The Heiress Bride - Catherine Coulter [70]
“Aye, my lady, with the sun.”
“Well, blessed hell,” Sinjun said, and walked to the dining room.
Sinjun was staring up at the Kinross coat of arms above the huge fireplace in the medieval central section of the house. Three silver lions were painted on a shield of gold. Two larger lions were holding the shield upright, and a griffin flew atop. It said beneath the shield: Wounded But Unconquered.
She laughed. It was a wonderful motto and at the moment, with the soreness still in evidence between her thighs, it was even somewhat apt for her.
“Fiona always liked the Kinross coat of arms, but she never laughed that I remember.”
Sinjun turned to face Serena. She smiled. “The motto just reminds me of something. I had thought to fetch Philip and Dahling after lunch. Do you know their schedule?”
“Aunt Arleth has the headache. Philip and Dahling are probably riding roughshod over Dulcie.”
“Goodness, I wish I’d known. If you will excuse me, Serena, I’ll go see to them.”
“He won’t ever love you, you know.”
That was plain speaking, Sinjun thought, staring at the woman. “Why not? I’m not a bad person nor am I ugly, even though it pleases Dahling to think so.”
“He loves another,” Serena said, her voice verging on the dramatic.
Sinjun nearly laughed. She pressed her hand against her breast and breathed, “Another?”
“He loves another,” Serena said again, and walked like a graceful princess from the huge Tudor entrance hall.
Sinjun could only shake her head. She was waylaid on her way to the nursery by the housekeeper, Mrs. Seton, a lady with very dark eyes and thick dark eyebrows that very nearly met over her eyes. She was the wife of Mr. Seton, a very important man in the local kirk, Colin had mentioned to her, and also the Kinross steward. Sinjun gave her a bright smile.
“My lady, I understand—indeed, all understand—that we are no longer in Dire Straits.”
“This is true. His lordship is in Edinburgh right now to pull us all out of the River Styx.”
Mrs. Seton drew a deep breath. “Good. Vere Castle has been my home all my life. It’s disgraceful, all this neglect.”
Sinjun thought of Philip and Dahling and decided they could happily torment Dulcie for a little while longer. “Why don’t I come to your rooms, Mrs. Seton, for a nice spot of tea? We can make a list of what we need.”
A list. Then it had to be approved by Colin. What an absurdity. What did Colin know of bed linens or draperies or rents in chair fabrics or dishes and pans?
“Then you must tell me where we can go to replace all that we need.”
She thought Mrs. Seton would burst into tears. Her thin cheeks filled out and turned quite pink with pleasure. “Oh aye, my lady, oh aye, indeed!”
“I also notice that the servants aren’t garbed all that well. Is there a good seamstress in Kinross? The children need new clothes, as well.”
“Oh aye, my lady! We’ll go to Kinross—a small village just at the other end of the loch. Everything we’ll need will be there right and tight. No need to go to Edinburgh or Dundee, good enough goods up here, ye’ll see.”
“Colin won’t like you interfering like this. You have just arrived, you don’t really belong here, and yet you’re trying to take over. I won’t have it.”
Sinjun winked at Mrs. Seton before turning to Aunt Arleth. “I had thought you prostrate with the headache, ma’am.”
Aunt Arleth’s lips thinned. “I roused myself because I was afraid of what you might do.”
“Do begin the list, Mrs. Seton. I shall join you in your sitting room shortly. Oh yes, I should like to inspect all the servants’ rooms as well.”
“Yes, my lady,” Mrs. Seton said, and her departing walk was brisk with energy.
“Now, Aunt Arleth, what would you like to do?”
“Do? Whatever do you mean?”
“I mean, do you intend to keep sniping at me? Do you intend to continue in your unpleasant vein so that all are made miserable by your behavior?”
“You’re a young girl! How dare you speak to me like that?”
“I am Colin’s wife. I am the countess of Ashburnham. If I wish to tell you to go to the devil, Aunt Arleth, I am within my rights to tell you to.