Page 144 of Highlanders for the Holidays
Chapter 6
Onnleigh woketo the sound of her daughter gurgling sweetly next to her. Guilt at having fallen asleep in the middle of the day assaulted her, albeit briefly. “Och, me sweetin’! How long have we been sleepin’?” she asked as she caressed Nola’s cheek. “Twill nae get me in anyone’s good graces to be a layabout.”
Letting loose a wide yawn and a long, languid stretch, she sat up and looked about the room. “Did ye ever think we’d live so well?” she asked her babe. “I feel like a princess, sleepin’ in a feather bed! Och! And the food. I ne’er kent to see so much of it in me lifetime.”
Whether it was the large breakfast, the nap, the feather bed, or the warmth of the room, she couldn’t rightly say. But whatever it was, she woke feeling refreshed and hopeful. For the first time in her life, she began to hum happily as she changed Nola, straightened the covers of her bed, and set about feeding her daughter.
“I dunnae wish anyone to think me lazy like me da. Och, child, I be so verra grateful that ye were nae forced to ken him. A mean drunkard he was. Ne’er a kind word e’er passed o’er his lips.” Reckoning her babe would never remember this conversation, she felt at ease in telling her the truth about her lineage.
She looked about the small space with gratitude while Nola happily nursed at her breast. “All I e’er wanted was fer ye to have a good home, clean clothes, and enough to eat. Ye cannae see it now, and doubtful ye e’er will, but ye’ve been givin’ a blessin’ here, Nola. ’Tis a dream come true fer me as well.
“I wish I could do somethin’ nice fer yer da. Nae yer real da, the lyin’ cheat. But fer Connor. He will be the only da ye’ll e’er ken, of that, I will make certain.”
If she had a coin to her name, she’d give it to him. If she owned anything of value, she’d gladly hand it over in gratitude. But alas, she had neither coin nor possession. She might not be able to give him anything of true value, but she couldshowhim how grateful she was.
As soon as Nola was finished, Onnleigh wrapped her in the sling and went below stairs, through the back door and into the kitchens in search of Louisa.
* * *
After returning to her bedchamber, she pulled off her good dress and changed into her skirt. Donning an apron Louisa had lent her, she pulled the cradle into Connor’s room. Soon, two large men arrived with buckets, rags, and a broom. She thanked them kindly, offering up her warmest and most sincere smile. They cast each other quizzical looks before shrugging and leaving her to her task.
While Nola played in the cradle, Onnleigh scrubbed every inch of Connor’s room. With the furs drawn away to let in the sunlight and fresh air, she swept out the fireplace, dusted the mantle, trunks, and tables. She put fresh linens on his bed and fluffed and arranged the pillows. By the time she was done, she was soaked in sweat, dust and grime.
Standing back, with hands on her hips, she smiled proudly at her good work. “That should show him,” she whispered.
Moments later, she had wrapped Nola up again, picked up one of the buckets of dirty water and went below stairs to empty it.
As she crossed the gathering room, a young man came to offer his help. “Let me get that fer ye, lass,” he said as he took the bucket from her hands.
“Thank ye kindly,” she told him.
“I be Ronald, Connor’s youngest brother,” he explained.
She could see the resemblance to Connor, though Ronald was much skinnier. “’Tis a pleasure to meet ye, Ronald,” she said with a smile. “I thank ye kindly fer yer help.”
“Think not a thing of it, lass,” he said. “Ye appear to have been quite busy this day.”
“Aye, ’tis true. I have another bucket above stairs, and dirty linens that need a washin’,” she told him.
“I’ll send someone up fer those things, as ye appear to have yer hands full with the bairn,” he said, inclining his head toward Nola.
“Her? She be no trouble at all, ye ken.”
As they stood discussing the babe, Onnleigh caught sight of Bridgett, who was standing across the room with the oddest expression. “Bridgett,” Onnleigh called out to her, “do ye have time to help me with somethin’?”
Ronald’s countenance changed dramatically when he turned to see Bridgett walking towards them. Onnleigh did not catch the glances exchanged between the two, for her mind was elsewhere.
“How can I help ye?” Bridgett asked. Onnleigh thought her tone was off. Cold and distant, but she didn’t understand why.
“It be of a most personal nature,” she explained.
Ronald took the hint, bowed his head and left the two of them alone.
“I be in need of a bath,” Onnleigh explained. “Could I get a dryin’ cloth, soap and such? I would like to go to the loch and wash all this grime away.”
“Why would ye go to the loch when there be a perfectly good bathin' house behind the kitchens?”
"What be a bathin' house?" Onnleigh asked.
