Page 24 of Highlander's Wild Lass
“What’s all this?” she asked, attempting a gracious smile toward the older kitchen maid.
“Anthony brought some castle servants with him when he came back this morning, he even brought women to plant the summer crops and men to tend to the animals,” Chester told her, bursting with excitement.
Beside him, Hugo was piling his plate high with eggs, bacon, and bannocks. “And someone to cook for us!”
“Aye…” she said, eyeing how beautifully crisp the bacon was. “I can see that.”
“Oh! And Anthony told us he’ll be teachin’ us how to shoot arrows soon,” Chester told her.
She looked to Anthony who looked too proud for his own good. His emerald eyes gleamed as if he was expecting Celestia to shower him with compliments. “Anthony…ye ken, this is far too much. I’ve fallen sick, I’ve not died.”
“But…but, Cellie, look at the house. The maid has it nearly sparklin’ again,” Auralia said. “The cobwebs are all gone.”
The difference in the house was obvious, it felt lighter.
“Mistress,” the maid came up to her, a wave of citrus following her. “Master McLean asked me to take him for a walk about the yard, would it be alright with ye?”
Celestia stared at her for far too long before answering, “O-of course, if ye wouldnae mind. Just be sure to stay close, his legs are nae so strong these days.”
The maid smiled, wiping her hands on her dust-smudged apron. “Ah, thank ye, mistress. I’ll be sure to be careful with him.”
She turned to leave, but Celestia grabbed her shoulder.
The maid turned back with a hesitant, polite smile. “Aye, mistress?”
“Thank ye very much for cleanin’ our great big mess, I greatly appreciate ye for doin’ it.”
“Oh, aye, yer welcome. It was nothin’.”
Celestia nodded and the maid was already heading down the hall toward her father’s room.
“Will ye sit down and eat, Cellie? Ye don’t want the eggs gettin’ cold,” Hugo said.
Celestia took the only open seat between Anthony and Auralia.
“Here, lass, I’ll put together a plate for ye. I’m sure ye are still feelin’ a bit weak,” Anthony offered, standing to put together her breakfast.
Celestia nodded, dumbfounded, looking around at each of her siblings. Chester and Hugo were lost in their overfilled plates. She was sure they would probably throw up if they ate every single bite. It had been months since any of them had that much food in one sitting.
Auralia was eyeing Celestia carefully as she took a small bite of her eggs. “Are ye feelin’ any better?”
“Aye, much better than yesterday. Daenae worry.”
Anthony placed a plate of food in front of her. “Eat up, ye missed lunch and supper yesterday.”
Celestia picked up a fork and started to pick at her food, eating small bites of egg and then bacon. She ripped a piece of bannock off and popped it into her mouth. It tasted just a tad richer than the ones Auralia loved to make.
“Ye ken this willnae be happenin’ again,” she said to Anthony. “I’ll be back to myself tomorrow and I’ll be able to take care of things.”
“Quit playin’ tough, Cellie,” Chester said, pointing a fork accusatorily at her. “Yer still sick and ye deserve to rest and get better.”
“Aye,” Hugo chimed in, half of his plate already gone. “Ye ken he asked ye to marry him, right? At least, that’s what he told us. And a man is supposed to take care of his woman…and her family.”
“What!” Celestia exclaimed.
Hugo grimaced.
Beside her, Anthony choked on his drink. He wiped his mouth and clumsily placed the cup down on the table. “Good lord, lad. I told ye that in confidence.”
