Chapter 3

Daphne spent most of the night thinking about the kiss her and the Duke had shared. It was really a nice kiss for one's first kiss. She wondered if they would get better from there. Tory would be able to answer her question, but atlas Tory was at home in England. By the time she found sleep she had made up her mind the Duke had probably kissed each of the girls and he only kissed her to be polite. That was the only sane thing she could think of. The man never did anything but scowl at her.

The next morning, she woke up refreshed and assured the kiss was nothing she needed to be concerned about. She dressed and made her way to the stables she was excited to see Roy she hoped he had a good rest as well. To her surprise the Duke was in the stables. She was extremely cheerful.

"Good morning your Grace."

He was surprised she was even talking to him after taking advantage of her yesterday. He shouldn't be here to ride with her how many times had he told himself that. But no matter what excuse he gave himself to avoid Lady Halverson here he was waiting to take a ride with his little hellion. He shook that thought from his head he had to stop thinking like that or he was doomed she was not his little hellion she needed to be someone else's. She went about her business not even aware he was waiting for her. She was surprised he started to follow her.

"Since you seemed to like the beauty of the estate I thought this morning I would show you one of my favorite places."

Daphne knew he was only being kind, but she couldn't help keeping the excitement out of her voice.

"Oh yes, please I would love to see more of the estate."

They road in silence for most of the trip he wasn't sure what to say to her after their kiss. It was Daphne who broke the silence.

"I am so glad you thought of this. I know this is going to cause both of us a world of grief with the others, but I just don't care."

He had no idea what she was talking about, but he liked the sound of her voice, so he let her ramble on about the others. When they got to the pond and he saw her beautiful eyes light up it pleased him.

"I understand why this would be one of your favorite places. It is quite lovely, I never realized how beautiful Scotland is. I am so glad I was invited here to experience such beauty."

"Would you like to get down and sit by the water? I had cook pack us a light breakfast."

Daphne didn't have time to answer the Duke was already off his horse and his arms outreached to help her down off Roy. She took the offered help and followed him over to the bank of the pond where he laid out a blanket and a sweet breakfast of rolls and jam.

"Thank you so much for thinking of this your grace."

"It is my pleasure Lady Halverson."

He liked how she wrinkled her nose when he said her name.

"I think since we seem to be friends you should call me Daphne I am not one on formality if I don't have to be."

He smiled she wasn't mad at him for taking liberties last night after all. She was willing to be his friend. He was hoping that friends were enough.

"Then you must call me James."

She shook her head no and he was afraid she had changed her mind.

"I think of you more of a Jamie James seems so stuffy, but I don't think of you that way at all so if you permit me I would like to call you Jamie."

How this young girl made his heart sore to the heavens. He had to control his voice, so she didn't know how her declaration had affected him.

"I would like that very much."

She rewarded him with a smile.

"Then Jamie it is at least in privet. I am already in deep with the others, so I don't want to make it worse."

He looked at her curiously.

"Why pray tell are you in deep with them?"

"They all have set their cap for you. But as much of a man as you are I don't think there is enough of you to go around between the three of them, and I would rather leave Scotland with my life in tact not in a pine box. I do not know if you know this but women going after the same man can be deadly."

He laughed since he had met Daphne he had laughed more than he had in years. She was good for his soul. She was a wonder she had no idea she had taken possession of his heart. If he had to put a name to it, he would say he had fallen in love fast and hard. But he wouldn't say that to her. He was afraid he would scare her, and he would take her friendship and hope it could grow into something more. He couldn't have been enjoying the morning more when she suddenly shot up off the blanket and looked panicked

"I have to go I have practice and I have to change I have a special skirt to wear so I can master the dance moves."

He was sorry they had to end their perfect morning, but she was right they needed to get back to the castle. On the ride back, she delighted in teasing him. She started to race back to the house and when he didn't take the bait she would slow down and when he caught up she would speed off again. But it was her laugh that seemed to make the moment perfect. In the end they did race, and his horse won, but he had never had a race he enjoyed more.

Daphne ran up the stairs and into her room to change. The Maid Amanda had brought her a skirt for her to wear. Little did she know when she put it on all the trouble she was going to cause. Amanda was waiting for her with the skirt.

She was so excited about the skirt and was even more excited when Amanda gave her the stockings to match the tartan. When she went downstairs she was not prepared for all the fighting her outfit would cause. When she entered the room, she was the last to arrive, and when the girls saw her in the clan colors of the Duke they all went on the attack. It was Lilly who attacked first.

"What do you think you are doing wearing the colors of the Duke? I thought you weren't interested in getting married."

Daphne looked puzzled.

"I don't understand why me wearing the Dukes clan colors makes me look like I want to get married. I asked my maid if she could get me some cloth and this is what she brought me. As far as I know the Duke has approved me wearing the tartan, if not I am sure he will be vocal and tell me. I have not found him lacking words to convey himself."

Emily stormed up to her and got into her face.

"Why would you not tell us what you were planning so we could arrange to be in his clan colors too."

Olivia took a turn at her as well. Instead of yelling at her she slapped Daphne in the face. That was when the Duke walked in the ballroom and saw the mark on her face. His anger was immediate. How dare they hurt her.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?"

Daphne was fighting to hold back the tears her most perfect morning had turned into a nightmare. He could see the tears pooling in those beautiful green eyes of hers. He went over to her he put a finger under her chin and made her look up at him.

"Tell me what is going on."

She sniffled and then put her shoulders back

"They were just upset for the reasons we talked about earlier and because I asked if I could have some cloth and I was told only your clan plaids were available. The maid brought me the skirt this morning and they are mad that I am wearing your colors."

His words shook Daphne to her core and made her warm and scared all at the same time. It was only a few hours ago they decided they would be friends but right then she was pretty sure he was her Lancelot.

"You will only wear my colors never anyone else's."

He turned to address the rest of them.

"Today's lessons are over, Mr. McDermet you can come back tomorrow when the ladies are more agreeable."

Mr. McDermet bowed.

"Yes, your grace."

The girls all left the room, was empty except for Daphne, Jamie and the piper who had been there to supply the music. Jamie turned to the man who was getting ready to leave and told him to play. He was going to teach Daphne the Highland Schottische. He didn't think she could look lovelier there in his arms wearing his clan plaids.

They practiced for a couple of hours before Conner's walked into the ballroom looking upset.

"Your Grace we have a problem with the kitchen?"

Jamie was confused Conner always dealt with problems like this without coming to him. After all what did he know about the kitchen.

"You see your grace the kitchen staff has all took ill and we have no one to cook for you and your guest. We sent someone down to the village to see if someone can come cook for us until the staff is able."

Jamie looked confused.

"The entire kitchen staff is ill? Should we quarantine the kitchen?"

"No, I don't think it's that kind of outbreak. I think it is something they ingested. They all took their tea at the same time and fell ill at the same time. I have taken the liberty of collecting the tea from the package and from the cup and saved it for the doctor to see if he can determine what was in it."

Daphne wasn't sure, but she would swear that Conner had just said someone poisoned the entire kitchen staff. That seemed strange to her or maybe it was Val who was always telling about the many mysteries she had read. She interrupted the men's conversation.

"I am not sure I would bring in a new kitchen staff so quickly. I know this sounds impractical but what if the staff was poisoned so another staff could come in and have better access to the castle. I know it sounds silly, but my cousin read a book with a plot like this. I am just saying that until the staff is better I have another solution. I can cook I am quite good at it. The food I am sure will not be as grand, but it will be safe and edible."

Jamie was sure she was being silly, but she was right what if someone was trying to get into the castle and do him or one of his guest harm. He couldn't help thinking how cute she would look in an apron. Even if she could not cook it could be very interesting.

"We will go with Lady Halverson's plan she will do the cooking until we find out what happened to the staff."

Daphne squealed with delight. It been months since she had been in the kitchen since getting the invitation to come to Scotland. Conner's smiled this was going to be interesting a daughter of a Marquis was able to cook but she did make a valid point, so they would just have to suffer through her cooking.

He showed her to the basement where the kitchen was. Jamie had never been in the kitchen before the cook when he was younger didn't allow it and now he had never thought about it. He couldn't help thinking how cute Daphne was going from cupboard to cupboard and closet to closet checking what supplies they had.

"Since I do not have a lot of time to prepare a full course meal you have things I can use to make a simple but edible meal. It should be done for supper without a problem."

With that said Daphne found an apron and went to work making dinner. First, she took a slab of meat and started to stew it. Then she started to prepare the potatoes since they were an essential part of the meal she was planning to prepare. She turned to Jamie

"I will need you to help me peel the potatoes."

He laughed

"I didn't say I knew how to cook."

She started to laugh.

"I did not say cook the potatoes I said peel them that is food preparation not the actual cooking. But if you do not look out I might just make you wear an apron and help me your grace."

Once she got him started on the potatoes and was sure he wasn't going to slice off his finger with the knife she went out to the garden and got some fresh vegetables. She was going to need them for her main dish and her soup. When she returned to the kitchen Jamie had peeled most of the potatoes away, but she did not say anything she just thanked him and went on with the business of cooking. Next, she made him wash the vegetables and then she started the soup and put peas aside for her main dish.

He was amazed she didn't seem to be struggling at all she went from one task to another, he couldn't help noticing she was a very accomplished young woman. By the time they were finished they had created a fine dinner of individual Sheppard's pie, Vegetable soup, rolls, lemon ice, and she had even made a sponge with berries and cream for dessert. Even if it didn't taste good he swore he would eat each bite and love it.

Jamie went to change for dinner, but Daphne refused to leave the dishes just encase someone was trying to hurt Jamie. She didn't want to miss the sunset tonight she enjoyed it so much last night she came up with an idea and asked Conner if he could arrange for them to dine in the garden? He said he would have it done. He had to admire the young miss she had proven to them she was capable she made food for everyone. She had even made enough for the staff.

Daphne had spent the entire day thinking about who poisoned the kitchen staff. she was pretty sure Jamie's guests were not important enough to kill, but he was and that worried her. He was coming to mean a lot to her, and that scared her. When everyone was at the table and Conner's had a server for each plate that was when Daphne went upstairs to join them. She was so surprised Conner's was able to reorganize the supper to outdoors where she could enjoy the sunset. She made sure to thank him for doing that for her. He blushed the young lady was certainly unique.

Since she was the last to arrive for dinner the three girls were quick to comment about her tardiness it was Emily who said what the three of them were thinking.

"You could have at least changed and dressed appropriately for supper if you were going to make us wait."

Daphne wasn't going to be baited she just smiled and gave the Duke a charming smile which he returned and that only made the girls madder. Olivia jumped in to make a comment.

"I suppose it is your fault we are outside eating supper?"

Again, both Daphne and the Duke just smiled. When the plates were placed in front of the others Lilly made her jab, but it was more at the fact the food was not up to her standards not that she knew Daphne and the Duke made it.

Charlotte smiled at her daughter because she had heard from her maid Daphne had stepped up and cooked because the staff had been rendered indisposed. Charlotte made a comment.

"I think this fair is better than starving or being poisoned."

It was Ava who made a comment.

"Of course, it would be better than being poisoned what a senseless comment why would you even say something like that?"

Charlotte tried to think of a subtle way of saying what she wanted to say but the Duke was the one who said what she had been thinking.

"Apparently someone poisoned my kitchen staff and they all had to take the day off to recover. Lady Halverson and I spent the entire afternoon preparing a meal for all of you. We thought it would be preferable to starving, but if you do not want it I can have the servant's take it away and you can figure something else out for your dinner this evening. As for being out here. Conner's thought it would be a nice idea since Lady Halverson missed her sunset, so she could make food for all of you. Now for my final thought on all this pettiness Lady Halverson is wearing my Clan plaids and I have asked her to do so for the remainder of her visit. If any of you do not like this arrangement you can leave. I will explain it to the king when I see him."

He finished his speech he took his fork and stabbed his food and started to eat. Daphne didn't see any reason to not eat so she began to eat as well. Charlotte followed suit and the others kept their conversation to the weather and the dance they would be doing tomorrow in practice since they were a day behind. The Duke surmised this was over all a difficult day for most of his guests but for him it was his best day ever.