Three French Hens

By Lynsay Sands

Previously published in the print anthologies Five Gold Rings and A Historical Christmas Present.

Brinna, a twelfth-century scullery maid, gets the chance to play a lady—and win the true love of an impoverished lord. Her fate changes when a new guest, Lady Joan, arrives at the castle. Desperate to escape her arranged marriage to Royce of Thurleah, Joan suggests that look-alike Brinna take her place at the Christmas festivities. Suddenly, Brinna finds herself being wooed by a true gentleman, getting perhaps the best Christmas present of all: a new life. A classic novella from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Apr 10, 2012
• ISBN: 9780062106780

Lynsay Sands

Lynsay Sands is the nationally bestselling author of the Argeneau/Rogue Hunter vampire series, as well as numerous historicals and anthologies. She’s been writing since grade school and considers herself incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of it. Her hope is that readers can get away from their everyday stress through her stories, and if there are occasional uncontrollable fits of laughter, that’s just a big bonus.

Book preview

Chapter 1

December 24

Ye’d best set that aside and wipe yer hands, girl. Cook’ll be wantin’ ye in a minute.

Hmm? Brinna glanced up from the pot she had been scrubbing and frowned slightly at the old woman now setting to work beside her. Why?

I was talkin’ to Mabel ere I came back to the kitchen and she says one o’ them guests His Lordship brought with him don’t have no maid. Fell ill or something and they left her at court.

So?

"So, Lady Menton sent Christina in here to fetch a woman to replace her," she said dryly, and nodded toward the opposite end of the kitchen.

Following the gesture, Brinna saw that Aggie was right. Lady Christina was indeed in the kitchen speaking with Cook. A rare sight, that. You were more likely to find the daughter of the house with her nose buried in one of those musty old books she was forever dragging about than sniffing near anything domestic. It had been a bone of contention between her and her mother since the girl’s return from the convent school.

I still don’t see what that’s to do with me, Brinna muttered, turning to frown at the older woman again, and Aggie tut-tutted impatiently.

I didn’t raise ye to be a fool, girl. Just look about. Do you see any likely lady’s maids ’sides yerself?

Letting the pot she had been scrubbing slide down to rest on the table before her, Brinna glanced around the kitchen. Two boys ground herbs with a mortar and pestle in a corner, while another boy worked at the monotonous task of turning a pig on its spit over the fire. But other than Lady Christina and Cook, she and Aggie were the only women present at the moment. The others were all rushing about trying to finish preparations for the sudden influx of guests that Lord Menton had brought home with him. Aggie herself was just returning from one such task.

From what I heard as I entered, they’ve settled on ye as the most likely lady’s maid, Aggie murmured.

Mayhap they’ll send you now that yer back, Brinna murmured. That would make a nice change fer ye.

Oh, aye, Aggie said dryly. Me runnin’ up an’ down those stairs, chasin’ after some spoilt little girl. A nice change, that. Here it comes, Aggie added with satisfaction as Lady Christina left and Cook turned toward them.

Brinna!

See. Now, off with ye and make me proud.

Releasing her breath in a sigh, Brinna wiped her hands dry on her skirts and hurried to Cook’s side as she returned to the table that she had been working at before Lady Christina’s arrival. Ma’am?

Lady Christina was just here, the older woman announced as she bent to open a bag squirming beneath the table.

Aye, ma’am. I saw her.

Hmm. She straightened from the bag, holding a frantically squawking and flapping chicken by its legs. Well, it seems one of the lady’s maids fell ill and remained behind at court. A replacement is needed while the girl is here. You’re that replacement.

Oh. But, well, yer awful short-staffed at the moment and—

Aye. I said as much to Lady Christina, Cook interrupted dryly as she picked up a small hatchet with her free hand. And she suggested I go down to the village in search of extra help … just as soon as I dispatch you to assist the lady in question.

But—oh, nay, ma’am, I never could. Why I can’t. I …

You could, you can, and you will, Cook declared, slamming the bird she held on the table with enough force to stun it, stilling it for the moment necessary for her to sever its head from its body with one smooth stroke of her ax. Pushing the twitching body aside, she wiped her hands on her apron, then removed it and set it aside before catching Brinna’s elbow in her strong hand and directing her toward the door.

Ye’ve been a scullery maid under me now for ten of yer twenty years, Brinna, and I’ve watched ye turn away one chance after another to advance up the ranks. And yet God has seen fit to send ye another, and if you think to turn this away for yer dear Aggie’s sake—

She paused and rolled her eyes skyward at Brinna’s gasp of surprise. Did ye think I was so dense that I’d believe ye actually enjoy washing pans all day every day? Or did ye think I was too blind to notice that ye start afore the others have risen and stay at it until well after they’ve quit for the night—all in an effort to cover the fact that Aggie has slowed down in her old age? Sighing, the cook shook her head and continued forward, propelling Brinna along with her. "I know you are reluctant to leave Aggie. She raised ye from a babe, mothered ye through chills, colds, and childhood injuries. And I know too that ye’ve been the best daughter a woman could hope for, mothering and caring for her in return these last many years. Covering for her as age crept over her, making the job too hard for her old body. But ye needn’t have bothered. I am not so cruel that I would throw an old woman out on her duff after years of faithful service because she cannot work as she used to. She does her best, as do you, and that leaves me well satisfied.

So … Pausing, she eyed Brinna grimly. If you don’t accept this opportunity to prove yourself and maybe move up the ranks through it, I’ll swat ye up the side o’ the head with me favorite ladle. And don’t think I won’t. Now. Cook turned her abruptly, showing Brinna that while she had been distracted by the woman’s words, Cook had marched her out to the great hall and to the foot of the stairs leading to the bedchambers. Get upstairs and be the best lady’s maid ye can be. It’s Lady Joan Laythem, third room on the right. Get to it.

She gave her a little push, and Brinna stumbled up several steps before turning to glance down at the woman uncertainly. Ye’ll really keep Aggie on, despite her being a bit slower than she used to be?

I told you so, didn’t I?

Brinna nodded, then cocked her head. Why’re ye only telling me now and not sooner?

Surprise crossed the other woman’s face. What? And lose the best scullion I’ve ever had? Why it will take two women to replace you. Speaking of which, I’d best get down to the village and find half a dozen or so girls to help out while the guests are here. You get on up there now and do your best.

Nodding, Brinna turned away and hurried up stairs, not slowing until she reached the door Cook had directed her to. Pausing then, she glanced down at her stained and threadbare skirt, brushed it a couple of times in the vain hope that some of the stains might be crumbs she could easily brush away, then gave up the task with a sigh and knocked at the door. Hearing a muffled murmur to enter, she pasted a bright smile on her lips, opened the door, and stepped inside the room.

Oh, fustian! The snarled words preceded the crash of a water basin hitting the floor as Lady Joan bumped it while peeling off her glove. Stomping her foot, the girl gave a moan of frustration. Now look what I have done. My hands are so frozen they will not do what I want and—

I’ll tend it, m’lady. Pushing the door closed, Brinna rushed around the bed toward the mess. Why don’t you cozy yerself by the fire for a bit and warm up.

Heaving a sigh, Lady Laythem moved away to stand by the fire as Brinna knelt to tend to the mess. She had set the basin back on the chest and gathered the worst of the soaked rushes up to take them below to discard, when the bedroom door burst open and a pretty brunette bustled into the room.

What a relief to be spending the night within the walls of a castle again. I swear! One more night camping by the roadside and— Spying Brinna’s head poking up curiously over the side of the bed, the woman came to a halt, eyes round with amazement. Joan! What on earth are you doing on the floor?

Reviews for Three French Hens

[vicaporter · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story is a pretty predictable sentimental dribel, but nicely done.

[cats57_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For those of us who read a lot of Ms Sand's books but may shy away from anthologies for fear that we will not like all the authors in them, this is the perfect alternate. "Three French Hens" was previously publish in the anthologies "Five Gold Rings" and "A Historical Christmas Present", so you can make sure you don't have those before you purchase this novella.This was an entirely very sweet story of two young women one a scullery maid and the other a high born lady who switch identities during the Christmas season. The reason for this is that Lady Joan wants to get out of a pre-arranged marriage, and Brinna the scullery maid needs some coin to help her elderly friend Aggie retire.Unfortunately or fortunately it depends on how you look at it, the ruse worked all too well and Brinna ends up falling for Lady Joan's betrothed Royce of Thurleah.I had wondered how Ms Sands was going to dig her way out of this plot predicament, but I shouldn't have feared. Ms Sands did it and fairly well too. It may seem that the ploy is a little trite, but this is a Christmas novella and at this time of the year predictable, sweet and romantic is just what we all need to get through the holiday's. See your review on the site