Highlander’s Unexpected Love by Alisa Adams

Author:Alisa Adams [Adams, Alisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Highland
Published: 2018-09-21T21:00:00+00:00

HEATHER NORMALLY WOKE around six-thirty in the morning to wash, have breakfast, take Tommy out for a ride if it was dry, and go to the schoolroom to prepare for lessons. The housemaid usually woke her with tea at that time, but this morning when she knocked on the door, expecting to be summoned to come in, all was silent.

Puzzled, she waited, knocked again and called out, "Mistress! Mistress Heather! I have yer tea!"

When there was still no response she waited a while longer then went back down to the kitchen. She found Agnes, Heather's maid, sitting with the housekeeper. It was Agnes's custom to go up and help Heather to wash and dress, so she had expected to go up to her room a few moments later.

"Miss!" The housemaid, Ella, was flustered by now. "The Mistress' door is locked. I ca'ed her but there's nae answer."

"She might hae gone oot wi' Tommy," Agnes said briskly. "She takes these daft notions sometimes. Let us see."

When they arrived, upstairs Agnes knocked again.

"Mistress!" she called loudly, "are ye awake?"

Not a sound came from inside, and Agnes pulled out the bunch of keys she kept in her pocket, selecting the one for Heather's room. She opened it and stepped inside, followed by Ella. The room was dark, but that was normal since the dawn would not arrive for a few hours yet. Ella lit a candle, and by its fitful light, they could see that the bed had not been slept in. Agnes pulled the curtains open forcefully and looked around the bedroom. Everything was as normal except for the tidy bed, but when she went to open the wardrobe her heart sank.

Oh, Mistress Heather, she thought, whit have ye done?

Heather's cupboards were full of ball gowns and evening wear, dainty high-heeled slippers and fine leather boots. However, the heavy furs, woolen cloaks, and practical day dresses were gone, as well as her heavy shoes and riding boots. Agnes looked in her chest of drawers and found that all the delicate, lacy underwear and silk stockings had been left behind, but her warm woolen stockings and undergarments had disappeared. Her lace and feather trimmed bonnets and hats were still there, as well as her fur muffs, but her warm woolen gloves and scarves had been taken away.

Lastly, she went to examine Heather's jewelry box, which was always kept in a locked drawer in a locked box in her bureau. Agnes found the drawer standing open about two inches and was not surprised upon opening it to find that the jewelry box was wide open and every last ring, bracelet, and necklace had gone. She pulled the box out and looked underneath it as if she would bring it all back if she looked hard enough. Ella was behind her looking over her shoulder, stealing with her eyes the gossip she would store up for later consumption in the kitchen.

At last, Agnes sighed and stood up. There was going to be a storm of biblical proportions in a moment and she took a deep breath, trying to prepare for it.

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