Read Online The Highlander's Time by Belladonna Bordeaux - Free Book Online
Authors: Belladonna Bordeaux
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Patricia's waiting arms. “Sleep well, sweet bairn.” The simple phrases she was picking up had helped to gain her favor with the refugees. And the numerous times she'd made a flub they were quick to help her correct her mistake.
“Milady, you seemed a hundred leagues away this afternoon. Is aught the matter?” Patricia asked as she laid Mary on her shoulder.
Nibbling on her lip, Jenny noticed how her hands shook. She opened her mouth to ask Patricia to leave her alone with her funk when Lila made her next move to get a drink. The bang of something hitting against the door echoed over and over because of the crazy acoustics in the Great Hall.
“I fear she is spoiled beyond redemption, milady.” Patricia settled her hand over Mary's ear to muffle the shrieks of rage coming from Lila's room. “She needs a spanking.”
Jenny took in Patricia's well-behaved children. How many times had she thought the same thing when her boss got out of control? Too many. “Spare the rod and spoil the child.” She held her hands out to Patricia, palms up. “I don't know what to do.”
“You arenae her mother, milady. You're her lady. Until you set her down and put the rules before her, she will act out.”
Easier said than done . “What do I do when she doesn't listen?” Which is a guarantee considering her last few days .
“You punish her.” Patricia called Father Thomas to join them. In quick words and between crashes of things being toppled in Lila's room, she talked to the priest.
“What?” Jenny asked when Patricia finally turned to her, bobbed a curtsy and walked away. She snapped her gaze to Father Thomas. “Tell me.”
“Patricia is one of the strongest mamas I've ever met, milady. Many of her children are, 'struth, orphans who had nay family to go to. She's taken them in and in many instances taken them on. Rules are a part of helping them cope with the loss of their parents. She always has rules, even for Laird Iaen when he comes to her cottage. I say this so you know she wants to bring peace back to the Keep.”
“All right, I'm following you so far.”
“Patricia suggests you take everything away from Lila. Her bed. Her clothes save a simple, homespun frock. All her creature comforts but a blanket, pillow, and a mat on the floor. She'll eat gruel or bread and cheese only.”
“Excuse me?” Lila might not have been suicidal before, but take away everything? She'd pitch herself off the balcony. Dear God, help me .
“Every time Lila behaves, she gets something back. A reward, shall we say, which will show her the error of her ways. At first you start with the basic necessities such as her bed. In time, she may gain the privilege of joining the table and even going for walks through the village. 'Twill be a long process, milady.”
“Talk about tough love,” Jenny muttered under her breath. “It makes so much sense it's ridiculous, but I don't know how Lila is going to deal with this.”
Father Thomas sat beside her on the bench. He patted her hand in what she suspected was his way of cushioning of the truth. “Milady, it has to be done. Milord cannae have his household in chaos. The Clan will view him a weak leader if he cannae control one woman.”
Weakness, what the Highlanders determined was a huge character flaw, especially in their leaders. “I see.”
“The Clan is giving you the benefit of the doubt for you are newly married and a stranger to our ways, but they willnae give him the same benefit.” A pause stretched between them. “He is Laird.”
Hoisting herself off the bench, Jenny wiped her hands down her gown. A chill raced up her arms. She sent a quick prayer to heaven for courage and another for the plan's success. “Fine.” She squared her shoulders. “I'll need help moving her furniture.”
“Would you prefer I spoke to her, milady?”
“No, I have to do it.”
***
Iaen stretched out the aching muscles in his neck. Due to the continued foul weather, he was
“Milady, you seemed a hundred leagues away this afternoon. Is aught the matter?” Patricia asked as she laid Mary on her shoulder.
Nibbling on her lip, Jenny noticed how her hands shook. She opened her mouth to ask Patricia to leave her alone with her funk when Lila made her next move to get a drink. The bang of something hitting against the door echoed over and over because of the crazy acoustics in the Great Hall.
“I fear she is spoiled beyond redemption, milady.” Patricia settled her hand over Mary's ear to muffle the shrieks of rage coming from Lila's room. “She needs a spanking.”
Jenny took in Patricia's well-behaved children. How many times had she thought the same thing when her boss got out of control? Too many. “Spare the rod and spoil the child.” She held her hands out to Patricia, palms up. “I don't know what to do.”
“You arenae her mother, milady. You're her lady. Until you set her down and put the rules before her, she will act out.”
Easier said than done . “What do I do when she doesn't listen?” Which is a guarantee considering her last few days .
“You punish her.” Patricia called Father Thomas to join them. In quick words and between crashes of things being toppled in Lila's room, she talked to the priest.
“What?” Jenny asked when Patricia finally turned to her, bobbed a curtsy and walked away. She snapped her gaze to Father Thomas. “Tell me.”
“Patricia is one of the strongest mamas I've ever met, milady. Many of her children are, 'struth, orphans who had nay family to go to. She's taken them in and in many instances taken them on. Rules are a part of helping them cope with the loss of their parents. She always has rules, even for Laird Iaen when he comes to her cottage. I say this so you know she wants to bring peace back to the Keep.”
“All right, I'm following you so far.”
“Patricia suggests you take everything away from Lila. Her bed. Her clothes save a simple, homespun frock. All her creature comforts but a blanket, pillow, and a mat on the floor. She'll eat gruel or bread and cheese only.”
“Excuse me?” Lila might not have been suicidal before, but take away everything? She'd pitch herself off the balcony. Dear God, help me .
“Every time Lila behaves, she gets something back. A reward, shall we say, which will show her the error of her ways. At first you start with the basic necessities such as her bed. In time, she may gain the privilege of joining the table and even going for walks through the village. 'Twill be a long process, milady.”
“Talk about tough love,” Jenny muttered under her breath. “It makes so much sense it's ridiculous, but I don't know how Lila is going to deal with this.”
Father Thomas sat beside her on the bench. He patted her hand in what she suspected was his way of cushioning of the truth. “Milady, it has to be done. Milord cannae have his household in chaos. The Clan will view him a weak leader if he cannae control one woman.”
Weakness, what the Highlanders determined was a huge character flaw, especially in their leaders. “I see.”
“The Clan is giving you the benefit of the doubt for you are newly married and a stranger to our ways, but they willnae give him the same benefit.” A pause stretched between them. “He is Laird.”
Hoisting herself off the bench, Jenny wiped her hands down her gown. A chill raced up her arms. She sent a quick prayer to heaven for courage and another for the plan's success. “Fine.” She squared her shoulders. “I'll need help moving her furniture.”
“Would you prefer I spoke to her, milady?”
“No, I have to do it.”
***
Iaen stretched out the aching muscles in his neck. Due to the continued foul weather, he was
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