only chance. She had to convince Kade and the girl Lillias that she was indeed vain and demanding. Both were staring at her oddly.
“ I willna bathe without a mirror,” Maighdlin said, putting her hands on her hips and pouting.
“ Without a…mirror?” Kade said.
“ I was taken from my village and forced to ride a great distance without any thought to my comfort or needs. Of course I smell like a wild animal! Borrowing a mirror is a simple request. There’s a certain way I like to wear my hair.” She thought of the woman Amaris, who'd she seen in the courtyard. “And perhaps one of yer mistresses could spare some sheep’s fat and rouge? Mayhap sprigs of white heather for good luck? I could use some of that. And perhaps these clothes I wear could be washed.”
As if by magic, another servant bustled in, her arms full of clothing, and another servant followed, holding a candle.
“ Yer own clothes are so worn and tattered they will be burned,” Kade said. “I think ye are somewhat more slightly built than Fenalla was. Some of these may be a bit big on ye, but will do for now.”
An older woman with gray hair and kind eyes placed the clothing on the bed: bed gowns, kirtles, chemises, a voluminous gown made of heavy worsted wool with thick tubular folds, another dress with a high neck and fitted bodice with a full skirt. The sleeves were buttoned from the cuff to the upper arm. Fenalla’s clothing , Maighdlin thought. “My own clothes are good and sturdy. I made them myself. They simply need to be washed and beaten by a stream. I can repair the…rips…in the cloth myself.”
Kade threw his hands up. Maighdlin was about to protest again when two more women came in, carefully carrying the most beautiful gown Maighdlin had ever laid eyes on.
It was cream-colored and silk, with sleeve puffs, a long pointed stomacher, and fine gathering at the waistline. “Normal circumstances demand a proper mourning period,” Maighdlin said.
“ These are no’ normal circumstances,” Kade said, his voice a low growl. “Ye’ll be fitted to the gown but it willna be left here; ye’d likely burn it in the hearth. And ye’ll be provided a proper bath, food, and ale. Is there anything else ye need?”
“ A bow, and a quiver of arrows, as well as a vat of boiling oil so that I may pour it on yer stubborn head.”
Lillias had been watching Maighdlin speak and broke into laughter. She saw the look on Kade’s face and, chastised, turned back to her task of preparing the bath, scattering rose petals in the hot water of the tub. Maighdlin had to admit the smell was heavenly. She thought Kade almost smiled. But then his eyes fell on the gown. Rage and sadness flashed across his handsome face.
“ Lillias, dunna forget she’s my prisoner.” He frowned. “Leave us for a moment,” he said to the servants. They obeyed, and Maighdlin was alone with Kade. The truth was, she was scared half witless. What madness possessed her to tease and taunt the Highland chieftain?
“ Why did ye ask them to leave us?”
He hauled her against him so his arms imprisoned her and her small feet were planted between his. His chest crushed the softness of her breasts. “Because I fear ye will no’ obey any orders to be bathed properly, I will see to the task myself.” A rough fingertip scaled her cheek, skimmed the parted fullness of her lip. “Would ye like that?”
She shook her head defiantly, feeling suddenly alarmingly hot. He was closer to her than ever, and more frightening. His mouth looked raw and harsh, and there was molten heat in his dark, amber-gold eyes. “And then perhaps ye shall bathe me.”
“ Ne’er, Highlander!”
“ I thought ye might react so. For a kiss, I will leave ye to the care of Lillias. She is a gentle girl, and can help ye with yer preparations. I canna promise I’d be gentle with ye.”
“ I’ll no’ suffer another one of yer distasteful kisses!”
“ There’s that word again. ‘Distasteful’.
“ I willna bathe without a mirror,” Maighdlin said, putting her hands on her hips and pouting.
“ Without a…mirror?” Kade said.
“ I was taken from my village and forced to ride a great distance without any thought to my comfort or needs. Of course I smell like a wild animal! Borrowing a mirror is a simple request. There’s a certain way I like to wear my hair.” She thought of the woman Amaris, who'd she seen in the courtyard. “And perhaps one of yer mistresses could spare some sheep’s fat and rouge? Mayhap sprigs of white heather for good luck? I could use some of that. And perhaps these clothes I wear could be washed.”
As if by magic, another servant bustled in, her arms full of clothing, and another servant followed, holding a candle.
“ Yer own clothes are so worn and tattered they will be burned,” Kade said. “I think ye are somewhat more slightly built than Fenalla was. Some of these may be a bit big on ye, but will do for now.”
An older woman with gray hair and kind eyes placed the clothing on the bed: bed gowns, kirtles, chemises, a voluminous gown made of heavy worsted wool with thick tubular folds, another dress with a high neck and fitted bodice with a full skirt. The sleeves were buttoned from the cuff to the upper arm. Fenalla’s clothing , Maighdlin thought. “My own clothes are good and sturdy. I made them myself. They simply need to be washed and beaten by a stream. I can repair the…rips…in the cloth myself.”
Kade threw his hands up. Maighdlin was about to protest again when two more women came in, carefully carrying the most beautiful gown Maighdlin had ever laid eyes on.
It was cream-colored and silk, with sleeve puffs, a long pointed stomacher, and fine gathering at the waistline. “Normal circumstances demand a proper mourning period,” Maighdlin said.
“ These are no’ normal circumstances,” Kade said, his voice a low growl. “Ye’ll be fitted to the gown but it willna be left here; ye’d likely burn it in the hearth. And ye’ll be provided a proper bath, food, and ale. Is there anything else ye need?”
“ A bow, and a quiver of arrows, as well as a vat of boiling oil so that I may pour it on yer stubborn head.”
Lillias had been watching Maighdlin speak and broke into laughter. She saw the look on Kade’s face and, chastised, turned back to her task of preparing the bath, scattering rose petals in the hot water of the tub. Maighdlin had to admit the smell was heavenly. She thought Kade almost smiled. But then his eyes fell on the gown. Rage and sadness flashed across his handsome face.
“ Lillias, dunna forget she’s my prisoner.” He frowned. “Leave us for a moment,” he said to the servants. They obeyed, and Maighdlin was alone with Kade. The truth was, she was scared half witless. What madness possessed her to tease and taunt the Highland chieftain?
“ Why did ye ask them to leave us?”
He hauled her against him so his arms imprisoned her and her small feet were planted between his. His chest crushed the softness of her breasts. “Because I fear ye will no’ obey any orders to be bathed properly, I will see to the task myself.” A rough fingertip scaled her cheek, skimmed the parted fullness of her lip. “Would ye like that?”
She shook her head defiantly, feeling suddenly alarmingly hot. He was closer to her than ever, and more frightening. His mouth looked raw and harsh, and there was molten heat in his dark, amber-gold eyes. “And then perhaps ye shall bathe me.”
“ Ne’er, Highlander!”
“ I thought ye might react so. For a kiss, I will leave ye to the care of Lillias. She is a gentle girl, and can help ye with yer preparations. I canna promise I’d be gentle with ye.”
“ I’ll no’ suffer another one of yer distasteful kisses!”
“ There’s that word again. ‘Distasteful’.
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