to bring some of yer pretty dresses, so up wi' ye quickly. Ye must bathe and dress. His Lordship has sent me to fetch ye, and yon lot is dying to get another look at ye."
"Mrs. Hall, whatever are we to do?"
"I for one am going to do as I'm told. Always take things by the smooth handle, lass."
"Well, I shan't do as I'm told!" she asserted. Annoyance at the older woman's attitude made her fling back the bedcovers and quickly don the clothes that had been laid out for her.
"Och, lass, don't be daft. Ye canna escape; ye canna even ride a horse. This is a fine, rich castle, so ye might as well partake of the Cockburns's hospitality."
"We are prisoners!" cried Tabby, trying to impress upon her companion the seriousness of their plight.
Mrs. Hall wasn't about to get unduly alarmed. She was a widow, completely alone in the world, who had eked out her existence as a domestic drudge in the homes of Edinburgh's citizens. She hadn't had a job for months and almost despaired that she would soon find herself on the streets, when Maxwell Abrahams had hired her to guard the young girl he was marrying. Since she had obviously done a hopeless job in safeguarding the girl for Abrahams, Mrs. Hall was not anxious to return and face the consequences. Life had taught her-to enjoy today and let the devil take the hindmost! If she could prevent Tabby from rocking the boat and making trouble for the two of them, she would do so. "My lamb, I wouldna advise ye to cross His Lordship, if ye get ma drift. He looks like he has the devil's own temper, and 'tis clear to see he is master here. On the other hand, if ye make yerself agreeable, ye could have the other two Cockburn lads jumping through hoops for ye. More flies are caught with honey than vinegar."
"His sisters are so beautiful." Tabby sighed.
"Och, they canna hold a candle to ye, lass. There now, in that green dress ye make a bonny picture. Ma belly's growling. Please let us go down before we miss the meal."
Tabby finished her toilet and was eager to go below and give the arrogant Lord Cockburn a piece of her mind. How dare he think he could get away with stealing her. She would face up to him and demand that he return her to her lawful husband. What poor Mr. Abrahams was thinking at this moment, she dare not contemplate. He had been so kind and so generous to her, she was consumed with guilt that she was the instrument being used to extort money from him. She descended the stairs with the light of battle in her eyes and found herself in Paris Cockburn's bedchamber.
"I sent for you an hour past. Never keep me waiting again," he asserted, fingering the whip at his belt.
She paled at the implication. Her courage, so high the moment before, dissolved like snow in summer beneath the fierce glare of the emerald-colored eyes.
"I am putting you under free ward in Cockburnspath Castle in exchange for your vow that you will not try to escape."
She opened her mouth but could not defy him. When Mrs. Hall's advice came to mind, she lied, "I give you my word, milord. You know it would be impossible for me to escape, for I don't know how to ride."
"I'll soon remedy that. I'll give you a lesson this afternoon if no pressing matter presents itself," he decided.
"But, then I should be able to escape," she blurted before she could stop herself.
"No you couldn't. You gave me your word," he said matter-of-factly. "Dinner will be served shortly. The stairs outside my chamber lead down to the main living quarters. My sisters will show you where we eat." Once she had left the room, he allowed his mouth to soften into a smile. She was so fair, he knew he would have to possess her, yet the amazing thing was that she was so unaware of her beauty, she had no idea how it affected a man.
Damascus and Venetia were so engrossed, they didn't notice her. Venetia's green-striped gown emphasized her tall, graceful figure. Her upswept hair showed off to perfection a pair of exquisite emerald earrings. She glared
"Mrs. Hall, whatever are we to do?"
"I for one am going to do as I'm told. Always take things by the smooth handle, lass."
"Well, I shan't do as I'm told!" she asserted. Annoyance at the older woman's attitude made her fling back the bedcovers and quickly don the clothes that had been laid out for her.
"Och, lass, don't be daft. Ye canna escape; ye canna even ride a horse. This is a fine, rich castle, so ye might as well partake of the Cockburns's hospitality."
"We are prisoners!" cried Tabby, trying to impress upon her companion the seriousness of their plight.
Mrs. Hall wasn't about to get unduly alarmed. She was a widow, completely alone in the world, who had eked out her existence as a domestic drudge in the homes of Edinburgh's citizens. She hadn't had a job for months and almost despaired that she would soon find herself on the streets, when Maxwell Abrahams had hired her to guard the young girl he was marrying. Since she had obviously done a hopeless job in safeguarding the girl for Abrahams, Mrs. Hall was not anxious to return and face the consequences. Life had taught her-to enjoy today and let the devil take the hindmost! If she could prevent Tabby from rocking the boat and making trouble for the two of them, she would do so. "My lamb, I wouldna advise ye to cross His Lordship, if ye get ma drift. He looks like he has the devil's own temper, and 'tis clear to see he is master here. On the other hand, if ye make yerself agreeable, ye could have the other two Cockburn lads jumping through hoops for ye. More flies are caught with honey than vinegar."
"His sisters are so beautiful." Tabby sighed.
"Och, they canna hold a candle to ye, lass. There now, in that green dress ye make a bonny picture. Ma belly's growling. Please let us go down before we miss the meal."
Tabby finished her toilet and was eager to go below and give the arrogant Lord Cockburn a piece of her mind. How dare he think he could get away with stealing her. She would face up to him and demand that he return her to her lawful husband. What poor Mr. Abrahams was thinking at this moment, she dare not contemplate. He had been so kind and so generous to her, she was consumed with guilt that she was the instrument being used to extort money from him. She descended the stairs with the light of battle in her eyes and found herself in Paris Cockburn's bedchamber.
"I sent for you an hour past. Never keep me waiting again," he asserted, fingering the whip at his belt.
She paled at the implication. Her courage, so high the moment before, dissolved like snow in summer beneath the fierce glare of the emerald-colored eyes.
"I am putting you under free ward in Cockburnspath Castle in exchange for your vow that you will not try to escape."
She opened her mouth but could not defy him. When Mrs. Hall's advice came to mind, she lied, "I give you my word, milord. You know it would be impossible for me to escape, for I don't know how to ride."
"I'll soon remedy that. I'll give you a lesson this afternoon if no pressing matter presents itself," he decided.
"But, then I should be able to escape," she blurted before she could stop herself.
"No you couldn't. You gave me your word," he said matter-of-factly. "Dinner will be served shortly. The stairs outside my chamber lead down to the main living quarters. My sisters will show you where we eat." Once she had left the room, he allowed his mouth to soften into a smile. She was so fair, he knew he would have to possess her, yet the amazing thing was that she was so unaware of her beauty, she had no idea how it affected a man.
Damascus and Venetia were so engrossed, they didn't notice her. Venetia's green-striped gown emphasized her tall, graceful figure. Her upswept hair showed off to perfection a pair of exquisite emerald earrings. She glared
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