Plead Forgiveness (Loyalty Series) (38 page)

“For this eve, you can. A more permanent arrangement
will be made on the morrow, since I will nae allow Fin to use her hands until
they are fully healed.”

Turning her attention back to Fin, she asked softly,
“Has the pain lessened?”

“Aye. Thank ye, milady.”

Ualan was fairly disturbed by the woman’s bold
suggestion, but before he could argue, she made her way behind the counter and
donned an apron that hung on a hook by the ovens.

“I should warn ye, I possess mediocre cooking skills
at best,” she stated. “But, I listen well, if Fin would be good enough to
instruct me.”

Fin saw her determination then glanced at Ualan, whose
expression was one of utter disbelief. Trying to hide her giggle, she said,
“Aye, she has been trained in the kitchen, so it will nae-”

Ella cut in, “To be honest, I have nae been trained in
the kitchen.”

“Oh, I thought that all English ladies were trained in
the kitchen,” Fin assumed.

Shame washed over Ella as she explained, “Aye, you
have the right of it. My. . .my duties at Greystone were. . .um. . .they were.
. . of a different nature than the norm for English ladies.”

Fin and Ualan exchanged a look, then he walked over to
Ella and said, “I would be proud to have ye assist me this eve.”

“You may feel quite differently in a few hours?”

“We shall see,” he said with a smile.

Over the next hour, Ualan and Fin were flabbergasted
that she had not exaggerated her lack of culinary skill. This became painfully
evident when it took her three attempts to make manchet bread.

On her first attempt, she forgot to add the yeast. On
her second attempt, she added three times the amount of salt needed. But
thankfully, on her third attempt, she managed to make a loaf of bread that was
actually edible.

Fin was quite giddy from the pain medicine and each
time Ella made a mistake, her laughter filled the kitchen. Ualan cared little
about Ella’s mistakes, which were numerous. His main concern was for Fin, and
when he heard her contagious laughter, he too found amusement.

Although Lady Ella could not bake bread to save her
life, Ualan learned that she had been taught at least to cook rabbit. Not well,
but somewhat palatable

“My father often took me hunting when I was young and
taught me how to prepare and cook any game we brought down.”

Ualan saw the pain and sorrow when she mentioned her
father and he attempted to lift her spirits. “’Tis my belief he would be verra
proud of what ye cook this eve. As for what ye baked. . .” He then pointed to
the flatten bread, which was next to the salt-rich bread.

With a mischievous grin, he suggested, “I’m thinking
Tavish would be delighted to taste the bread made with a wee bit more salt than
usual, especially when I make him aware that Lady Ella slaved over the oven to
produce such a fine dish.”

Both Fin and Ella laughed at his outrageous
suggestion, but their mirth was interrupted when Tavish and his mother walked
into the kitchen.

Lady Esme had been told of Fin’s injury and that Lady
Ella had offered to help with the meal. She had been ready to storm into the
kitchen to rescue her new daughter from the beastly cook when a servant
explained that the normally surly, discourteous man was actually acting with
the patience of a saint. She and Tavish had not believed it, but upon entering
the kitchen they were quick to notice the easy amity between Ella and the cook.

After asking how Fin was faring and assuring the lass
that her duties would be taken care of until she was healed, the long-time
mistress of Doran Castle turned her gaze on Ualan and Ella. “The meal was
excellent, my compliments.”

Heat crept into Ella’s face, keenly aware she was not
worthy of such praise. Deciding to reveal her inadequacies in the kitchen to
Gavin’s mother, she stiffened her shoulders and took a hesitant step forward.
But, just as she opened her mouth to speak, Ualan responded to the older
woman‘s praise.

“Thank ye, Milady.” Turning to Tavish, he said, “Ye
are a lucky man for Lady Ella has made ye a special treat.”

More than pleased by this announcement, Tavish looked
at Ella and said, “Thank ye, ‘twas verra kind and I appreciate the gesture.”

“Tavish, I am nae sure. . .”

Ualan nudged Ella, then said, “Now, lass, let the man
enjoy the most delicious bread in all of Scotland.”

Handing the bread to his laird’s brother, he added, “I
assure ye, Tavish, ye have ne’er tasted anything like this before.”

“I can hardly wait,” he exclaimed then took a
monstrous bite. The look of true enjoyment disappeared like a flash of
lightning.

He refused to chew, until his mother said, “Go on and
finish it. I’m sure it’s wonderful.”

A pleading look crossed Tavish’s face as he slowly
shook his head. Realizing his actions would hurt Ella’s feeling, he reluctantly
began to chew. The need to spit out the distasteful bread was so great that he
swallowed it whole. The foul creation sat heavily in his stomach, and he was
assailed by guilt momentarily. Then dawning fell upon him when he noticed Ella,
Ualan and Fin’s animated expression.

Not one to be outdone, Tavish turned to his mother and
said, “How inconsiderate of me to nae share this delightful treat with ye.”
With a smile on his face, he handed her a piece of the unpalatable bread.

Smiling at her thoughtful son, Lady Esme lifted the
savory treat to her mouth and took a bite. Shocked and unprepared for the
horrific taste, she instantly spit the odious bread onto the counter.

“God Almighty, ‘tis the worst bread . . . Ella, ye are
my daughter now and I love ye, but lord in heaven ne’er have I . . .” Due to
the vile lingering taste in her mouth, she was unable to finish and rushed to
drink a goblet of water.

To the amusement of those watching, the sweet and
delicate older woman swirled the liquid around in her mouth, and then in a most
unlady-like fashion, spat it onto the ground.

Peals of laughter rippled through the air while the
victims of the tomfoolery washed their mouths out. Both Lady Esme and Tavish
thought it a great jest, but were more pleased that Ella no longer opposed
their company.

Ella was mortified when Ualan went on to explain about
her first two attempts of making bread, which clearly defined her lack of
culinary skill. But, her embarrassment was a fleeting emotion, and she soon discovered
that even with her faults, she was still accepted. They did not berate her
efforts or criticize her scant knowledge of cooking. And she was elated that
they continue to jest with her and did not expect her to rectify her limited
education in the kitchen.

“I'll find you in the morning so I can tend to your
hands,” Ella told Fin before retiring to her chamber.

“Thank ye, Milady.”

“And Ualan, if you need my help again, I’d be more
than willing.”

“Lady Ella, ye have many fine skills, but cooking is
nae one of them,” he chuckled. “Ye are more than welcome to visit us in the
kitchen, but if ye take one step near me ovens, I‘ll put ye over my shoulder
and throw ye into the loch.”

Ella giggled at his threat, knowing that a bond had
formed tonight between her and the two cooks.

Moments later in Ella’s bedchamber, Lady Esme helped
her new daughter undress and don her bedding attire.

“Ne’er have I seen Ualan behave in such a manner as he
did this night.”

“Aye, you said he was usually quite difficult,” Ella
said as a lightweight, knee length chemise was pulled over her head. “Actually
you said he was a beast of a man.”

When she was tucked into bed, the older woman
explained, “Aye, he is usually apoplectic with rage at the slightest
provocation.”

“Because of his injury?”

“Aye, his rancorous behavior developed once he
accepted that his life as a warrior had come to an end. But, ‘twas long ago.”
Esme kissed the young lass’s forehead, then whispered, “A restful sleep awaits
ye, my daughter.”

Ella was doubtful that sleep would come, but comforted
by the maternal love that radiated from the gentlewoman. As usual of late when
she was alone, amidst the darkness of the chamber, her mind drifted to Gavin.

She often tried to imagine him riding through the
gates of Doran Castle with a proud smile on his devastatingly handsome face as
he glanced over his shoulder to see Lady Eleanor and Sir James riding in his
wake. Sobbing with relief and joy, Ella would run across the bailey and then
embrace her aunt and uncle.

Gavin would be watching a short distance away,
enjoying his wife’s reunion with her family. But Ella would not ignore the man
who risked his life to save her family. She would race over and jump into his
outstretched arms, and then kiss him they way a woman kisses the man she loves.

She prayed that the beautiful scene her active
imagination created would soon become a reality. Unfortunately, the years at
Greystone taught her to keep a loose grip on hope, so it would hurt less when
her dreams were destroyed.

The next morning Ella arrived in the kitchen at dawn
and was pleased to see Fin sitting on the stool while Ualan hand fed her apple
slices. The tender scene reminded her of what she noticed last night, that the
boorish cook cared deeply for Fin, mayhap even loved her. Curious by nature,
Ella was determined to learn their story.

“Good morrow, Ualan, Fin.”

“Aboot time ye were up and seeing to yer duties,”
Ualan snorted.

With a smile, Ella replied sarcastically, “And to
think they said you were a cantankerous old man. I for one could never agree
with such slander, especially after that joyful greeting.”

After putting her satchel on a nearby table and taking
out what she needed, she walked over to Fin.

“And how are you feeling this morning?”

Ualan took a menacing step towards her, then spat,
“Canna ye see she’s in pain? Ye will ease her suffering or so help me-”

With a raised hand, Ella stopped his tirade and
stated, “Your threat is unwarranted since you know very well that I will do all
in my power to help her.”

“Your hands look to be healing quite nicely,” she
confirmed a moment later, after she unwrapped Fin’s hands and saw no sign of
infection and minimal swelling. She then put the burnt limbs into the basin of
cool water Ualan pushed towards them and asked, “When did you start feeling
pain?”

“A few moments ago,” Fin replied softly.

“I will make you another drink that will alleviate
pain for a few hours. I will leave Ualan with the herbs needed so he can make
it for you around mid-day.”

After finishing the god-awful drink, Fin asked, “How
will he ken the amount needed, milady?”

She handed Fin a small drawstring pouch. “The exact
amount needed for one drink has already been measured and is in the pouch. Just
add the contents to a goblet of mulled wine and stir.”

“Thank ye, milady.”

“Please, call me Ella. When I hear, ‘milady’, I think
of my Aunt Eleanor, for everyone referred to her thusly at Greystone.”

Ualan asked the obvious question, “And how were ye
addressed?”

“Lady Ella, but Aunt Eleanor and Uncle James called me
Ella. I much prefer the latter of the two.”

“Oh nae, mil. . .Lady Ella. We canna call ye by yer
given name, it would be disrespectful,” Fin declared.

Ella’s disappointment was obvious when she said, “Aye,
I just hoped . . . well never mind that. If you are more comfortable calling me
Lady Ella, then please do so.”

Ualan recognized her need to remove the rigid
structure and formality that divided the social classes. His respect for her
rose when he realized that the laird’s new wife wanted to belong because of the
person she was, not the title she was born into.

He also noticed the pain and vulnerability that
surrounded the young lass. Aye, he knew her story, as did all the Macleods.
When he had first heard the depressing tale of Lady Ella’s life at Greystone,
he cared naught. She was an English Lady bred to be vain, conceited and utterly
worthless.

Yet, Ella possessed none of those qualities. Her
genuine concern for others was like a breath of fresh air, but it did not
outshine her natural wit and charm. He had honestly enjoyed her company last
eve, even though she spent most of the time breaking his dishes or making food
that even the dogs refused. Normally, he would have kicked the useless twit out
of his kitchen, but his patience with her grew when he saw her earnest desire
to help and the amusement in Fin’s eyes. Aye, she had won him over.

“Ella, when ye are finished fussing over my wee Fin,
ye will break yer fast.”

Her face immediately brightened at being addressed as
‘Ella’ and not ‘Lady Ella’.

“Dinna think I nae notice how little ye eat,” he added
gruffly. “Yer too thin, and I see I’ll have my work cut out for me trying to
fatten ye up.”

“Ualan, ye will apologize this instant.” Fin was quick
to reprimand. “Dinna turn yer back on me ye crotchety old man!”