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“I always make excuses for English rakes,” she said matter-of-factly.

Robbie sputtered. Beside him, Nash appeared bemused.

“If you’re looking for the others, I believe they are in the parlor. Just there.” She gestured to a set of double doors. “I will join you shortly.”

Robbie watched as she proceeded to a door to the right of the stairs, the dogs following on her heels, as the psalm suggested they would.

He turned toward the parlor. “I believe we have been dismissed.” Then, in a low voice, “Now there’s a tempting armful and, for a green girl, most interesting. A sharp tongue, perhaps, but interesting nonetheless.”

“She’s not one of your ‘women on the town’,” said Nash, looking over his shoulder as Aileen Stephen and her dogs disappeared through the door. “She’s a spirited innocent. I find her… enchanting.”

Ailie eyed the bottom of her dress, soiled from mucking about with the dogs. She hoped the Powell twins had been so interested in her setters they had failed to notice. Ah, well, she would make up for it by looking her best for dinner.

“Rhona, what do you think of this gown?” Ailie held up the blue silk gown she’d taken from the clothes press. It was one of her nicest gowns, one she had worn to visit her parents in Aberdeen to convince them she hadn’t forgotten all they insisted she learn about being a lady.

When Ailie joined Will five years ago, he had insisted she have a lady’s maid. A few years older than Ailie, Rhona came from a well thought of Arbroath family, and her older brother worked as a supervisor in the shipyard. Rhona had become more friend than servant. Ailie valued her opinion.

Rhona’s brown eyes narrowed as she studied the gown. “’Tis a fine choice, Mistress. It reminds me of bluebell flowers. And if ye like, I can arrange yer hair with the sides pinned back.”

“Aye, thank you. I prefer not to wear my hair on top of my head in the winter if I can, unless I’m in Aberdeen where Mother insists I appear the lady.”

Once Ailie had donned the gown, she sat at her dressing table, watching her maid in the mirror deftly arranging her hair. Catching Rhona’s eye, she said, “I saw Mrs. Banks as I was coming up. She says our English guests have settled in well. What do you think of them?”

“They seem easy to please and kind, like the mistress. And, except for the one American, they’re all verra English.”

“How are the new servants managing?”

“The ones yer brother hired for the holidays are mostly young ones from Arbroath. The maids above stairs are near useless for anything but gawking at those twin brothers.”

Ailie could well understand the girls’ fascination with the two men. “Aye, they’re handsome enough. And the countess? How is she?”

Rhona paused, a faint smile on her face. “The young maids are terrified of her, I think. Lady Claremont shooed them out of her chamber when they asked to set out her gowns.”

“I hate to ask, Rhona, but perhaps you’d best be the one to serve her. Would you mind terribly?”

“Nay, I wouldna mind. I am fond of older women of character.”

Ailie thought about Will’s description of the countess. “I haven’t yet had the opportunity to speak with her. Will likes her very much. And she is Emily’s good friend. I wonder how she will get on with Grandfather Ramsay.”

Rhona, put the finishing touches on Ailie’s hair. “They’d be a pair, ’tis certain.”

“Aye. I just hope Grandfather doesn’t tease her unmercifully.”

“Dinna worry. Ye’ll be there and can charm him.” Ailie handed Rhona the pearl necklace with the sapphire pendant and Rhona fastened it around Ailie’s neck.

Ailie centered the sapphire on her chest. “I did meet Mrs. Platt, the countess’ English cook. She handled Martha rather well.”

“That’s a blessing.”

Ailie nodded her agreement. “All we need is Martha in high doh.”

Their eyes met in the mirror and they burst out laughing at the shared thought of the cook all riled up. It would not be a pretty sight.

Ailie took a last look at herself in the mirror. “Won’t Will be surprised to see me dressed as if I were dining with Father in Aberdeen?”

“Aye, and ’twill make Lady Emily happy,” said Rhona, smiling.

Ailie justified her extraordinary measures by reminding herself she was to dine with a marquess, his marchioness, a dowager countess and the daughters of two earls, one of which was her sister-in-law. “Perhaps I should do it more often.”