Real Vampires: Glory and the Pirates by Bartlett, Gerry (red white royal blue TXT) 📕

Who would I get instead? Some burly shape-shifter who might be even more impossible to deal with? There were several here from Castle Campbell. Most had hard eyes and rough hands. Fergus had Turnbull cousins who would love to work for Jeremiah. They were crude and rude and arrogant. Valdez was arrogant but at least he was handsome. Though what that had to do with keeping me safe, I had no idea.

“Stay. I cannot imagine anyone who would be any easier to deal with.” I brushed past him to go inside. To my relief, I heard Florence laughing as she walked back across the drawbridge, Brian trailed her with a dazed look on his face. Her cheeks were flushed as I was sure mine were. We’d both enjoyed drinking our fill of mortal blood. It left me feeling strong and vital.

“Where is Lady Anne? I want to see her needlework. I am not so good at it, but she is an artista if the pillows in my room are anything to go by.” Florence linked her arm with mine then leaned in to whisper. “Thank you for showing me how the Campbells take their blood. It is fantastico!”

“Yes, it is.” I led her up the stairs. “Lady Anne is clever with her needle. I cannot sew without poking myself and drawing blood.”

“Neither can I but I enjoy drawing and painting.” Florence giggled. “I have other talents as well. Ask your fellow Brian. He will never forget me, I am sure.”

I shook my head. Did I want to know what this woman had done to the man? Or for him? Whatever it was, she had made him happy. I was too loyal to Jeremiah to even think of sharing my favors with another man. Was Jeremiah as loyal? I didn’t dare ask him.

Fergus and Maggie had arrived. With their new baby. Their darling little girl brought tears to my eyes as I held her. I would never have this for myself. Yes, I’d made that decision for love, but it was becoming real to me, the finality of it. Little Anna snuggled against my breast and stole my heart.

“We named her after you, Gloriana. As best we could. You have no idea how Fergus’s family is. They would have named her after one of their ancestors. I couldn’t even pronounce that name!”

Maggie told me this while she wasted no time unpacking and taking over the running of the castle. The maids scurried to do her bidding, recognizing a firm hand. After she and Holly shared a cup of tea and a cake or two, even the feisty cook was happy to accept that Maggie was now taking on the duties that “poor Lady Anne” should no longer have to do.

“You have a Lady Anne here and now my Anna. My precious lamb is no great lady.” Maggie grinned after we retired to her room when the baby got fussy. “Though there’s no saying my Anna couldn’t marry a lord someday, is there?”

“No indeed.” I sat with Maggie in her room in front of the fire. Fergus was out with Jeremiah, meeting the captain and assessing the troops.

“I am so glad you are here.” I watched Maggie feed the hungry baby. “She hasn’t admitted it, but Lady Anne is grateful you will become our housekeeper. The maids were taking advantage of her sweet nature.” I laughed when Maggie raised her eyebrows.

“Not that you aren’t sweet, dear friend, but you know how to get work out of a lazy staff member, now don’t you?”

“Indeed, I do. One look and I saw how things were here. Dirt in the corners. Cobwebs hanging from the ceilings. I swear the tapestries haven’t had the dirt beat out of them since they were hung years ago.” She sniffed. “The chits from the village here will soon step lively or they’ll be gone.”

I hadn’t really noticed such things, but then I’d never seen the castle in the light of day either. “Good. Now I will be glad to pay you good wages and you can save the money for your future. Someday you and Fergus might want to live somewhere besides Dollar and in the midst of the Turnbulls.”

“Anywhere but in the midst of the Turnbulls.” Maggie sighed and ran a fingertip over her daughter’s head which was covered with a dark fuzz. “I love Fergus with all my heart, but his mother! I cannot even stitch on a button to her liking. You know that I am skilled with a needle, Gloriana!”

“Of course!” Maggie had taken care of the wardrobe at the Globe Theater for Master Shakespeare when I had been there. Her so-called husband had ignored her until he’d disappeared to follow another theatrical troop. Maggie had never loved him and he’d left her with unpaid rent and penniless. Only her clever needle had saved her.

My own clumsy sewing had convinced Shakespeare to let me sleep behind the stage after Michael was killed, but he’d finally demanded I leave. That had brought about my chance encounter with Jeremiah. I’d never forgotten Maggie’s kindness when I’d been at my most desperate. I had gone back to visit her, to let her know I was safe, then had introduced her to Fergus. It made me so happy that Maggie had found love with a good man who adored her.

“Lady Anne may want to leave now that you have replaced her. If she does go back to her home, she is afraid her family may force her into a marriage she doesn’t want.” I stood and stared into the fire. “There is a chance Captain Burnett has grown fond of the lady. If we can push them together, mayhap he will offer for her.”

“You are playing matchmaker! Just as you did with me and my Fergus.” Maggie laughed and pulled Anna up to her shoulder to pat her back. “Have at it, dear Glory. Any ideas on how to bring him up to scratch?”

“He has