To Love A Myth - Book 1: Mr. Higgs and the Maid🎩✔️

27

"Thank ye kindly for helping me prepare for Mr. Higgs' uncles. Ye dinnae have to help me."
"It was my pleasure. With Jami being at Margaret's mansion so much now, it's becoming quite boring. Besides, Radek and Kannaset might be in other forms so it's best to prepare."
Merida nodded as Catherine folded some clothes and stuck them in a basket. After watching her for a moment, Merida turned her head a little.
"Catherine?"
"Yes?"
"How long have ye been with Laird Northumberly?"
"Since we were young children. I was pulled into service along with Davros, so he's been looking after him for a long time. Why do ye ask?"
"What is Kannaset like?"
"Kannaset? Oh... well... um..." Catherine's face began to blush. "He's shy as can be, doesn't talk very much. He's kind and good and would give the shirt right off his back, he would... He a good man..."
Merida smiled. "Ye fancy him, do ye?"
Catherine's face turned a darker red. "N-no! No! Why would ye even think that?"
"It's not like yer face is giving anything away... An ye fancy him then why havenae ye said anything? I'm sure knowing that someone likes him would flatter him."
"Oh no, Ms. Dunbrough, ye don't understand. Kans is... fragile. He's been hurt so many times by people and those of his family that doing anything like that to him would confuse him deeply. He wouldn't understand at all... Besides, I'm not as brave as ye..."
"But if he kenned ye were willing-"
Catherine shook her head fiercely. "Ye don't understand fully, Ms. Dunbrough... I've watched him since Davros was brought in for service to Lard Northumberly and the way he's been treated and the condition he's in... It wouldn't matter how much I showed him or tried to make him understand, he would never comprehend what was going on. My love for him is strong but for him... for him he doesn't even know what that means. Doubts and uncertainties run so deep within his heart that all I would be doing is adding to the poor child who will come after."
"Is it because of that cod of a father those men have?"
"To an extent. Lard Northumberly really only caused issues with wooing that poor woman into believing she was his saving grace and leading her along. If nothing else, he's never hurt the boys... Kans' abuse comes from Lady Northumberly. She has some sort of grudge against him that no one has been able to understand. She makes his life hell... Did ye know, while Kans was there as a child, she made his bedroom the cellar? Didn't have not a blanket or anything down there for him. When Jami was young and we were brought to him, one of the first things he did was order us to give Kans whatever he desired and do ye know what he asked for? Go on, guess."
"What?"
"A proper meal."
"A proper meal?"
"Aye, a proper meal. Turns out, that bitch of a woman wouldn't give him a full plate of food. The family ate, then the servants ate and then Kans ate. That meant that he mostly got table scraps. Table scraps! Barely some bread and maybe –if he was lucky- a potato floating in some broth from soup. Can ye believe that?"
"From the way ye describe this horrid Englishwoman, aye, I can. That means I've got a lot coming for me..." Merida said, scrubbing a shirt on the washboard. "Jamison and them get along, yah?"
"Oh, those three are like peas in a pod, they are. Jami loved (still loves) Kans the most though, if I do say so myself. Radek is the oldest and so he feels an obligation to protecting and taking care of Kans and Jami, but he's a good man as well. His mother is a... well, bit of a handful, but Radek has always looked out for his brothers. He would defend Kans to the end of the Earth, anything to keep him from being picked on and ridiculed."
"How... sensitive is Kans?"
"How do ye mean?"
"Well, apparently they are coming for a visit because they've 'heard all about me' or so the letter said. That being the case, I'm sure Higgs wants me to prove to them that I'm not afraid of the curse and the things in it. Again, with that being said, I will have to prove myself and I have a feeling it will have to be a bit drastic."
"I would take caution with him... like I said before, he's had so much happen to him that any type of passionate positive reinforcement will only confuse and most likely scare him. No one has ever told him that it's alright that he is the way he is... that he's not a horrible monster or a Devil child..."
Merida growled, squeezing the shirt in her hands harder.
"Who said that about that man?" she asked.
"Family, people... they do live in the heart of the city and it's common knowledge there about Kans' abilities. Society tries to ignore it, but the house treats him like a slave. He lives in a smaller house on the Northumberly property with Radek but in order for them to stay there, Lady Northumberly told them that Kans had to prove his worth. He has to do silly chores around the mansion as well as go out and get supplies and other things. The town begrudgingly deals with him... Most merchants are friendly but there are those few who try to cause problems."
"Grrrr, I hate that family!" Merida growled. "I wish I could get a hold of someone and just punch them repeatedly in the face! Just one of them!"
"Yer passion is most likely what drew them to want to come and visit. I do wish I had some of it... but in the long run, yer passion may scare him. He's very shy..."
Merida nodded. "I'll just have to see what comes, I guess."
Catherine nodded as they continued washing the clothes.