Lady Miracle by Susan King

Author:Susan King
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, FIC027050, Fiction, Historical, General
ISBN: 9780451407665
Publisher: Topaz
Published: 1997-08-01T21:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Dawn light, the plaintive cries of seabirds, and a sweet, poignant singing voice awoke Michael. She opened her eyes and turned on her side, nested in a deep feather mattress, and looked across the chamber.

Diarmid’s sister Sorcha sat in a deep window niche on a cushioned stone bench. Light poured over her from the large double-arched window, its upper section filled with milky glass, its lower section unshuttered. Sorcha held a small piece of embroidery stretched on a frame, and sang as she worked the needle in and out of the fabric.

The melody was one Michael had heard Gilchrist play on his harp, but she had not heard lyrics before. She listened as the quiet voice brought her to alertness. The song told of the children of an earthly woman and a male selkie, enchanted seal children who left their mother with her blessing, and swam away with their magical father. The melody was haunting, the words poignant and wistful.

Sorcha ended her song on a pure, hovering note and turned. “Lady Michael!” she said. “Good morn. Are you feeling better?”

Michael sat up, straightening her rumpled silk chemise, all that she wore. “Much better, thank you,” she said. “I ask your pardon for my sorry state when I arrived here. I think I hardly spoke to anyone, and only wanted to sleep.” She swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I did not mean to be rude.”

”Ach, you were exhausted,” Sorcha said, rising from her seat and coming forward. She lifted Michael’s black woolen gown and surcoat from a wall peg and laid them on the bed. “Ocean sickness can drain the strength. You needed the rest. There will be plenty of time for us to visit.” She smiled. “I hope you do not mind me coming in here while you slept. I often sit by this window and watch the sea, and the seals playing on the rocks far out.”

Michael looked around the small chamber, its finest feature the window niche with stone benches overlooking an expanse of sky and sea. “This is a lovely chamber. The view of the open ocean is magnificent.”

“Ranald often sleeps here, as he says he does not wish to disturb me,” Sorcha said. “But since he is not at Glas Eilean now, I thought you might enjoy it.”

Wondering if Sorcha knew who was true owner of Glas Eilean, Michael reminded herself of Sorcha’s kindness and decided to say nothing of it to her. She stood and picked up the leather sack she had brought with a few items, which someone had carried up from the birlinn. She changed her chemise to one of deep blue silk, and pulled on her clothing, clean hose, and a belt of flat brass links. Then she combed her fingers through her tangled hair and went toward a tiny privy chamber curtained at one end of the room. When she returned, Sorcha looked up.

“I will order a bath prepared for you later. I want you to be comfortable and at home here.

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