Page 34 of Sinbound to the Highlander
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As Freya had suspected, the bed she was given swallowed her up. The comfort was fantastic, and her body had never felt so cocooned by snug blankets before, but it was strange and waking up a time or two in the middle of the night with fright cramping her from not knowing what she was lying on was not enjoyable.
After the third time jolting awake, Freya slipped off the bed and made a cot on the floor next to it. The hardness of the floor was much more familiar, and she was able to sleep there with the pillows and the blankets.
As her body was primed to have her do, she woke before dawn and slipped back into the bed, in case someone was going to come for her and stayed awake until the warm rays started to break through the darkness.
I am nae sure I’ll ever get used to this. How can I live here, with a bed—a soft bed—scarin’ me into a panic?
When no one was forthcoming, Freya went to the adjoining room and washed up. Back in the room, she chanced to look through the wardrobe and see if there was any dress there that she could wear, but the finery stopped her from picking any.
Instead, she dressed in one that she brought, and made the bed, as massive as it was, and then went to open all the windows. As she was pulling away, Miriam came inside and stopped short at the sight of the straightened bed.
“Oh, Miss,” the maid exclaimed. “Good mornin’. Ye dinnae have to do all this.”
Carefully, Freya asked, “Mornin’ Miriam. Is it forbidden, or is it just frowned upon?” The maid looked deeply conflicted, and Freya rushed to add on, “Will it be a problem for ye?”
Slowly, Miriam shook her head, “I daenae believe so, that’s if Me Lady daenae see it.”
Relieved, Freya explained, “Listen, I…I’m nay used to this life yet, as, before this, I am used to takin’ care of meself. I feel more comfortable if I can do somethin’, even if it’s as small as makin’ me bed. Will ye let me do so until a time when I can change over to let ye do it? That’s all I ask.”
Again, Miriam looked conflicted, but then she nodded, “I understand, Miss. When I came here, it was a lot for me to adjust to. But we’ll have to be careful about this. I still have to do me duties around yer rooms.”
Relieved that her new companion was empathetic, Freya asked, “Is there a routine in this house?”
As Miriam went to smooth the sheets of the bed, she nodded, and explained that Lady Lobhdain rose before dawn, and directed the servants, to clean certain parts of the castle. At the same time, personal maids, like her, were stationed to cater to all the needs their lord or lady needed.
“And me, sister, Elspeth, what is her routine in the mornin’?”
Pausing to think, Miriam replied, “She usually sleeps to the eighth or ninth hour, then takes a bath and then uses an hour to put the tinctures on her face. She then calls for her meal. Before she finished her education, she used to get up earlier. Now, that she’s in the way for marriage, she takes more time on her appearance.”
Just as Freya was going to ask Miriam how Elspeth treated her servants, Lady Grace walked in with a satisfied smile. “Freya, Darling, ye’re up.”
She blushed, “I’m an early riser, Lady Grace.”
“And Miriam, good mornin’ to ye,” Lady Lobhdain said, dipping her head to the servant.
Curtsying, Miriam replied, “Good morning to ye too, Me Lady.”
Facing Freya, Lady Grace said, “Will ye join me for breakfast, Freya? Elspeth is still a little ill, but we have a lot of things to talk about.”
“Aye,” Freya stood and nodded to Miriam, “thank ye, Miriam.”
The maid smiled and went to open the rest of the windows, while Freya followed Lady Grace out to her room. It was the same sunroom they had eaten in the day before, but the meal on the table was less lavish than that one. A display of breakfast food, with colorful fruits, was on the table, and Freya smelled nettle tea.
As she sat, Lady Grace noted, “Have ye nae found the dresses Elspeth gave ye fitting?”
Dropping her eyes to the drab brown dress she had on, Freya grew flustered. “I wasnae sure which one to pick, they all looked so wonderful, that it made it hard to choose. I’ve heard that ye might have dresses for different times of the day, or activities. Perhaps that is why ye have so many?”
Lady Grace smiled, “That’s for the English and our Royalty, Dear. We daenae have those traditions in our home. Elspeth likes dresses. Almost every year, we renew her wardrobe. That’s why she has so many.”
Every year!
“Oh,” Freya blinked. “What other things is she fond of?”
“Let’s eat,” Lady Grace said, waving to the food. “We can talk during it.”
Taking the goblet of nettle tea, Freya drank first, grateful for the honeyed warmth in her stomach.
