Border Lord by Arnette Lamb

Author:Arnette Lamb [Lamb, Arnette]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Scottish, General
ISBN: 9781626813182
Google: EiDTAwAAQBAJ
Amazon: B00LEORN0Q
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2014-06-16T16:00:00+00:00

11

Miriam dawdled at her toilet, her thoughts ambling from the meeting ahead to the rendezvous past to nothing at all. Depending on the topic, she felt listless, invigorated, and challenged. Sometimes she shivered and felt her knees go weak; other times she ground her teeth and prayed for patience. Once she cried. Never did she regret.

After her arrival hours before, she had thrown open the drapes and stood at the window, watching the sun creep into the sky. Then she'd paced the floor until the maid had come to build up the fire and draw her bath.

Now, she dragged the brush through her still-damp hair and wondered how she'd get through the day, or how harshly she should deal with the earl, or how her body could speak so eloquently to a dark stranger who wouldn't reveal his true identity. Or how he could know her so well.

You shiver in your sleep and dream dreams that make you weep and whimper like a lost child.

Someone scratched on the door. Miriam sighed, smiled, and said, "Come."

A plump maid bustled into the room, a covered tray in her hands, a bundle of dried heather under her arm. "Morning, milady." She dipped a neat curtsy and deposited the tray on the bedside table.

The smell of food triggered a raging hunger in Miriam. Her mouth watering, she put down the brush and went to investigate the food. Beneath the ironed napkin lay a feast of kippers, tatties, scones, and oat pudding. A frosty pewter goblet brimmed with icy cold milk.

As if today were Fat Tuesday, she devoured the crunchy fish and feather-light pastry. The maid stoked the fire and tossed in the heather. The burning plants filled the room with the sweet smell of summer.

The maid began fluffing the pillows. Miriam dove into the tatties and oat pudding.

"Would ye be carin' for more kippers, milady? There's fish aplenty, thanks to his lordship."

An odd thought seeped into Miriam's euphoria. She looked at the maid, who was frowning as she stripped the case from a pillow. "What's your name?"

Flipping the pillowcase over her shoulder, the maid said, "My given name's Faith, but they all calls me Saucy."

Food momentarily forgotten, Miriam rose. "Well, I'd call you a mind reader, Saucy. I was famished."

The maid reached for another pillow. "His lordship said 'twould be the case."

Miriam grew exceedingly curious, for the earl couldn't have an inkling as to her mood. She hadn't seen him in weeks. Had the Border Lord crept into the castle and told the earl? Probably so.

"Oh?" challenged Miriam. "Is his lordship a mind reader, then?"

Saucy's jaw grew slack and her gaze darted from the pillow to the rumpled counterpane, to the empty tankard. "Ah, would ye be carin' for more milk, milady?"

Hiding a smile, Miriam said, "No. But I wonder… How did the earl know I'd take breakfast so early—and in my room?"

The maid opened her mouth, closed it, then leaned over the bed. "Will you look at these stains?" With a loud pop, she jerked the pillowcase from her shoulder and began rubbing vigorously at the sheet.

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