First Thirst (Craving 1)

She said, “I’ll show ye to yer room, Miss Skye, so ye can freshen up before Mr. Ascot arrives.”

“Oh, I was hoping to get a quick tour…” I said, disappointed.

“There isn’t time, but before I leave for the day, I will acquaint ye with yer surroundings. Mr. Ascot called and said he wanted a word with ye upon yer arrival. I just got off the phone with him and he should be here in thirty minutes.”

“Oh, you mean now—so soon?” I was instantly dismayed. I had thought I would have a day to myself, to look around the grounds and get my bearings, and set up a plan to offer him before our meeting.

“Indeed, he said it was important, though he didn’t tell me why,” she said primly, and pursed her lips. “Aye, then, if ye wish to freshen up, yer room is in readiness.” Her voice, like the way she held herself, was aloof and definitely displayed an unwillingness to do more than she was required.

“Thanks, okay,” I said, ignoring her tone and her demeanor. “Want to point me in the right direction and I’ll find my room on my own?”

“Nae. I will show ye the way,” she said, looking a bit surprised.

“Okay, then,” I said, wondering why Davis and Mrs. Tunny didn’t seem to be happy about my being here. Ah well, maybe they thought I would get in the way of their routines? Just what were their routines? Who had been giving them routines? Perhaps all it needed was a bit of time to win them over?

We took the wide, highly polished stairway. The railings were beautifully carved and although the posts at the top, as well as on the bottom, were adorned with ferocious open-mouthed gargoyles, the carvings were impressive.

At the top, I patted one of the gargoyles’ heads and giggled. “I suppose these guys guard the upper floors?” I only meant a bit of levity.

Mrs. Tunny said, “As a matter of fact, MacLeod legend says they do.”

I felt my eyebrows rise. Was she teasing me right back and with a straight face? I wasn’t sure what to make of her.

I glanced down the long wide corridor, surprised at how bright it was without any lights being turned on. At each end of the hall was an arched lead-paned cathedral styled window. Ah, hence the bright hallway.

As it turned out, my door was the third from the staircase and on the right side. Mrs. Tunny opened it wide and stepped inside, with a wave of her hand for me to follow.

She handed me the antique styled key and folded her hands in one another.

“I think ye will find everything ye need here. Ye have a suite of rooms, as Mr. Ascot requested, and of course have the freedom to move about the castle and its grounds.”

“A suite of rooms—I’ll say.” I laughed and looked around. We were standing in an enormous bedroom. The large four poster bed facing us was covered in a glorious display of mauves and soft lavender flowers and variegated shades of green fronds. The wide, long windows on either side of the bed were adorned with drapes of the same design and colors, and held back with green roping. A huge TV rested on a wall table in front of the bed.

French glass doors opened onto a balcony from a sitting room at the far end of the bed where a desk was neatly situated. The desk faced a wall of bookshelves.

“Indeed,” she said, and led the way past the bed, in the opposite direction of the sitting room and opened another door. “Here, ye will find yer bathroom.”

I looked inside. “Holy cow!” It was nearly as large as the bedroom, with a whirlpool tub, a large tiled shower, and marble everywhere. A long vanity with amenities spread out on a decorative tray, and flowers, with an enormous window above it.

A long window brought in the light. I just stared.

She turned and started to leave, saying over her shoulder, “As promised, a computer and printer have been set up for ye in the library, where ye will be meeting with Mr. Ascot soon.”

I turned and rushed her. I am a hugger and that was just what I did. I hugged Mrs. Tunny. She looked taken aback.

“Thank you, I love this room. Thank you so much,” I told her enthusiastically. With the enormous salary I was getting, plus free room and board, I had expected to find myself in ‘servant quarters’ somewhere out of the way.

She didn’t smile, though her lashes flickered. “I am only complying with Mr. Ascot’s wishes.” She started out of the room and stopped. “Miss Skye, I am not certain if Mr. Ascot advised ye that ye will be here alone in the evenings. There is a large staff that comes in to do gardening and cleaning here at MacLeod, but none that lives here, ye know.”

“Oh? I didn’t know that. I simply assumed most or some of the staff…” My voice trailed off as I thought of myself alone in this huge castle. I was surprised he had not told me. “Not even the butler, Davis?”

She made a face. “Not even Davis. And…meaning ye no disrespect, but I dinnae think this is a place for a young woman…at least, not at night. Ye might want to see if he—Mr. Ascot, can make other living arrangements for ye. I wouldn’t like m’daughter to be here alone at night and I dinnae like to see a sweet lass like yerself in that position.”

She surprised me again. She did like me, just not here. “You are very kind. Thank you, Mrs. Tunny, is that because of the ghost?” Getting to the point is another one of the things I do that startles some people. “Because if a ghost comes knocking at my door, I don’t mean to let it in.” I only meant to tease and make light of it.

“’Tis no joking matter, child, and look at ye…no more than a slip of a girl, by yerself here at night. I dinnae like it and that is a fact,” she answered on a frown.

“Okay, I’ll lock all the doors and I won’t wander around the castle at night. How is that?” I answered, hoping to allay her concerns.