Page 49 of The Devil in Plaid
Esme and Fiona both gasped. Then Fiona blushed. She had yet to be truly intimate with her husband, but that was one secret she had no intention of sharing.
“Ye’ve no business asking our lady such a question,” Esme scolded.
“I’m just curious,” Abby said.
“Too curious,” Esme snapped back.
“Ladies,” Fiona interjected, her voice loud enough to be heard over her maids’ argument.
When she had Esme and Abby’s attention, she smiled. “I am a wee bit curious, myself.”
“Whatever about?” Esme asked.
“About the men I saw both of ye speaking rather intimately with in the hall just now.”
Esme blushed and dropped her gaze.
Abby, on the other hand, beamed. “I was speaking with my Thomas. I love him so.”
“Abby!” Esme scolded. “Ye mustn’t say such things. He has yet to make his intentions known.”
Abby scowled at her sister. “I did not stand on the high dais and shout of my love to the entire clan. I have not even spoken to him of my affection, but I tell ye, Esme, I love him with my whole heart.”
“Ye must think about decorum and—”
Fiona cleared her throat, hoping to put an end to the sibling argument before it got out of hand. “Who were ye speaking with at supper?” Fiona asked, looking pointedly at Esme.
“Sebastian MacLeod,” Abby burst out.
“I can speak for myself,” Esme said, scowling at her sister before she turned to Fiona. “Sebastian was very attentive to both of us while we journeyed here.”
“My lady, when Esme said ‘us’ just now, what she really meant was her, and when she said ‘attentive’ what she meant was that he hung on her every word.”
Esme did not scold her sister for interrupting. Instead, she met Fiona’s gaze, and Fiona was left with little question of her maid’s true regard for the young MacLeod warrior.
“Jamie believes Sebastian would make ye a fine husband,” Fiona said, smiling.
The pink color of Esme’s cheeks deepened. “Did he truly say as much?”
Fiona nodded. “Indeed, he did.”
Just then a soft knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” Fiona called out.
A moment later, Julia stepped into the room. “If it pleases ye, my lady, I wanted to offer to help ye ready for bed one last time, so that yer maids can settle themselves in.”
“That is very thoughtful of ye, Julia. Thank ye,” Fiona said. Then she turned to Esme and Abby. “I will say goodnight, my dears.” She hugged each of her maids in turn. “I cannot tell ye how happy I am that ye are both here with me now.”
Esme glanced about the room, her brows drawn. “But where are ye going? I thought this was the lady’s chamber.”
“It is,” Fiona answered.
“Oh,” Abby said, knowingly. “Our laird has called for ye.”
Fiona shook her head. “That big, beautiful bed is yers to share. I am to share a chamber with my laird.”
Esme’s eyes widened. “Every night?”
