Devil of the Highlands Page 0,36

me with my bath I thought you were a maid, and then I came in here and you are obviously in charge of the kitchens, but Scatchy called you my lady, and yet my husband did not mention having female relatives. Though, he did not mention male relatives either. In truth, he has said little to me at all except to give me orders," she added with irritation.

Then, seeing how Biddy was staring at her silent and eyes wide, ended apologetically, "Not that any of that matters except to explain that I fear I am not sure who you are."

Much to her amazement, Biddy—or Lady Biddy—appeared to be struggling not to laugh. For the life of her, Evelinde couldn't think what was so amusing. She herself was terribly embarrassed by her lack of knowledge and more than a little angry at her husband for leaving her in such an ignorant state.

"Eat yer sweet, lass," Biddy said finally, managing to keep a straight face. "I shall explain all while ye eat."

Heaving out a little sigh, Evelinde reached for her mead and took a sip as the woman began to speak.

"I am Cullen's aunt," Biddy announced as she returned to pick up her knife once more. "Tavis is my son, and Darach was my husband."

Evelinde's eyes widened incredulously as she recognized the name of the uncle Cullen was said to have killed. She bit her lip and watched silently as the woman set back to work cutting up the chicken for what appeared to be a stew. "But why are you working in the kitchens?"

Biddy grinned. "Ye make it sound like some form of punishment."

"Well…" Evelinde glanced around, reluctant to insult the woman by saying she thought it must be, but her expression must have spoken for her, because the woman laughed.

"I like to cook," she assured her with amusement. "I always have. I used to hang about, pestering our cook at MacFarlane when I was a child. Of course, my mother deplored the oddity and tried to steer me away from it, and did manage to until I had a home of my own, but once here, I returned to pestering the cook here in her kitchens. She taught me a thing or two just to make me let her be… and because she didn't have a choice since I was her lady," she added wryly. "And over the years I've done more and more in the kitchens."

"And your husband did not mind?" Evelinde asked curiously. Her own father would have been horrified to find her mother working in the kitchens.

"My husband did not care what I did so long as I was happy and not nagging after him," she said wryly.

"Oh," Evelinde murmured.

"And it turns out my pasties and some of my other dishes are so good, none of the men complain," Biddy added with a grin, then said more seriously, "I am not in the kitchens all the time. I merely help out on occasion, or take over for Cook when she needs to be away. Right now she is away for a couple of days visiting her daughter, so I get to play cook until her return."

"Oh," Evelinde said again, then cleared her throat, and said, "Well, thank you very much for helping me with my bath."

Biddy chuckled. "What else could I do? I'd sent the servants away. Besides, it gave me a chance to get to know you a little. I am just sorry I did not realize you had no idea who I was, else I would have explained. Now"—she waved her knife toward the pasty she'd had fetched for her, and ordered—"eat. Yer body needs sustenance to heal, and pasties are my specialty."

Evelinde managed a smile and picked up the pasty. She sighed as flavor exploded in her mouth with the first bite, even as the pastry seemed to melt away to nothing on her tongue. "Oh, this is lovely, my lady. So sweet and flaky."

Biddy flushed with pleasure at the compliment. " 'Tis my specialty. Everyone at Donnachaidh loves 'em. Especially Fergus. That man's in here at least ten times a day trying to steal one. They go quick, so I'll be sure to keep a couple extra aside fer ye each time I do."

"Aye, please do," Evelinde murmured, then took another bite, marveling at how good they were. She'd always thought the cook at d'Aumesbery was good, but he'd never made anything like this. In truth, she didn't think the man was big