Laiden's Daughter by Suzan Tisdale

Author:Suzan Tisdale
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: suzan tisdale, romance adventure, highlanders, romance historical, scotland, romance adult fiction, romance, romance adult historical, laidens daughter, romance book series
Publisher: Suzan Tisdale

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Aishlinn dressed quickly and ran to the kitchens to eat before racing to Isobel’s private chambers. Quite excited to begin to learn to weave, she tapped gently on the door before Isobel opened it. Her chin nearly hit the floor when she entered the room for it was filled nearly top to bottom with books!

Aishlinn had only seen one book in her life. It was the Bible the priest read at the funerals. In the lowlands, they were not allowed such things as to own books. It was considered a blasphemy against God, the church and the King to teach girl children to read, and only a very few of the boys were educated beyond spelling their own names. Reading, owning books, that was a right held only by the privileged and powerful English.

Isobel watched Aishlinn closely for a long moment as she watched the young woman’s eyes grow wide with awe.

Aishlinn stood frozen as she soaked it all in. A massive fireplace nearly as big as the one in the gathering room took up most of one wall. A shield with two crossed broadswords hung over the dark mantle. A large trestle table flanked by benches stood in the center of the room. Soft and luxurious rugs were scattered across the floor.

And the books! Hundreds of books sat on heavy wooden shelves tucked into nearly every crook and cranny and dozens more sat atop the table. Aishlinn took no notice of the looms that sat in front of the tall windows, for it was the books that captured her attention and heart.

“Aishlinn, what are ya thinking?” Isobel asked curiously.

“You have books,” she said breathlessly.

“Aye, we do,” Isobel said, realizing the lass could not read. Isobel knew all too well the opinions the English held on educating girls. “Ya dunna read, do ya, lass?” Knowing the answer beforehand.

“Nay!” Aishlinn said, shocked at such a notion. “Tis considered a blasphemy for a girl to read!”

Disgusted at those people who refused to educate their children, Isobel huffed. “People with power like to keep their people ignorant. They do it only so they may hold more power over them. Heaven forbid a body should have an intelligent, independent thought! Especially a female!”

She was determined to not allow this young woman to be lost any longer. Books would open worlds that Aishlinn could not begin to imagine existed. “We shall rectify that situation at once!” she told Aishlinn. “Ye’ll learn to read and to write and to figure sums. ‘Tis quite important for a proper lady to know such things, lass!”

Aishlinn stood aghast at the thought. “But ‘tis considered an offense against the church and the King!” she whispered as if their voices would be carried straight to the king’s ears.

Isobel laughed sweetly and shook her head. “Lass. Ye be no longer in the hands of the English. Here, we do teach our children to read. It is considered an offense not to!”

Slowly Aishlinn’s lips began to turn upward and she suddenly felt wicked, as if she were doing something very, very wrong.

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