He nodded slowly. “You worked a farm, did you not? You can cook, clean, sew.” He clipped each of those words as though counting off a list.
“Aye.” She had essentially been the family servant. No task too menial or grand. She did them all, including managing the household ledger. She mentioned that then. “I managed the household.”
“Ah.” He snapped his fingers. “A housekeeper then. You sound aptly qualified to that task.”
Housekeeper. That would be an improvement over unwanted wife, she supposed. She eyed him suspiciously. Was he implying he would help her find a situation? It was almost too much to hope.
“I have a position for you. I’m on my way to my property in the north. On the Black Isle.”
The Black Isle was far north indeed. It was quite the opposite of where she wished to go. Inverness was the closest city and it was hardly London.
And yet he was offering her work.
She looked him up and down again. “You’ve property there?”
“I do. Kilmarkie House. It’s at the top of the peninsula, near the point.”
Her mind immediately tracked back to her geography lessons with her father. “Is it true you can see dolphins there? In the sea?” Scotland might be surrounded by sea at every side but she had never seen the ocean, much less dolphins.
“That’s what I hear.”
She blinked. “You’ve never been there yourself? And this is your property?”
“No, I haven’t visited, but I’ve heard dolphins are visible from the shore. Whales, too.”
What manner of man owns a property he has never before seen? Was he very rich then and simply averse to bathing?
“I’ve heard it’s very beautiful,” she admitted, mulling over his offer. The Black Isle. It wasn’t London, but she would be seeing more of the world. And she would like to see dolphins. That was one incentive. “Would I earn a wage?” She could work until she saved enough money and then move to London. Or anywhere at all . . . hopefully with a glowing reference in her pocket.
“Of course,” he replied with no inflection to his voice.
Of course?
He acted as though she should expect fairness when life had taught her to expect very little. If life were fair then she wouldn’t be here with him and rope burns on her neck.
“I didn’t bid on you in that auction for free labor,” he added with a touch of indignation.
She resisted asking why he did bid on her. Sometimes it was best not to ask questions.
She nodded decisively. “I accept your offer.”
She would not be getting any better offers at this time and well he knew it.
The dark whiskers surrounding his lips twitched. “Very well.” He looked her over quickly. Turning, he swung up onto his mount again. “Wait here.” With no further explanation, he turned about and headed back into the village.
She watched him ride away, wondering what precisely was happening. Why was he going back to the village? Certainly he was returning for her? He’d taken her valise with him. She shivered a little and hugged herself, hating how reliant she was on this man—her Non Husband. A man whose name she still did not know. She bristled. Apparently he had not deemed her significant enough to properly introduce himself.
She stood at the edge of the road for some time before she stepped to the side and leaned against a tree. As much as she wouldn’t mind sitting, the ground was covered in snow. Her dress and cloak would be soaked and then she would really be cold. She looked down, considering her too-tight boots and tattered garments. She was not attired for traveling north into the Highlands. It would only get colder.
Minutes ticked by and she glanced up at the cloudy sky. The afternoon was well on its way. Her stomach grumbled and she wondered if they would eat any time soon. Whatever the case, she knew she would not ask him.
“Alyse!”
At the sound of her name, her gaze popped up. She scanned the road.
Nellie approached on foot, holding her very swollen belly with one hand.
Alyse sprang away from the tree and hurried to meet her friend, her heart immediately clenching in concern for the girl she had looked after for so many years.
“Nellie! What are you doing walking all the way out here? It’s far too cold for you. You should be off your feet.”
Nellie breathed heavily. “I ’eard wot ’appened. Oh, that damn Yardley! I wish ’e’d never come back! And m’father! I’ll never speak tae ’im!”
“Shhh, now.” Alyse rubbed a comforting hand over Nellie’s back. “Don’t distress yourself.”
“Ye canna go wi’ ’im.” Her gaze darted around. “Where is ’e? Did ’e abandon ye ’ere?”
“Nay, he’ll return. I’m just waiting here for him.” At least she thought he was returning.
Nellie’s face crunched up with tears. “I ’eard ’e was a giant and reeked like a barn.”
Alyse winced. “Aye, but he can bathe.” One would hope.
Nellie shook her head, her face crumpling. Fat tears spiked from her eyes and tracked down her cheeks. “Nay. Ye canna go wi’ ’im!”
“Shhh, don’t distress yourself.”
“Ye deserve better, Alyse. Better than m’father, may a blight fall on ’im.” Her lip curled in a sneer as she continued her tirade. “Better than Yardley . . . and better than some monster of a man!”
Right then the monster returned.
They turned in unison at the sound of clomping hooves. Her Non Husband trotted along the road, kicking up a small spray of snow. Another much smaller horse trotted behind him with an unwilling air . . . as though the beast resented being pulled out of whatever warm stall he’d occupied. No. She peered around her Non Husband atop his great beast. It was not a small horse. It was a mule. He led a mean-eyed mule.
He stopped before them and before she could inquire about the mule, Nellie charged ahead, ready to resume her tirade.
“Listen ’ere! Dinna think ye can abuse ’er!” She shook a fist, her other hand holding her swollen stomach, looking rather absurd in her intense ire. Certainly not a visage of intimidation. “I’ll find ye if ye do! I’ll spend all m’days ’unting ye down! I’ll make ye pay, God ’elp me!”
It was impossible to read if his expression cracked beneath the dark pelt of his beard, but he only gave a mild blink. He inclined his head once and she couldn’t help thinking that nod rather regal. Arrogant, but regal. “I give you my word no harm will come to your friend.”
Nellie held his gaze for a long moment as though measuring the value of that promise. The silence was uncomfortable and Alyse cleared her throat.
Sniffing and looking partially satisfied, Nellie turned and embraced Alyse with a clucking sound. “Ye take care of yerself. Where will I direct m’letters?” She cast another suspicious glance over her shoulder. “I ’spect to ’ear from ye and assure myself of yer well-being.”
“I’ll be at Kilmarkie House in the Black Isle.” She gave Nellie’s gloved hands a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t fret yourself.”
“Outside Inverness,” he contributed.
Nellie cast him a glare, clearly unwilling to warm to him. It would take more than his promise not to harm her to accomplish that. “I will write ye and if I dinna ’ear back . . .”
“I know . . . you’ll send an army.” She squeezed Nellie’s hands again.
“Nay, I willna need an army,” she said loudly, looking at him and speaking to him rather than Alyse. “I’m a good shot by my own right.”
Alyse nodded, her lips twitching. “Thank you,” she whispered to her friend.
“For wot?”
“For making me feel loved in this world.” This morning she would have said she had more than Nellie to call friend. She’d thought she had Yardley, too.
Nellie released a strangled little cry and hugged her again. Alyse laughed and patted her on the back. “I look forward to your letters. I want to know all about the baby. Now go on with you. Get somewhere warm.”
Nellie stepped back with a sniff, swiping at her red-tipped nose. She nodded. “Aye.”
Alyse faced her Non Husband, looking up at him perched in his saddle. “Am I to assume the mule is for me, sirrah?”
He nodded once.