Page 32 of One Bed for the Bluestocking
“I should have a reservation for Nathaniel Sterling.”
“Ah.”A cheerful smile came over his round, red cheeks.“Ye’re the professor out of Edinburgh, then, here to look at our eagles.”
“Not professor,” Nathaniel said quickly.“Just a fellow.”He gestured to Kate.“This is my colleague, Mr.Kit Witherspoon.”
Mr.MacRitchie inclined his head.“A pleasure to meet ye, Mr.Witherspoon.”He turned and removed a key from a row of hooks behind the bar.“Yer room’s all ready, gentlemen, if ye’ll just follow me.”
“Our room?”Kate sputtered, hoping she had misheard.Surely, he meantrooms.And why had he taken just the one key?
Mr.MacRitchie laughed.“Of course!”He gestured for them to follow.“I believe ye’ve contracted with Dougal MacIvor to take ye to the far side of the island.Is that right?”
“That’s correct,” Nathaniel said.“We’re departing tomorrow.”
“About that,” Mr.MacRitchie said as he mounted the stairs.“Dougal took a load of lobsters down to London.Left on Tuesday, he did.”
Nathaniel frowned.“When will he return?”
“Monday, at the earliest.”
Kate’s thoughts scrambled.It was currently Thursday.She was dreading the prospect of spending even one night sharing a bedroom with Nathaniel.Butfour?How would she survive?“Is there anyone else who could take us?”she asked.
Mr.MacRitchie shook his head as he led them down a corridor.“Nae.Going around the Butt of Lewis—the northernmost part of the island, ye ken—requires a boat of a certain size.There’s no one in the harbor at the moment who’s equipped to take ye.”He slapped Kate on the back.“But dinnae look so glum.Ye’re naturalists, aye?Well, we’ve plenty of nature for ye to observe near Stornoway.We’ll find something to occupy ye for a few days.Do either of ye speak Gaelic?”
“We do not,” Nathaniel said.“I’ve spent the last nine years in Edinburgh.And Kit here hails from Yorkshire.”
“I figured as much.”Mr.MacRitchie stopped in front of one of the doors lining the corridor.“Ye’ll find some people who speak English here in Stornoway.But as soon as you get out of town, ye may have some trouble.”
“What would you suggest?”Nathaniel asked.
“While ye’re based here in Stornoway, ye’d better take my son, Murdo, with ye when ye go out,” the innkeeper said.“He’s ten.He can show ye where to find some animals as well.”
“That would be much appreciated,” Nathaniel said.
“Very good.”Mr.MacRitchie inserted the key into the lock.“I thought this room would be best for yer artist friend,” he said, inclining his head toward Kate.“A little more light.What do ye think?”
Nathaniel made a sound of pleasure as he stepped inside.“This will do nicely.”
Kate peered inside the doorframe.Blast.The room was relatively spacious, with a table big enough for four beneath a large, six-paned window.
But there was onlyone bed.
She heard Nathaniel’s footsteps on the floorboards.“Is there any chance of a bath?”
Mr.MacRitchie cringed apologetically.“That’ll be difficult at the moment, as we’re in the middle of preparing dinner.But I’ll have an ewer of warm water sent up.”
“Thank you,” Nathaniel said.
Just then, four sailors arrived, bearing their trunks.Mr.MacRitchie stepped out of the doorway so they could enter.
Kate gulped, then followed him out into the corridor.She dropped her voice low.“Mr.MacRitchie, sir, is there any chance I could get a separate room?”Kate had plenty of the pin money her brother-in-law, Jasper, allotted her squirreled away.She never spent it on anything but art supplies, after all.
Whether it would be sufficient to cover the cost of a stay of unknown duration at an inn, she was unsure.But she had to try.
Alas, Mr.MacRitchie’s face fell.“Is the room not to yer liking?”
“The room is wonderful,” Kate hastened to reassure him.“It’s just that I”—she waved her hands, struggling to come up with an excuse—“snore.Loudly.”
“Ah.I see.”The innkeeper rubbed his ear.“Thing is, we haven’t any other rooms free at the moment.”
