She grabbed each of their hands in turn and shook them heartily.
“I…um…welcome…Elise,” Phillip said smoothly, recovering his aplomb. “My apologies that we weren’t ready to receive ye properly. I’m afraid we weren’t warned of yer arrival.” He shot a reproachful look at Jamie.
“That’s because I didnae know she was coming,” Jamie replied. “But now Lady Elise is here, I expect her to be shown the full hospitality of Dun Arach. And she will be attending our councils from now on.”
Eh? Elise turned to look at Jamie. Attending councils? What?
Phillip’s eyebrows rose in surprise, but he only bowed his head in acquiescence. “Of course.”
Andrea cleared her throat. “If ye would follow me my…Elise. I will see that ye are settled in. And…er…find ye a change of clothes.”
That would be most welcome. Elise’s leggings were clinging to her damply and she could feel her socks squelching in her boots. A hairbrush wouldn’t go amiss either.
She shot one last glance at Jamie before following Andrea through the door and into the keep. Inside, she found herself stepping into a large entrance hall with a wooden staircase leading to the upper floors. The walls were bare, mortared stone covered by tapestries. Candle sconces and chandeliers were the only source of light. She didn’t see any form of heating or plumbing.
Great, she thought.My worst nightmare.
Andrea led her up the staircase and along a landing to a shiny wooden door. Here, the redhead took a loop of keys from her belt, unlocked the door, and pushed inside.
“This is our best room,” she said, a touch self-consciously. “I hope it is to yer liking. I didnae know ye were coming so I havenae aired it out but I’ll send up one of the maids to lay a fire and bring ye hot water and—”
Elise laid a hand on the woman’s arm. “Andrea. The room will be fine.”
Andrea pressed a hand against her chest. “Sorry. I babble when I’m nervous.”
“Nervous? Of me? I promise I don’t bite. Well, not usually anyway.” She grinned to show she was joking.
Andrea smiled thinly. Elise looked around. From the austere appearance of the keep from outside, Elise had expected the room to be bland and cold, but it was surprisingly cozy. Light flooded in from the three tall, narrow windows and the furniture was carved from a golden-colored wood that had been polished until it shone. A brightly woven rug in the same tartan that Jamie wore matched the bedspread that covered the large, sturdy bed. Yes, all in all, not as bad as she’d expected. Give her a flushing toilet and she could almost find herself at home here. Almost.
“It’s lovely,” she said. “Thank you, Andrea.”
The housekeeper blushed. “Ye are welcome.” She crossed to a trunk at the foot of the bed and opened the lid. Inside, were piles of carefully folded clothing. She rose, holding out a thick brocade robe.
“Here. Let’s get ye out of those wet clothes before ye catch yer death.”
Elise was only too happy to comply. Andrea looked a little bemused when Elise asked her to turn around so she could undress, but she said nothing and knelt by the hearth to prepare a fire. Elise peeled her wet clothes off and dropped them into a soggy pile at her feet. Shrugging into the heavy robe, she pulled it tight with the sash and then slumped into one of the chairs by the fireplace. With a sigh, she stretched out her toes towards the fire.
Already Andrea had a merry fire going. Warmth spilled through the room, along with a flickering golden light andthe faint smell of wood smoke. There was, Elise had to admit, something alluring about an open fire. Perhaps it called to something primeval within her because she found herself strangely comforted by the dance of the crackling flames.
Putting her hands on her knees, Andrea climbed to her feet. “Ah,” she said, looking at Elise. “That’s better. I’ll make sure yer clothes are washed and ready should ye need them. In the meantime, there are plenty of fresh clothes in the chest.” She picked up a wooden brush from a shelf by the bed. “Yer hair is a little…untidy. Would ye like me to brush it for ye?”
Untidy? That was an understatement. A tangled nest of rat’s tails was how Elise would describe her hair right now.
“Um. Sure.”
Elise pulled the robe tighter around herself. After the damp clothes she’d been wearing, it felt wonderfully warm and soft. That, coupled with the heat from the fire, sent a lassitude stealing through her limbs. She felt her eyes sliding closed as she gave herself up to Andrea’s gentle ministrations. She hadn’t had her hair brushed for her since she was a girl.
The strokes of the brush stopped suddenly. “Can…can I ask ye something?” Andrea asked tentatively.
Elise turned to look up at the older woman. “Of course.”
Andrea bit her lip. “Is it true what they are saying? That ye’ve come to save us?”
Elise opened her mouth and closed it again. She didn’t know how to answer. But the mingled fear and hope in Andrea’s expression tugged at her heart. She reached up and squeezed the older woman’s hand. “I’ll help you in any way I can. But I’ve not been given much information. What exactly is it that you need saving from?”
What was it that made Andrea look so afraid?
But the housekeeper shook her head. “It isnae my place to say. The laird will explain everything. But…I’m glad ye are here, Elise.”
