"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. Alistair and Sarah interviewed three more housekeepers, and then offered each 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 every day 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.