Page 19 of Married for a Highland Debt
“My wife is right,” he said, his deep voice booming across the room. “You will not disrespect her or me by talking about such a private matter. I am aware that I cannot stop you from gossiping behind our backs, but you will not do so where you can be heard or seen by others!” He crooked his forefinger at them and they came forward to stand within a few feet of him.
Both of them looked terrified and avoided Ninian’s eyes by hanging their heads and looking at the floor.
“Look at me!” he ordered, and they both raised their heads and met his eyes with theirs. He looked from one to the other then held up a forefinger. “If I hear you insulting my wife again, I will not terminate your employment.”
The two women sighed with relief, but Ninian was not finished.
“I will do something far worse,” he said ominously. “You will work in the pigsties cleaning up their filth and scrub the castle privies. I will give you the kind of skivvy work I reserve for prisoners in the dungeons, and I will halve your pay.” He gave this news a moment to sink in before asking: “Do you understand?”
“Aye, M’Laird,” the two said in unison.
“Now, you will apologize to my wife before I change my mind and send you to the pigsties anyway!” His voice was almost a roar as he put a protective arm around his wife’s shoulder.
“Sorry, milady,” Myra said quietly.
“Sorry, milady,” the other woman echoed.
“What is your name?” Bettina asked curiously.
“Agnes, milady,” she replied. “Agnes Bowie.”
“I will remember it,” Bettina assured her. “My husband has been merciful. I would have thrown you out.”
Ninian was still standing glaring at the two maids, who were fidgeting in front of him in agitation. “Do you not have work to do?” he asked them. “Then I will give you some. Call every member of the castle staff into the courtyard.”
Bettina felt a shiver of apprehension. “What are you going to do?” she asked.
“I am going to tell my staff who deserves respect here,” he replied grimly, “because I will not have my wife treated as if she were one of them, a maidservant.”
“But I was a servant,” she pointed out.
He gazed down at her for a moment, and his expression was almost tender. “But you are a maid no longer,” he reminded her, placing the emphasis on the word to emphasize its double meaning. She was neither a servant nor a virgin anymore. “You are my wife, and I will not have you insulted by spiteful shrews like those two.”
“Thank you,” she breathed. “I—”
“You thought I was heartless?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
“No, but we did not marry for love, Ninian,” she pointed out.
“That has nothing to do with it,” he said firmly. “You are the mistress of this castle and this estate, and despite what everyone thinks, I have feelings, and I like you. I respect you. I could not be married to someone I despise.”
Bettina smiled at him, and as he returned the smile, she saw a warmth in his eyes that she had never seen there before. Slowly, his head moved down to hers, closer and closer until his face filled her vision, and she felt his hand sliding around her waist. His lips touched hers...
“M’Laird! Milady!” It was a man’s voice, firm and authoritative, and they sprang apart guiltily as they saw the captain of the guard grinning at them, his eyes twinkling. “Sorry, M’Laird, but the staff is a’ here.”
Ninian took Bettina’s hand and led her out to where dozens of maids, grooms, guards, gardeners, and builders were waiting for him to address them.
Ninian put his arm around her shoulder and looked around his household with a silent, challenging glare. At last, he spoke. “Some of you may know this woman.” He paused for another glare. “While her name was Bettina Hamilton, she worked in the kitchen here, but her name has changed. It is now Lady Bettina Ogilvy, and she is mywifeand mistress of this castle. I heard two of you discussing my bride this morning in very insulting terms. That will stop now. If you cannot treat her with politeness and consideration, you are free to leave my employ at any time. I can assure you that you will not be missed, and you can be easily replaced. Does everyone understand?”
There was a chorus of: “Aye, M’Laird.”
“Good,” Ninian went on. “Does anyone want to leave my employ?”
There was a dead silence.
“Back to work then,” he said briskly, clapping his hands.
The crowd of servants dispersed, and Bettina sagged against Ninian’s shoulder in utter relief.
