章節 27: Chapter 27

Part 3: Unawakened

Scottish Lowlands, 1807

"Does everyone have everything?" Augusta MacLeish stood beside the wagon that held her four younger siblings and studied their faces. "It's a long way to make poor Thomas come back if you've forgotten your favorite hair ribbons." She stared hard at thirteen-year old Alberta at that. Bertie was forever forgetting things. Thomas McArdle, their lone male servant winked at her from the driver's box.

"You checked my bag yourself, Gussie," Bertie replied. "Can we go now?"

"Arthur, you have your indoor shoes, right? No wearing your muddy boots inside Lady Carter's parlor."

"Yes, Gus," twelve-year-old Arthur, the baby of the family said with a long-suffering sigh. "We're fine. And if we don't go now, we'll miss luncheon."

The Carter's estate was a two-hour ride in the farm cart that was all the MacLeishes had left in the way of transportation. The carriage had been sold within months of their father's death, some three years back.