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“I'll not leave my Jamie-boy,” Jeannie said firmly.
Fiona ignored her. “Will ye let me send our Flora and Tarn with my sisters, lady? They were my mother's servants, and have cared for us our whole lives. There is nothing they can do for me, as my lord has kindly supplied me with a servant of my own. They will feel useful looking after my sisters as they have always done. They are obedient and will give ye no trouble, my lady.”
“Of course they must come.”
“I'll not leave my Jamie-boy!”Jeannie repeated, and this time she stamped her foot for emphasis.
“My little brother comes most frequently to Greymoor,” Lady Stewart said, immediately understanding Jeannie's concern. “I have a daughter just a wee bit younger than ye, too, Jeannie Hay. Ye'll have someone to be yer friend. Have ye ever had a friend before?”
Jeannie shook her head in the negative.
“Have ye a little girl my age, lady?” Morag demanded, tugging upon Janet Stewart's skirts. “I've never had a friend either.”
“I do!” Lady Stewart said, smiling, “and I have two little boys as well, but they play with each other.”
“Fiona!” JeanHay looked to her sister.
“Lady Stewart is correct, Jeannie. If ye stay with me, ye will be thought no better than I am. Ye must remember that ye are Hays, not common folk. If ye are raised in Lady Stewart's household, ye'll retain yer respectability. Ye'll be considered for fine husbands one day.” She spoke carefully as if she were struggling to maintain her composure, which indeed she was.
Janet wanted to smack her brother. This was all Angus's fault. If he were not so unreasonable, so bloody unyielding, this whole situation might have been avoided. All he had had to do was pretend to believe Fiona Haywhen she said the cattle were hers, but no! Angus would be ruled by his pride. No one must believe for a single moment that the laird of Loch Brae had a kind heart. When she considered what the Hays of the Glen had done for her brother! Janet swallowed back her outrage. “I'll take good care of yer sisters, Fiona Hay,” she said. “Ye have my word on it.”
“Then it's settled!” the laird said jovially, secretly relieved to be rid of the two younger Hay sisters. He hadn't been quite certain what he would do with them, and Jeannie, he could see, was going to prove quite a handful.
“I'll not take the lassies today,” his sister said sweetly. “Ye'll need a week or two to see they are properly outfitted for my household, and their servants as well, brother dear. And ye'll pay me an ounce of gold each year for their keep,andI'll expect a declaration in writing from ye regarding the size of their dowers.” She turned to Fiona. “Four cattle was it? Each?”
Fiona nodded, slightly astounded by Janet Stewart's manner.
“Four cattle or the equivalent in silver coin, plus linens, clothing, and a piece of jewelry,” Janet concluded.
“Yeask a great deal for two little lasses from the ben,” the laird said.
“Yegot a great dealfromtheir grandsire that by rights should have been theirs, and let us not forget what ye've taken from their eldest sister,” Janet responded sharply.
“Agreed,” he replied grudgingly.
“Oh, thank ye, my lady!” Fiona said, catching up Janet Stewart's hand and kissing it fervently. “I shall ever be in yer debt.”
“Fall in love with him, lassie,” Janet said softly,“and make the arrogant devil love ye so much he suffers when out of the sight of yer splendid green eyes.” She winked at Fiona, then said to no one in particular, “Fetch my cloak! I must be off to Greymoor to tell Mary and Annabella that they will soon have two new friends to play with.”
“Yer visit, sister,” said the laird, “has, as always, been interesting. Let me know when ye would fetch Jeannie and Morag to Greymoor.”
“Don't be paltry in their accoutrements, Angus,” his sister said sharply as she departed.
Fiona couldn't help but laugh. “She is like the wind. Blowing in, sweeping clean, and then blowing out again.”
“She is more like a plague,” the laird grumbled. “Ever since we were children she has been telling me what to do—and what not to do. Yet her husband thinks the world of her, and her children adore her. I don't understand it, lassie.” Then, forgetting that the two younger Hays were with them, his glance softened briefly, and he said, “How do ye feel this morning?” His big hand reached out to tilt her face up to his, and leaning down, he brushed her lips gently.
Fiona stared back nervously, admonishing him with a shake of her head and a glance toward Jeannie and Morag.“My lord!”
Angus Gordon laughed softly. “I think I shall outfit those two as quickly as possible so I am able to kiss ye whenever I choose, lassie. Last night but whetted my appetite for ye.”
Fiona blushed, a fact that irritated her, for she did not think of herself as some milk-and-water wench.
The laird did not visit Fiona's bed for the next few days, and she was grateful, as she was much too busypreparing her sisters for their entry into the household of Hamish and Janet Stewart. Hamish Stewart, the master of Greymoor, was a distant cousin of the king's. While there was no real court under the protector, the noble families did visit back and forth. The Hay sisters would need at least two fine gowns with matching surcoats. Their everyday gowns were rather tight-fitting and had long waists. The fine gowns were made of velvet, and the surcoats were embroidered with colored beads and tiny pearls.
“’Tis verra pretty,” Jeannie noted. “Do ye think Jamie-boy will like me in it?” She pirouetted for her sisters. “Do I look older?”
“Don't be in such a hurry to grow up,” Fiona admonished the girl.
