As Lady Alison glanced back over her shoulder at her son and then to her, Mary wondered how long it would be before the dowager duchess took her aside and began to ask probing questions. From the glint in Lady Alison’s eyes, she deduced it would not be long.
Chapter Nine
Mary’s first encounter with having her own maid was a touch awkward. Having gone back to the coach to retrieve her travel bag, she was politely informed that all her things had been brought inside and were waiting for her in her room.
Her room within the castle, it transpired, was more of a small apartment than a simple bedroom. It had a separate sitting room as well as two bedrooms. The walls were decorated with wallpaper in the Strathmore tartan. Mary was grateful that the imposing theme did not carry to the plush blue carpet on the floor.
A maid was busy unwrapping the parcels of clothes that Hugh had bought for Mary in Edinburgh. As soon as she saw the maid untying the string which held the parcels together, Mary hurried over.
“Oh, please, let me do that. You don’t need to,” she said.
The maid frowned. “It’s nae bother, miss; this is ma job. I won’t take long. I will hang your things up in the wardrobe and then be leavin’. If you need anything else after that, either pull on the bell here or find a footman. There is always someone about the castle who can help.”
Mary’s hopes to unwrap the new clothes herself and spend time admiring them were scuttled by her unexpected social status of being an honored guest of the house.
Making short work of unpacking Mary’s things, the maid hung everything in the oversized oak wardrobe, she then gave a quick bob of a curtsey before leaving.
With the maid finally gone, a slightly frazzled Mary sat down on the well-appointed sofa which graced her sitting room. The furnishings of the room spoke of an opulent lifestyle she could only imagine living. After pulling off her gloves, she let her fingers touch the soft black leather. With her fingertips barely skimming the surface of the sofa, she lay back and closed her eyes.
“This is bliss,” she whispered to herself
A soft tap on the door roused her some time later. Blinking, and wiping sleep from her eyes, she opened it. Hugh was standing on the threshold.
“Do you have everything you need? Has your maid been in to attend to your garments?” he asked.
“Yes, I have everything, thank you. But I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with the maid, do I pay her?” she replied. Her greatest fear was that she would somehow put a foot wrong and have the castle staff think her rude. Was she supposed to tip the staff like porters at a hotel? She had heard that was the proper thing to do. She would leave a coin for the maid next time just to be sure.
“Just let them go about their work; they are here to help you. You only have to ask. And no, you don’t need to pay her,” he said.
It was nice to have a maid, but she was not comfortable with the idea. A few weeks in Scotland would spoil her for the life she had waiting for her back in Cambridge. No one would be pressing her gowns for her once she returned to England. The furniture in her cramped bedsit would consist of a small bed and a single chair.
Hugh’s gaze went to her hair, and the hint of a shy smile appeared on his face. “I was waiting in the great hall for you to make an appearance, but when you didn’t, I thought I should come and find you. You look like you took the opportunity for a nap.”
She put a hand to her hair. The soft chignon she had fashioned that morning had fallen, and badly needed repair. “I sat to rest my eyes and must have fallen asleep.”
Hugh stopped a passing footman and murmured instructions. The footman nodded, then hurried away.
“I have asked that your maid attend to you and fix your hair. I thought you might like to take a stroll around the castle once you are ready. Make sure you dress warm.”
Mary frowned. She had been managing her hair since she was a little girl; the thought of sitting while a maid attended to it struck her as odd.
Hugh leaned in and took hold of her hand. “Enjoy your time here and let the castle servants assist you. If you don’t, then they will think they have done something wrong. And then we shall have Master Crowdie having a word with my brother, and eventually I will be taken aside and spoken to. So please, let your maid, whose name is Heather, fix your hair.”
After Hugh made the proper introductions, he left Mary and Heather to overcome their initial awkward start. While Heather set Mary’s hair, they discussed a daily routine which would suit them both. Once Mary’s chignon had been set to right, she retrieved her new fur hat from the cupboard.
“Do you have any hatpins, miss?” asked Heather
“No. I forgot them.” Her only good hatpin had recently broken, and she had decided replacing it could wait until she had more money.
“I shall see if I can find you some, but in the meantime, you will have tae watch out for the wind. It does loves tae steal the hat from your head,” said Heather.
Heather left the room singing a happy little ditty, leaving Mary to finish dressing for her walk with Hugh. With her new thick coat buttoned to the neck, Mary was as warm as toast. She stuffed her gloves into her pockets, then stood back
