Black Richard's Heart (The MacCulloughs #1) - Suzan Tisdale Page 0,141
best to mask her fury. Slowly, she got to her feet. “Ye wish nae to serve my friend?”
“I believe I made myself clear,” Loreen said.
“Verra well, Loreen. If ye do nae wish to serve her, ye do nae have to.”
All eyes turned to look at Aeschene as she stepped away from the table. “Lachlan, are ye here?”
Lachlan stood from one of the other tables and came forward. “Aye, m’lady, I am.”
“Loreen has made it abundantly clear she does nae wish to serve Keevah. I am going to grant her request.”
She couldn’t know how deflated Keevah appeared. Her shoulders were slumped, her face burning with shame and humiliation.
“Loreen will nae be workin’ in the kitchens any longer. Please, let Kate ken that Loreen will be workin’ in the laundry from now on.”
Loreen was appalled. “Ye cannae do that!”
“Oh, I believe I can,” Aeschene said. “Ye have insulted my friend, ye have insulted me, and everyone else who dines at this table. I will nae tolerate such insolence or rudeness.”
“Richard will nae allow ye to do this,” Loreen exclaimed.
“I am the chatelaine and lady of this keep,” Aeschene reminded her. “Ye will be allowed to sleep within the keep for now. But ye will nae be workin’ in the kitchens. Ye will be workin’ in the laundry.”
Loreen was livid. “Who do ye think ye are to treat me like this?”
’Twas Frances who answered that question. “She is our lady, Loreen. I suggest ye remember that.” Her statement was met with several ayes and approving nods from the other people at the table.
“I was nae talkin’ to ye,” Loreen seethed.
“Lachlan, please escort Loreen to the laundry now,” Aeschene directed. “Have Mairi come to me at her earliest convenience.” Mairi was the woman in charge of the laundry. Aeschene had only met her once since arriving, but she seemed a nice woman. “And please send Hattie to me when ye are done so that I can inform her of the changes.”
Lachlan gave an inclination of his head and took Loreen by her arm.
“Ye will nae get away with this!” she cried as Lachlan pulled her out of the gathering room.
A nervous hush had fallen over the room. Aeschene retook her seat, smiling at her guests. “Let us eat before it gets cold.”
Frances patted Keevah on her arm. “We have never liked Loreen,” she whispered. “I would much rather have ye as a friend.”
A tear ran down Keevah’s cheek. “Thank ye,” she murmured.
“I as well,” Marisse said. “Loreen has hated us since we arrived. No matter how civil we are to her, she continues to be rude.”
“I would keep a careful eye on Loreen,” Frances said. “I dunnae trust her at all.”
From the whispered ayes and nodding heads, no one else at their table trusted her either.
Aeschene enjoyed the companionship of the other women, although there was an underlying current of sadness. No one forgot why they were here to begin with. Still, it was a pleasant evening considering the circumstances. Admittedly, she did feel a sense of relief and even a bit of victorious having dismissed Loreen from working in the kitchens. As far as she was concerned it was no less than the woman deserved.
Her thoughts never strayed far from Richard, Colyne, or Rory. She ate only because she knew she must, for her babe’s sake. She also knew she must project strength to those around her. It would do none of them any good to appear weak or despondent.
Occasionally, she felt little flutters from her babe. She felt he was reminding her he was here and this, her family, her clan, was worth fighting for.
Aeschene only half-listened to the women chatting amiably. Her mind kept wandering to her husband and Colyne. Oh, how she missed them! Anger bubbled in her stomach when she thought of what might be happening to them. If I ever get the chance to kill Randall Chisolm…
“M’lady! He is awake!” One of the older men came racing down the stairs. He had been sitting with Raibeart for the past hour so that the women folk could take a much needed break.
Aeschene scooted from the table as quickly as she could. She needn’t direct Marisse to take the lead. Inserting her finger into the loop, the women took to the stairs and all but ran down the hall to Raibeart’s room.
“Thank God!” Marisse exclaimed with much relief. “His color is good, Aeschene.” She led Aeschene to his bedside. The relief at hearing he had finally awakened washed over her.