” Mary began only to swallow her words at Maggie’s fierce glower.
“She isna ready to take charge.” Maggie’s breasts rose and fell with her anger.
Nicholas watched all too closely the movement of those plump breasts. Too often he thought about how they might feel cupped by his hands. Too often he watched the sweet sway of her hips as she crossed a room. She’d begun haunting his dreams
Similar Books
