it was the last thing he would have expected-not only in light of the social differences that must exist between a lady 's maid and a laird ( though a brief thought of hal and minnie drifted through the back of his mind , together with a vision of the scorched hearth rug ) , no matter how far the laird 's fortunes had fallen , but in light of what grey had always assumed to be fraser 's very exigent feelings toward his dead wife .