Black Richard's Heart (The MacCulloughs #1) - Suzan Tisdale Page 0,38
and where the men are workin’.”
“But do ye see him?”
Marisse rolled her eyes. “Be still!” she whispered harshly.
“He’s out there,” Mildred told them. “But I dunnae think he will take kindly to the idea of the two of ye bein’ up here. Mayhap ye should call for him.”
Aeschene was not about to take the time to explain that she had in fact, called for her husband on several separate occasions these past days. Each time Loreen returned, ’twas with the message that he was busy and she needed to stay in her chamber until he came for her.
She had waited long enough.
Giving Marisse a little shove, she said, “Let us not tarry any longer.”
Marisse rolled her eyes. A lock of hair had come loose and was tickling her forehead. She blew it out of the way, took Aeschene’s hand and said, “Ye need to be patient and listen to me. We’ll be walking along a balcony of sorts. There is scaffoldin’ everywhere, so ye best get yer temper under control. If ye fall, ye will have no one to blame but yerself.”
Realizing the two women were about to embark on something quite dangerous, Mildred scurried forward. “Ye cannae mean to take her out there!” she exclaimed.
“Aye, she does,” Aeschene replied sternly, answering Marisse’s behalf.
“Ye will need to duck down,” Marisse told her. “Watch yer head,” she said as she placed a hand on Aeschene’s back and guided her through the open window.
Grabbing a handful of skirt, Aeschene made her way through the window and eagerly waited for Marisse’s next instruction. To her, it seemed the entire ordeal was taking forever. She had a husband to scold.
“Take the loop,” Marisse said, guiding her hand to her back. “And do not try to rush!”
When Mildred realized just how angry her laird was going to be when he saw his wife out on the dangerous balcony, she could not resist following the two women out. Undoubtedly, ‘twould be a fight betwixt man and wife that would become legendary.
Carefully, Marisse led them around the corner. Half way across the balcony, she stopped so abruptly and without warning, that Mildred bumped into Aeschene.
“Och, m’lady!” she said.
Marisse turned to glower at the older woman. “What are ye doin’ here?”
Before the woman could answer, a voice — low, a bit angry, and confused as well — said, “I was about to ask ye the same thing.”
’Twas Lachlan.
“We’re out for a wee bit of a stroll,” Marisse replied.
Lachlan did not for even the briefest moment, believe her. Marisse did not rightly care if he did or not. She was on a mission to help her friend.
“Again, I ask what the three of ye are doin’ up here. ’Tis dangerous.”
Pulling back her shoulders and lifting her chin, Aeschene said, “We are perfectly aware of that fact, Lachlan.” Leaning in to Marisse, she whispered, “Is he blockin’ our way?”
“Aye, he is,” Marisse answered, not taking her eyes away from Lachlan.
“Step aside,” Aeschene ordered him.
Lachlan raised one brow, dubious with her order. “Mildred, since these two refuse to tell me what they are about, I shall ask ye.”
Mildred, while a bit afraid of Lachlan, for who wouldn’t be for he oft looked angry, decided she liked her lady and her maid. She’d never seen anyone give Lachlan an order before, aside from her laird and master, Black Richard. You had to admire women brave enough to do such a thing, she supposed.
Painting on a look of innocence and feigned ignorance, she said, “Ask me what?”
Lachlan glowered at her. “Why are the three of ye up here?”
“I cannae rightly say,” Mildred answered him.
Growing more perturbed by the moment, yet remaining undeterred he asked, “Cannae say or will not say?”
“Say what?” Mildred asked him.
Lachlan stepped around Marisse and Aeschene. “Ye ken bloody well what I mean, Mildred.”
Looking absurdly insulted, Mildred said, “Now, laddie, how am I to ken what ye mean? I cannae read a man’s mind!”
While the two of them argued, Aeschene and Marisse took a few cautious steps away. They paused, once, only to see if Lachlan had noticed.
“Woman!” Lachlan was yelling at Mildred. “I asked, why are ye out here?”
“And I told ye I cannae say!”
Seeing that Lachlan was firmly occupied, Marisse began to lead Aeschene toward the opposite end of the balcony.
“Do ye see him?” Aeschene whispered anxiously.
“Aye. He’s across the way.”
“Where?”
Letting loose a frustrated breath, Marisse replied, “Straight ahead. Mayhap fifteen to twenty steps forward. He’s hammerin’ at somethin’.”
For years, Marisse had been explaining everything in the greatest