Trade Winds by Christina Courtenay

Author:Christina Courtenay [Courtenay, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Travel, Fiction, Voyages and Travels, Sweden, Scots, China, Historical, 18th Century, Social Conditions, Women
ISBN: 9781906931230
Google: O1PyBzicSCoC
Amazon: 1906931232
Publisher: Choc Lit
Published: 2012-03-27T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

The following morning, the snow had stopped falling at last and they woke to find an icy fairyland outside the windows. The sun’s rays reflected off the sparkling prisms in the snowdrifts and almost blinded them. It was as if some giant had decided to throw out his vast collection of diamonds and covered the entire world with them. Both Jess and Killian were enchanted.

‘Do you want to come outside?’ he asked, before she had even sat down at the breakfast table. ‘It’s so beautiful, it’s calling to me.’

She smiled broadly. ‘Yes, irresistible, isn’t it? I just have to check on Mrs Forbes and make sure she has everything she needs, then I’ll join you.’

They met up in the hall, each having put on as many clothes as they could find. Especially all the stockings they possessed, for keeping their feet warm would prove the most difficult. Kerstin, the upstairs maid, happened to be crossing the hall as Killian put on his huge bearskin coat. She stopped and looked at Jess’ much thinner cloak and shawl with a frown.

‘Begging your pardon, Miss, but shouldn’t you wear a fur coat as well?’ she asked, bobbing a slight curtsey. She glanced surreptitiously at Killian as if she wasn’t sure whether to run from him or gawp at him.

‘Of course I should, Kerstin, but I’m afraid Mr Kinross is the only one who owns such a thing. Even if he lent me his, I wouldn’t be able to walk in it. Just look how long it is.’ The enormous garment reached all the way to the floor when Killian wore it, and he was a good foot taller than Jess.

‘I doubt the old master’s coat is quite as long,’ Kerstin said, blushing as Killian smiled kindly at her.

‘What old master? You mean my father?’ Kerstin nodded. ‘Well, he didn’t have a bearskin coat as far as I know. Mind you, I never spent any time with him here during the cold season, we only ever came when it was summer.’

‘He was here in January one year,’ Kerstin said. ‘And he bought himself a fur coat because it was one of the coldest Yuletides in living memory and he arrived just after. Shall I fetch it for you? I know where it is.’

‘Really? Yes, please.’ Kerstin scurried off and Jess turned to Killian. ‘I do hope it will fit me or you’ll be able to stay outside a lot longer than me.’

They didn’t have long to wait. Kerstin came running back with an armful of fur, albeit of a different type and much lighter in colour. ‘It’s wolf,’ she panted, trying to shake the coat and succeeding mostly in sending out a shower of dust. ‘A bit moth-eaten, but not too bad. Here, try it on, Miss.’

Jess wrinkled her nose. ‘It smells a bit musty,’ she protested, ‘but I suppose beggars can’t be choosers.’ She took off her cloak and shrugged into the wolf-coat. Thankfully it seemed to have been made for a normal sized man, not a giant.

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