Marblestone Mansion 01 - Scandalous Duchess

the step. “I sorely miss taking care of babies in the orphanage.”
    Margaret Ann nodded and carefully handed the sleeping baby to her. “You will take him then, Mr. MacGreagor?”
    Hannish sat down on the other side of Margaret Ann. “Of course we will care for him, but on one condition.”
    She brushed a strand of golden hair away from her face and sniffed her nose. “What?”
    “ You must stay with him and work for me,” said Hannish. “They do not complain, but the ladies at Marblestone Mansion are a might weary of washing clothes. We could use a lass like you. The pay is good, you’ll have plenty to eat, a warm bed, and the laddie can crawl anywhere he likes -- so long as it is safe.” He waited, but she didn’t return his comforting smile. “Have we a bargain?”
    “ My hands are too painful to wring the clothes. Have you a wringer washer?”
    “ A wringer washer?” He looked at Sarah, who quickly nodded. “I believe we do.”
    “ Then I am pleased to do your wash, Mr. MacGreagor.”
    “ It is settled, then.” He stood up and gave Margaret Ann a hand up. “Prescot, I believe we shall be in need of a few toys, a crib and…” Sassy had the baby all wrapped up in her lap, gently rocking him from side to side and when she kissed the child’s cheek, he had never seen her look more beautiful or more at peace. “Sassy, tomorrow, would you care for little…?”
    “ William,” Margaret Ann answered.
    “ William, while Margaret Ann goes to town to collect their things, and to tell the hotel they’ll be needin’ another washer woman?”
    Sassy grinned. “I would love to.”
    “ So would I,” said Cathleen.
    “ And me,” McKenna added.
    Hannish laughed and nodded for Alistair to open the door. “I fear poor William is about to be mothered to death, Margaret Ann. Come, we shall find you a bed. Have you eaten? We have…”
    McKenna waited until they were well inside before she whispered to Sassy, “So that is Margaret Ann. She too is plagued by Charles Whitfield and I cannae help but wonder who the boy’s father is?”
    “ I bet Mrs. Abigail knows, she knows everything,” Sassy said, letting Keith help her stand up now that she had a baby in her arms.
    “ If it is Charles, I wager she does not know, or she would have said. I’ll not be the one to ask her either; she is already quite put out over the money Charles spends.”

    The hiring of Margaret Ann began a whole host of people coming to the mansion looking for work, as though no one had ever heard of the place before. Hannish hired mostly men willing to help tend the horses and do the gardening, but when a seamstress showed up on the doorstep, he was more than willing to give her a good paying position. The baby always needed new clothes, the ballroom needed drapes and the MacGreagor ball was only a month away. Three more housekeepers were interviewed by both Alistair and Sarah, and then offered a position, which all three quickly accepted.
    The engraved invitations went out early, especially those sent to friends in Scotland and several accepted. They would bring their own valets and lady’s maids, who in turn would need a place to sleep and plenty to eat.
    McKenna was thrilled, but Hannish was worried about getting everything done in time.
    Prescot, and at least two of the footmen, took the wagon to town everyday to pick up more furnishings and at last, the green room, the red room, the blue room, the pink room, the purple room, the yellow room, and the orange room were complete. Each had paintings on the walls, vases for flowers, four-poster beds, chest of drawers, easy chairs, lamps, pillows and new bedding.
    As a gift, Abigail and Claymore presented Hannish with a large tapestry depicting a Scottish Border Collie and her five pups. It was perfect for the marble foyer, and he hung it on the wall with pride.
    Margaret Ann settled in nicely and with no men to pester her like there were at the hotel, the color improved in her cheeks. Each day, as one of the men carried the basket of washed clothes to the clothesline, she let William crawl in the grass. He still tried to put everything in his mouth, but a little grass wouldn’t hurt, they all decided. Now that they had more help with the cleaning, Sassy and Cathleen were usually outside too, to see that no harm came to the child.
    Just as often, Hannish stood in his study window and watched. Sometimes Sassy looked at him, but not often enough to make it obvious that she cared,