Page 23 of In Search of a Husband
“No, not under—” Kate began.
But it was fruitless when two girls began shrieking.
Kate dumped her bag at her feet and crossed her arms, waiting.
“Yer English,” another girl announced, appearing from behind the tapestry. She stood before Kate in boy’s trousers, and her dark-red hair looked as if it hadn’t been brushed in a week. “Might as well be the enemy.”
“Away, English,” the youngest shouted, bursting through the tapestry and throwing a rag doll at her.
“My name is Miss Bancroft, and your uncle has hired me as the new governess.”
“We dinna need a governess.”
“The governess?” An older woman shuffled up, grasping a broom and wearing a blood-stained apron. A lace cap sat crooked on her head. “Very well. Here are ye charges. I’m Mrs. Malcolm and these two”—the older woman glared at them—”are Lorna and Maisie. Lasses, say hello.”
“Uncle willna like ye,” the younger one said, spinning into a low bow. “I willna either.”
“Maisie Greer MacInnes, ye best try again, ye wicked wee pest.”
The little girl just shrugged and crossed her arms. Her body was dwarfed in an ivory wool jumper, and like her sister, her curly honey-brown hair was tangled, and there was a smudge of drinking chocolate by her small, heart-shaped mouth.
“I’m expectin’ ye girls to treat Miss Bancroft with manners. I’m back to the kitchen now. Nae trouble, lasses.”
“Miss Bancroft, haggis for dinner. The girls eat at six. I will bring ye a plate in yer room upstairs.”
Kate exhaled. Haggis. She shivered. “Very well. It was lovely meeting you.”
“Upstairs in the attic is yer rooms. I’m no’ friendly-like.” The older woman continued mumbling to herself as she turned and swung the broom at Lorna, shooing the girl away. “Stay back and keep out of my kitchen. Ye’re no’ my problem any longer.”
Maisie waited for the older woman to turn her back, then stuck out her tongue, and Lorna giggled.
“Who can show me to my rooms?” Kate asked, dread welling up in her chest. She always wished to live in a tower like the heroines in her novels. Though it felt far less romantic and far more foreboding as they stepped back into the great hall. The room towered overhead, the vaulted ceilings were adorned in bright paintings of saints and shields.
“Oh, I can,” Lorna said. “Follow me.”
Maisie nodded, stifling back a giggle and pointing to Kate’s muddy hem. “Ye’re muddy, might as well sleep with the pigs. Or in the kitchen with the soot and stinky ol’ Ben.”
“Stinky ol’ Ben?”
That must have been a slight too deep because Lorna elbowed her younger sister, hard. “Never ye mind, Miss Bancroft. We dinna keep pigs. Ben’s a cat.”
“I see. A stinky one, I presume?”
“Ye’ll find out soon enough.”
Kate followed behind, glancing around at the dreary castle. Little was hung on the walls, so each step echoed. Kate wished for a wool jumper of her own, or a fire she could warm herself with. The inside of the castle was damp, and perhaps it was that she hadn’t slept for some time now, but she shivered from exhaustion.
At least there had been eggs.
Up they climbed. Higher, and higher yet, onto narrow and steep stone steps before Lorna spun and grinned.
“Here we are. Yer rooms, Lady Bancroft.”
“Miss,” Kate corrected, but it didn’t matter. She narrowed her eyes,scanning the small room and quickly surmising its intended use. “This is the water closet.”
The girls collapsed on the floor in a peal of laughter as the door swung open farther.
“Best room we’ve available,” Lorna announced.
