The Kadin (36 page)

“Thank you, my lord”

“Enough,” interrupted Adam Leslie. “Let us go. I must get to Edinburgh today and report to his majesty. You have arranged for transportation, Charles?”

“I was not expecting mother, uncle. Your horse is waiting, but I will have to arrange something for mother.”

“No need my lord” said Captain Kerr, who had been standing waiting to bid farewell to his passengers. “Madame,” he bent over Janet’s hand “allow me to offer you my own horse for your trip into Edinburgh. If you’ll tell me where you are staying, I will send a wagon along later with your baggage and your serving women.”

Janet looked to her son.

“My mother will be staying at the Rose and Thistle, captain. I thank you for the loan of your mount We shall see he is safely returned”

The distance between Leith and Edinburgh was a short one. It seemed to Janet that little had changed during her absence, but one thing she did note—the Scots capital was more bustling. When she had left Scotland James IV had been king. Now his son, young James V, ruled

Upon arriving in Edinburgh, Adam dispatched a messenger to his wife with the news that his search for his sister had been successful, and that Janet would be staying with them at Glenkirk. Then, he went to report to the king.

When Adam returned from court to the inn where Janet was staying, he brought an invitation for his sister to meet the young king. Janet could not refuse, but Adam was distressed. His sister laughed at him.

“It would seem strange if you tried to hide me, Adam, If you stick to our story, no one will know my ‘shameful’ past”

Charles laughingly agreed with his mother and personally escorted her to James’ reception. She took the court by storm. She wore a low-cut black velvet gown, the floral design on the bodice embroidered in pearls and gold thread. Her gold tissue underskirt glittered with rubies and pearls, as did the white silk showing through the slashes in her gold embroidered sleeves, the wrists of which were edged in fine, wide, Venetian lace. Around the base of her neck was a flat necklace made of alternating gold squares each with a ruby center. From the center square hung a large gold and ruby square with a large teardrop pearl. A second necklace, similar to the first but without the pendant, hung below the other into her bodice.

Her hair, parted in the center, was hidden beneath a beautiful cap matching her gown. It was set half way back on her head and from it flowed a sheer black silk veil.

The king was enchanted. Lady Leslie might be old enough to be his mother, but by God she was a beauty! Half-Stewart, half-Tudor, James would not have been his lusty parents’ son had he not made an overture.

Putting her slender hand on his, Janet smiled warmly up into his eyes. “My lord, were I ten years younger I should seriously consider your offer. As it is I am extremely honored by Your Majesty’s kind favor.”

“The rogue,” she later laughed to her son and her brother.

Charles laughed with her, but Adam was shocked. “You could be his grandmother,” he said.

“I most certainly could not!” she snapped back. “God’s bones, Adam! What a prig you’ve become. Father would have laughed as does my son.”

Several days later, they left for Glenkirk, but not before Fergus More had paid them a visit As they rode from the city, the earl of Glenkirk was richer by two hundred and fifty pounds gold, and Lady Janet Leslie was the owner of Glen Rae, its surrounding hills, lake and island. Each was well satisfied.

Janet Leslie was returning, after more than forty years, to her ancestral home, and as the cavalcade wended its way down the hills that surrounded Glenkirk Castle, Anne MacDonald Leslie, countess of Glenkirk, sat in her bedchamber receiving reports of its progress. She was a handsome woman of forty-five with a clear peachy complexion, beautiful dark brown hair, and cold gray eyes.

“They are almost to the bridge, my lady,” said her chief waiting woman. “We will just have time to reach the courtyard.”

“No, Hannah. I am not going down. It is vital that my lord’s sister learn immediately her place in my house as a poor pensioner is of no importance. If this lesson is not made clear in the beginning, I shall have a querulous old woman upsetting the routine of my household. I want you to secret yourself somewhere where you can see, but not be seen. Report back to me as soon as possible.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Moving swiftly through the stone corridors, Hannah slipped into a small enclosure that overlooked the entry court She was just in time to see the lord of Glenkirk and his party enter the castle yard. She waited while the men-at-arms guarding the convoy dispersed. She could identify the earl and his nephew, Sir Charles. There were three women, but two were obviously servants. The third wore an elegant dark hooded cloak. As Sir Charles helped her to dismount the hood fell back, and Hannah gasped in amazement. I must get closer, she thought That cannot be my lord’s sister! Squeezing out of her cubbyhole, she scampered down to the courtyard.

“Welcome home, my lord. My lady is indisposed and begs to be excused.”

“Thank you, Hannah. Nothing serious?”

“Nay, sir. She will be up by dinner.”

The earl drew the beauty forward. “Janet this is Anne’s waiting woman, Hannah. Hannah, this is my sister, Lady Leslie. She will show you and your women to your apartments.”

“Och, my lord, Lady Leslie will think us terribly ill-prepared, but we were not sure when to expect you, and several of the maids have been ill with the flu. If my lady and her companions will follow me, there is a good fire going in the Great Hall, and she may wait there while I finish the preparations.”

“Thank you, Hannah,” Lady Leslie said in her musical voice. “Adam, go see to Anne. You also, my son. Now, Hannah,” she spoke as she walked, “since naught is prepared for me, I would reside in the apartments in the West Tower. They are available?”

“Yes, my lady, but—”

“Good! This is my Marian, and her daughter, Ruth. They will help you. I have brought draperies, rugs, featherbeds, linens, and all manner of things to make me comfortable. See that the trunks are carried up to my tower. Be sure there is plenty of wood for my fires. And you don’t have to escort me to the Great Hall. I remember the way quite well After all, I grew up here. Thank you, Hannah.”

Stunned, Hannah watched the beauty leave her. Then turning to Marian she asked, “Is she always like that?”

“She ran a household a hundred times the size of this one,” snapped Marian. “My, but you’re a quick one, my dear. What shabby quarters did your mistress prepare for mine? My lady was not fooled, you know. However, she does admire your loyalty.”

Janet walked into the main hall of the castle and up the stairs to the Great Hall which was on the second floor of the building. Four steps led up from the anteroom to a landing. Four steps led down from the landing into the hall. To the right and to the left were enormous fireplaces flanked on either side by tall, high glass windows. In front of her was the dining board in the shape of a T, on either side of which were also windows. It looked the same as it had when she had left it, except for two large, full-length portraits that hung over each fireplace. The painting on the right was of her father as she remembered him—a big, sensuous male animal. Tears clouded her vision for a moment, and she said a silent prayer for him.

Over the other fireplace hung her own portrait—the one her father had commissioned in San Lorenzo. It pictured her in her betrothal gown and had been finished just before she was kidnapped. She couldn’t help smiling at the innocent, haughty little face that stared out of the picture.

“Except that your hair is lighter, you look just the same, madame. You must tell me your secret.”

Janet descended the steps into the hall and saw on a long bench by the left fireplace a tiny blond woman with laughing gray-blue eyes.

“I am Jane Dundas Leslie, your nephew Ian’s wife. Forgive me for nae rising, but,” she patted her distended belly, “it would take too long.”

Janet laughed. “I was in the same position five times, child. Soon?”

“Last week according to the midwife; however, my son refuses to obey the midwife! Fiona was due after me, but she may birth her second afore I hae my first”

“Patience,” counseled Janet sitting down next to the girl. “How old are you, Jane?”

“Just seventeen. How old were you when you had yer first?”

“Almost fifteen.”

“Oh, Jane!” cried a disappointed voice. “You hae met her first.”

A slender girl flew down the steps and across the room to Janet. “Welcome home, madame belle mère. I am Fiona.” She chuckled as Janet’s startled eyes swept her figure. “I never show except the littlest bit.” She pulled her gown tight across her middle revealing a gentle swell of belly. “Awful, isn’t it? I am so proud of bearing Charles’ children, and no one ever knows it till I appear wi’ a bairn in my arms!”

“So, mother, ye’ve met my wench,” said Charles entering the hall.

“Barely. And I’ve met Jane too. I have been so very sad about leaving your brother and sister, and all their children behind; but I can now see I have a lovely family right here. Sit down, Fiona, and let me look at you.”

If she had picked the girl herself she could not have been more delighted. Masses of tumbling blue-black hair surrounded a rosy face. She had dark blue eyes, a straight little nose, and a rosebud mouth set with a sweet expression. It was an intelligent face, and a kind one.

Janet turned to look at her son. “You hae yer father’s eye for beauty, my son.”

“Aye,” he said, “I do. I also look as he did for loyalty, intelligence and spirit. Like you, Fiona has all of these qualities.”

For a moment her eyes filled with tears, but she held them back. “Where is my grandson?”

He laughed, “I thought you would be unable to contain yourself for very long, mother. Ah, here is his nurse now.”

A pink-cheeked young woman descended the steps into the hall She carried a plump, dark-haired baby boy with a serious expression in his bright eyes. Janet held out her arms, and without a murmur the child went to her. For a minute they looked at each other, then the child touched her cheek with his tiny hand, and said, “Mam!”

“Yes, Patrick. I am your grandmother. I am mam.”

Sitting down on the settle, she placed the baby on the floor and handed him a gold bracelet from her arm, which he began to chew on vigorously.

“I do not believe it,” said Fiona. “Patrick never goes to anyone but his father, nurse or me. Even Uncle Adam cannot thaw him, and the Lady Anne sets him to scream-mg.

“But I am his grandmother,” replied Janet with aggravating logic.

And for the next hour the little group sat talking, reminding Janet very much of the evenings she, Selim, and the Lady Refet had made a family party. Then Ruth came to escort her to her apartments.

Marian, Ruth, Hannah, and several maids had worked quickly. They had swept the entire tower apartment which consisted of three floors. The first contained an anteroom and two small bedrooms; the second floor was a dining room and a little kitchen. The top floor of the tower held the master bedroom and garderobe. All of the rooms excepting the garderobe had fireplaces, and all of the fireplaces were blazing merrily, taking the chill off the long-unused tower.

The garderobe bulged with Lady Leslie’s clothing, shoes, and jewels. On the sideboard a great silver charger gleamed, and crystal decanters sparkled with golden sherry and ruby wine. And everywhere pure, faintly scented beeswax candles twinkled.

“A miracle,” said Janet upon finishing her tour of inspection. “Thank you for all your help. If I might ask one more favor, Hannah, would you have hot water brought for my bath? Marian, has the tub been put in the garderobe?”

“Yes, m’lady. Shall I have it set up by the fire?”

“Please.” Turning to Hannah again she said, “Go to my sister the Lady Anne and tell her I am now comfortably settled, I shall look forward to meeting her at the dinner hour.”

It was at least another half an hour before Hannah was able to return to her mistress’s apartments, and then she had to wait as the earl was with his wife. When he had finally left, she bustled in.

“Where have you been? It’s been three hours! I understand my lord’s sister brought wi’ her two servants. She will have to dismiss them. I will not feed idle mouths. Such airs! She is little better than a servant herself. It is bad enough I must feed and house her, her son, his wife and children.”

“M’lady. I think Lady Janet can more than well afford servants, and these women—a mother and daughter—hae been wi’ her for many years.”

“I shall speak wi’ her myself, Hannah. Has she been settled in her room in the North Wing?”

“Nay, m’lady. The Lady Janet wanted the apartment in the West Tower.”

“Did she? I see that we hae an autocratic old woman who would try to run my house. Have her baggage put into the room I had prepared, Hannah! I must be firmer than I thought Well, what is it?”

“Madame, I think I would suggest that you meet the Lady Janet before making any decisions. I cannot force the lady, my lord’s sister, from her chosen place.”

The countess looked outraged, then said, “Aye. It would be better for me to make my position clear at once with this old woman.”

“She is nae old, m’lady.”

“Not old? Of course she is old. She has passed the half century mark.”

“My lady Anne, the earl’s sister may have lived fifty years, but her face and form are those of a much younger woman. She is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen! And what’s more, she is, I believe, extremely wealthy!”

“Hannah! You’ve been bewitched! Come along! I shall go and meet this wonder.”

Upon her arrival at the West Tower, the countess was told by a firm Marian that she would have to wait until the Lady Janet was finished bathing. Ten minutes later she was ushered upstairs to Janet’s bedchamber. The woman who greeted her literally took her breath away. She wore a loose pale green silk garment the top and sleeves of which were embroidered delicately in gold thread and tiny seed pearls. There were matching slippers on her feet, and her hair flowed loosely, thick and pale red, down to her knees.