"Is he a put-her?" Cathleen asked.
"Nay," Sassy answered.
Once he could no longer hear them, Hannish turned to the others and asked, "A put-her?"
Alistair answered, "They prayed God would give Mrs. Forthright the boot…put-her out, you see."
"I do see. I am happy not to be a put-her in that case." Hannish noticed a tear in Sarah's eye and became concerned. "What is it, Sarah?"
"Sassy bought that ribbon for her own hair. Now she gives it to her sister. I have never seen such love."
"Nor have I." Hannish considered it for a moment. "Prescot, the next time you go to town, bring back new ribbons and I shall give one to each of our ladies."
"With pleasure," said Prescot.
"How did Cathleen do on the voyage," Hannish asked Egan.
"She was terrified and not at all convinced I was taking her to her sister. I don't think she believed it until just now. A kind lady washed her up and gave her the maid's dress to wear. She was a pitiful sight, dirty and far too thin. Mr. Cameron took us straight to the ship, and gave me extra to see she had plenty to eat. Cathleen was so happy to have the maid's dress, she could not keep from feeling the soft cloth all the way here. Mr. MacGreagor, I never knew 'twas so awful for the orphans."
"Nor did I," Hannish admitted.
"None of us did," said Alistair.
"Do not fret," said Halen, "me and Jessie will fatten her right up." She nodded and so did Jessie, her new best friend.
Hannish wrinkled his brow. "What happened to the other servants? I expected more to come."
"They run off as soon as the duchess was gone. I would have too, except I wanted the pay she promised to give when she came back."
Hannish again found the lack of servant's pay sickening. "You shall have your pay and then some. Tomorrow, will you come to the study and help me remember their names so I can have my brother see they are all paid?"
"Aye, Sir."
"I am greatly humiliated by what my wife has done. Have you any idea why she kept the servant's pay?"
"Nay, Sir, none at all," Egan answered.
"Alistair, did she gamble?" Hannish asked.
"A time or two."
"That must be it then," said Hannish. "She gambled and lost… and a lot more than she could have imagined she would."
That night, before she went to bed, Sarah quietly opened the door to Sassy's room. One bed was empty and at first she panicked, until she opened it a little wider and noticed two heads in Sassy's bed. Sassy had her arms around her little sister and still had a smile on her face. At the foot of the bed, the puppy watched Sarah with one eye open.