A Perfect Wife [Highland Menage 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (7 page)

He leaned closer. “I promised ye truth when we swam and played chess at the sheiling, aye?”

“So you did.”

She thought back to those warm days and eager nights. He was right. Being near him did warm her. Not her toes and fingers, but certainly the parts between her saddle and her chin.

He squeezed her hand. “Are ye ready? The rain eased just in time. Take a look at yer new home, Lady Kiera of Kinrowan.”

She realized they’d topped the rise as they spoke. Fallow fields and wooded areas rolled down to the sea on all sides. Cromarty was on a point with a headland to the east and another across a narrow strait half as wide as Loch Ness. Before it, on a rise, was a great tower, rising six stories. Round turrets with conical roofs marked the corners of the parapet. A straight section the same height went off to the right. The bailey's walls were far higher than a man’s head. Kinrowan was magnificent, far more grand than her father’s castle.

“Oh, my! ’Tis bigger than Castle Leod.”

Duff’s bark of laughter took her by surprise. “There’s more. A three-story section is beyond what ye can see, and that’s even bigger. ’Twill take us all a wee while to learn our roles here.”

She’d managed to care for Castle Leod after her mother’s death. She would learn how to do the same here. Unless stories about her had been spread…

“I hope they accept me,” she murmured hesitantly.

“They said they were eager to see ye when we were here.”

“That might have changed after the stories my father no doubt told them about me.”

“Malcolm ordered there’d be no tales told of ye, Kiera.” Duff squeezed her hand once more. “He said ye’d make yer own way and he’d allow no one, not even yer lord, to take that from ye.”

She gave him a speaking glance. “He stood up to my father?”

“Aye. Why should that surprise ye? Malcolm is yer husband and yer laird. Ye are his, to have and to hold.” Duff tugged on her hand. “And we’ll be wanting to hold ye, and have ye, this night.” He winked. “I sent our bed ahead so Silean’s aunt couldn’t have it. Ye’ll be able to have a wee nap in comfort after ye bathe.”

“Our bed!” Tears sprung forth. As it was raining and none could tell, this once she let them fall. “Oh, Duff!” She wiped her eyes with the chilled back of her hand. “Thank you.”

When she looked back at him all traces of joking had faded. “Sweetling, I said I’d take care of ye when we handfasted,” he murmured for her ears only. “Marrying my brother doesna change that. Ye’re still my wee Kiera.” He chuckled. “I wish to enjoy sleeping beside ye in that bed. Aye, and more. ’Tis the right height for me to lie ye down and—”

A roar filled the air. Startled, she pulled her eyes from Duff. The wall walk was filled with people cheering and waving. Through the mist she watched the MacKenzie flag rise to show the laird and lady were in residence. She burst into tears. Her heart ached at the joyful welcome. They wanted her, and the strong men she brought.

“They’re raising the MacKenzie flag for us!” She sniffled, full of emotion, no longer cold, sore, or miserable.

“They didna do that last time.” Duff stood in his stirrups to see better.

“They wouldn’t have had a MacKenzie flag until Father brought it. This was Urquhart land. Now that we’re here the flag will stay up.”

“I see flames on it. What’s supposed to be burning?”

“It’s a mountain on fire. Our motto is I shine, not burn.”

“The MacDougal clan motto is Conquer or die,” he replied. He turned his eager blue eyes on her again. “I conquered ye, and since I am for the MacKenzies now, I shall make ye shine for me, my lady. Every chance I can.” He gave her the look that made her insides heat. “’Tis a big castle. My brother and I shall make ye scream in every room. Starting with our tower chamber, tonight!”

He touched his heels to his horse and was gone before she could reply. At Malcolm’s encouraging wave, Kiera moved to the left and slightly behind him. Lady Kiera and Laird Malcolm of Kinrowan would enter together. Back straight, head high, and hood back, she rode through the east gate into the bailey. Duff rode half a length behind on Malcolm’s right, mask in place. They were soaked, their hair plastered to their heads. She smiled while her husbands nodded regally in reply to their welcome. The people gathered in the bailey, now their people, cheered.

“Thank ye for greeting us,” said Malcolm while still on horseback. He placed his hand over his heart and bowed. “Yer warm welcome makes up for this rain.” He encouraged Kiera forward. “My lady has always had ye in her heart.” He took her right hand, raised it to his mouth, and kissed it. “I give ye Lady Kiera MacKenzie of Kinrowan!”

Her wide smile fought with tears at the cheers that rang forth. She knew his gesture was to win them over rather than show his love publicly, but she still appreciated it.

“Thank you so much,” she looked around at the faces. “We may appear strangers now, but not for long. I look forward to getting to know each of you.”

Malcolm beckoned Duff to move forward. “As ye ken from afore, my brother, Master Duff MacDougal, is my steward. His orders come from me, and shall be taken as such.”

Duff made the same bow, hand over his heart. He said nothing.

“Where is the wee surprise for my wife?” asked Malcolm.

“Let him go, Roddy!”

A familiar bark made her catch her breath. “Chester?”

A dark streak dashed through the crowd. She couldn’t see him, but she could hear his barks. Malcolm dismounted and helped her down. He held her until her legs were steady. By then Chester was leaping up, his front paws on her dirty skirts. She laughed and gave him a good scratch around the ears, praising him for welcoming her. She’d assumed Malcolm wouldn’t let her bring her dog, especially as he and Chester had a few disagreements as to who was laird.

“My lady, if ye’ll come with me, we’ll get ye dry and warm.”

The familiar face and voice, one she’d counted on for years and never thought to hear again, made her knees buckle. Malcolm’s arm went around her ribs to hold her up.

“Bessie?” she croaked. Her eyes filled once more.

“Aye.” The wrinkled old woman beckoned her forward. “Ye’d not think I’d leave ye after carin’ for ye since afore ye was born?”

“We asked her to be your lady’s maid. She came ahead, with Chester and your bed, as the weather was clear,” said Malcolm. “Bessie wished it to be a surprise. Does this please ye?”

Kiera pressed her lips together, unable to talk. Malcolm was often gruff outside their chamber, making her think he didn’t care. Then he did something like this. She nodded.

“Thank you,” she managed to whisper.

“Duff, help our lady into our new home.”

Duff took one arm, Bessie the other. Chester pranced around them, proud as only a small, well-fed dog could be.

“Malcolm told ye the wee beastie wouldna travel with us, not that he’d be left behind,” murmured Duff in her ear. “He’s gruff as the role of laird rests heavily on his shoulders. Yet he cares for ye, as do I.” He dropped his hand to pat her bottom. “We’ll be proving that to ye after ye bathe.”

Kiera turned to her left and faced her new home. As Duff had said, the large, six-story tower was only part of the living quarters. An even larger section went to the right, all the way to the north wall. More pepper-pot coned turrets edged those corridors as well. As Lady, she was now responsible for managing it.

She walked through a sea of faces, some smiling, some eager, and some no doubt unhappy having MacKenzies take over what had once belonged to Clan Urquhart. It had passed through dowered property, so at least no blood had been spilled during the transfer. She would learn about these people in time.

A pair of women waited at the foot of the steps. Both wore white aprons over their clean working garb. Bessie gave a respectful bob to them. As Kiera’s lady’s maid, Bessie was in a difficult spot. Normally a lady’s maid reported to the housekeeper, but as Bessie was a longtime servant, one who’d served Kiera’s mother and helped raise their new lady, it complicated matters.

“My lady,” said Bessie, “this is Mistress Hetty, Kinrowan’s housekeeper, and Cook. They’ve been very good to me.”

Kiera welcomed them with her most gracious smile. These two women could make or break her as they had ruled Kinrowan for many years.

“My father, the Lord of Kintail, said I would learn many things from you. My laird husband spoke of how well you cared for them. And Master Duff said he ate better here than anywhere afore.”

“’Tis true,” said Duff. He patted his flat, hard belly. “I would have gained weight while I was here if I hadna trained so much with the men.”

The two women beamed. Cook bobbed. “I’d best get back to my kitchens. There’s hot stew with fresh bread and butter in the men’s hall when ye are ready for it, Master Duff.”

He held his hand on his heart and pretended to swoon. “Ye make it hard to obey my laird brother when ye say such sweet things in my ear, Cook.”

She turned pink, swatted his arm as if he were a lad, and bustled across to the north wall. Not only was the pathway covered, stone pavers ran from one side of the bailey to the other in front of the buildings. It would save people from getting wet and from tracking in as much mud. Kiera followed Hetty through the doorway. Inside was a small entryway. A set of straight stairs led down to the right while an extra-wide spiral staircase went up. Narrow windows brought enough light to see well.

“There’s two cellars and a prison pit down there,” said Hetty. “But ye can only get to the pit through the trap in the floor above.”

“I have no wish to see that,” she replied with a grimace.

“My brother Gillis met his wife Fiona in a pit,” said Duff. “They escaped Campbell of Glenorchy’s men, and now they have a tower on Loch Lochy.”

There was so much she didn’t know about her husbands. History would have to wait, as there was so much to learn about now.

“This stair is so wide,” she exclaimed, thinking of the narrow one she’d had to climb to her chamber at Castle Leod.

“’Tis a man’s stair, wide enough that I can raise my sword arm without hitting the wall with my blade,” said Duff. “It goes to the top, to the wall walk. The third floor is ours. Yer loom and spinning wheel will go in the solar. Our chamber has two windows to the southwest, facing Nigg Bay, and one looking down on the bailey.” Duff looked up with concern. “Do ye think ye can climb that many stairs?”

“For a hot bath, dry clothes, and food I’d climb to the top!” Kiera shooed him away. “Our laird needs you more than I.”

He gave her a barely perceptible wink. “Take care of her, ladies. We’ll be in later. Ye’d best be rested and ready to play.”

The last few words were whispered in her ear. Blushing, she lifted her skirts and began climbing. The heat from his words propelled her to the second floor where they took a break to see the Great Hall.

“A hundred men have exercised at the pike, all at once, in here,” said Hetty proudly.

“There’s nothing this grand at Castle Leod.”

“Beyond it is another hall, then Laird Malcolm’s office and that of Master Duff. There’s a balcony on the corner.” Hetty pointed across the room. “There’s a garderobe there, and one above it atween yer chamber and yer solar.”

“The Great Hall is lined with oak so the wind off the ocean shouldna blow up yer skirts,” said Bessie. Hetty gave her a look of shock at speaking of such things in front of the lady. Bessie moved close and spoke crisply. “Lady Kiera married a pair of MacDougals. Do ye ken the clan?” She waited for Hetty to shake her head. “There’s few lassies born where they’re from, so they marry in pairs. Two of the laird’s older brothers spent the summer at Castle Leod. They married Lady Alana Sinclair, the last child of the Earl of Caithness. Another pair are married to Lord Lovat’s niece, Lady Fiona Menzies.” She waited for Hetty to acknowledge that women of such importance accepted the double marriage. “The wives dinna complain. Far worse happens to lasses who are married to wicked men, aye?”

Hetty thought it over, frowning the while as Kiera waited anxiously. The person who really made things happen in a household was the housekeeper. After what had happened at Castle Leod, Kiera knew what it could be like if Hetty disapproved of her.

“Aye,” replied Hetty abruptly. Her brow cleared. “All saw that Laird Malcolm cares for ye. When he was here afore we kenned he was a good man, as is his brother. And we ken ye a wee bit as well, my lady.”

“You do?”

“Aye.” Hetty laid her fingers on Kiera’s arm. “My lady, many lassies will be thankin’ ye for the spoons ye carved with yer own hands. Each is a wee bit different,” she explained to Bessie, “so each lass had sommat of her own when she married. The baubles ye sent may be wee trinkets to ye, but to a lass who has naught, they were like gold.” She removed her hand and nodded briskly. “Ye’ll have no gossips or wickedness aimed at ye here, my lady. I will see to that!”

Kiera’s chin began to tremble again. She’d been so worried that her past mistakes would follow her.

“Nay, my lady, dinna weep. I didna mean aught by it!”

“Lady Kiera’s tired from travel, and the bairn,” said Bessie. “Best we get her in a tub of hot water and some food in her belly, aye?”

Eager to finally relax, Kiera grasped the thick guide rope and hauled herself up the last set of stairs. She allowed the older women to fuss at her because it made them feel useful and welcomed. And yes, she could use some tender care.

An anteroom to her right was broken by a door in a wooden partition. When the door was opened heat flowed out. A tub sat by the fire, a screen around it. She moaned in joy. The two women quickly stripped off her sodden clothing. Soon she was in bliss, soaking her bones in heat.

She had her bath, her bed, and some food. All she needed was a pair of husbands.

* * * *

Malcolm declined another tot of whiskey from the keg he’d opened. The arrival of Kinrowan’s lord and lady was something to be celebrated, especially as Kiera was already carrying a babe, proving her fertility. They were in the men’s hall on the first floor near the kitchen. Kinrowan was so large it had a place for them to gather and train out of the weather as well as an armory below with direct access to the bailey.