A Highland Pearl (Highland Treasures Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

enough.”
    Maidie rose and led Sven to the tub. She felt the tepid water
and decided to add more from the kettle beside the fire. She helped Sven
undress and step into the bath. The lad looked thinner with his ribs more
visible. Sven needed more meat in his diet, but she didn’t know how or where to
get it. She would have to help him hunt for hares and other small animals they
could kill with stones and a small dirk. Someday when Sven was older, she would
buy him a bow and have one of the local men teach him to use it.
    Maidie washed her son’s body and hair with the sweet smelling
soap.
    “I dinna like that soap, Mam. It smells like roses,” Sven
complained.
    “Well, ‘tis all we have. You must use it. Wanna hurt you to
smell like roses for a while. ‘Tis better than smelling like a dirty boy.”
    A frown broke across the wee mouth. “Ugh! I hate the smell of
roses.”
    “Stop complaining. You’re getting a nice bath and a wonderful
bed to sleep in. Be thankful, Sven. We wanna always have these comforts.”
Maidie poured water from the kettle over the his head to rinse it. She helped him
rise from the tub, step out, and dry with a towel. “I hate you have to put on
these same dirty clothes. Mayhap there is a nightshirt or some other sleeping
garment in the chest.”
    Maidie left Sven wrapped in the towel, went to the chest, and
opened the lid. Inside lay the prettiest light blue silk gown she had ever
seen. The neck was outlined in small pearls and beads of a darker blue. She
dared not unfold the gown or bother the beautiful garment in any way, so she
closed the chest just as a knock sounded on the door. Maidie opened the door a
small way to see who knocked. She didn’t want a cold draft of air to come in on
Sven. Nellie stood outside in the hallway with a bundle of clothing in her
arms.
    “Madam, I have a nightshirt for the lad, and fresh clothing for
the two of you to wear on the morrow.”
    Maidie opened the door to take the bundle from her. “Thank you
so verra much, Nellie.”
    “If the madam will give me the soiled clothing, I will take it
to the laundry.”
    “Come inside Nellie, and close the door. I dinna want Sven to
get chilled,” she said turning back into the chamber so Nellie could pass and
close the door.
    Nellie took up the bundle of soiled clothes while Maidie put
the clean clothing in a chair and dressed Sven in the clean nightshirt. She toweled
the wet head one more time, led the lad to the large bed, and helped him into
it.
    “Anything else, Madam?” Nellie asked before leaving.
    “Have you seen Laird Andrew recently?”
    “Yes, Madam. I served his mon some soup just now.”
    “How does the laird fair?”
    “About the same. He moans, but doesn’t open his eyes.” Nellie
curtseyed and left with the bundle of soiled clothing, closing the heavy door
quietly behind her.
    Maidie climbed into the large bed beside Sven. The lad was
already asleep. He, too, had a busy day. She dropped into the dúnn mattress
that must have taken the efforts of a hundred geese to produce. Her head sank
into the soft pillow. Her eyes began to close, then popped open with a thought
of Andrew. She must check on him one last time. Rising from the bed, she donned
the heavy robe, and slipped her feet into the soft fur slippers, relishing in the
luxury. Her hair was dry, falling about her shoulders and into her eyes, but
she didn’t know where to look for a ribbon and Nellie took her kertch. She pushed
a lock from her face, pulled it back with her hands, and hoped it would stay
out of the way.
    With one last check on Sven, she quietly left the room and
made her way down the cold passage to Andrew’s chamber door.
    Maidie passed the door between her bedchamber and the chief’s.
She heard a squeak and turned around. Gavin stood beside the open door. He
bowed low, then moved forward to stand over her. She clutched at her robe,
pulling it tighter. The tanist had washed and donned clean clothing. He made a
handsome