Chapter Nine #2
While she could understand being cautious with such attachments, she’d given him no reason to believe she was anything but truthful and sincere in her attention to him.
Maybe something good could come from this encounter.
She could very well acquire the opportunity to confront him over his comments.
She could tell him how that made her feel and that she deserved an apology.
The likelihood of that was as possible as if she might sprout wings and fly across the country to acquire said apology.
Keeping her mind focused on preparing for the journey was a welcome distraction from the memory of the man at the end of it. He would not know she was in the attending party. How would he react to seeing her? Would he think she orchestrated this as well?
*
Alexander straightened his tunic and fixed his belt placement and left his chamber to join his family to welcome the royal couple to Inverary Castle.
His sister had left no detail to chance as she’d driven everyone in the castle mad in the last two weeks since receiving confirmation from the king of their stay and the number in their party.
There was nothing unusual about the number and it was not customary for the king to provide details on the who. But two words stuck out that had him on edge.
My Dear Argyll,
I graciously accept your invitation to join you at Inverary together with my wife and friend as well as the usual accompaniment of staff. We shall endeavor to arrive on or about 18 August and will partake of your hospitality for a few days as we tour the west Highlands.
James S
Did the king mean his wife was also his friend, and if so, what a peculiar manner to phrase such a thing.
If that was not the meaning, was it that the queen was bringing a friend, and if so, which one?
Images of red hair had tormented him to no end of late, and he had just begun to work through possibly never seeing her again.
Now he was not sure if he wanted to see her or not.
Alexander stood at the front of the line including first his family, then his stewards and heads of his staff. The din of an approaching carriage and horses was well evident long before the party came into view considering the curvature in the road and the lush trees surrounding it.
The king was at the lead and galloped ahead when they came into view. He dismounted quickly and tossed the reins to a waiting stable hand and approached Alexander with a beaming smile.
“Argyll, you seek to outdo me with these grounds,” he said.
The king clearly had an affectionate eye for meticulously groomed grounds looking neat as a pin.
Jean could be thanked for that. Not that a hair was ever out of place at Inverary, but she was specific about how she wanted the first impression to be taken.
In addition to the lush trees that surrounded them, she’d had the gardeners gather branches from nearby to make thick garlands adorned with all the local wildflowers of the area.
These garlands lined the entrance to the castle and topped every main doorway and table possible inside.
His home smelled more like the woods than it did.
But he was proud of his home and stood a little taller before the king as he bowed.
“You are most welcome, Your Majesty. I am certain you will find much to admire in this part of the country.”
As the king spoke of his journey, the carriage pulled up and stopped just in front of them.
Alexander worked hard to keep his attention on him, but in his periphery, he was keenly aware of the carriage door slowly opening and an ornately dressed foot stepping outside.
The woman wore a hood and a gown fit for a queen—making sense considering that’s who it was.
She looked all around and seemed pleased then joined her husband in greeting Alexander.
He waited. His mind was having a different conversation with himself than the polite one he was having with the royals.
And then another foot protruded from the carriage, this one not so ornate, but a lady’s foot just the same.
Another foot and a rustle of pale blue fabric and a flash of red hair and he stopped talking mid-sentence.
How much time passed as he watched her straighten her hair and gown, he was not sure, but somewhere in his consciousness he was aware the king turned to look in the same direction.
“Argyll,” he said. “Do you remember Lady Marion from Stobo in Peebleshire?”
“Aye, I recall,” he said as she drew nearer.
“She is here by invitation of my wife. I trust that meets with your approval?”
“Aye, Your Majesty, I do not object.”
Their eyes met and the world fell away for a heartbeat. She was more lovely than he remembered. Something was different. Like she had been let in on some secret only she knew and it emanated confidence around her.
“Welcome to Inverary, Lady Marion,” he said.
“I thank you, my lord,” she said. “You have exquisite grounds, my lord. Your gardeners must be busy day and night to keep up such beauty.”
Alexander smiled. He was pleased by her approval. Aye, there was something different about her, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.
“And who is this lovely young lady?” the king asked, moving down the line to Jean.
Alexander spent the next while introducing his family and main staff to the king and their party. He stood closest to Marion during this time, drinking in her scent, fingers itching to touch her hair.
Her hair.
That’s what it was. She wasn’t wearing it fully down like when he’d first met her.
Rather, she had some pieces loose but the majority of it was pinned up in large curls.
It took a lot of restraint to keep from picking up one of the loose tresses and bringing it to his nose to inhale.
Once or twice, she looked back at him over her shoulder and when she turned back, he would focus on the curvature of her neck, how he longed to press his lips there.
Once the introductions were complete, Jean pretty much took over guiding them through the castle and speaking of its long history of Clan Campbell and the short history of Inverary Castle.
“You’ve done well with your earldom, Argyll,” the king tossed over his shoulder from time to time.
Marion and the queen had linked arms during the tour as the king asked question after question about the land and the sea loch adjacent to the castle and even questions about the Campbells’ involvement at Bannockburn.
By the time Jean was done with the tour, Alexander was filled with pride for the ease with which she had conducted herself before the royals, but also of the message she conveyed.
They would never forget to honor all those who were loyal who had come before them.
Jean led them to the great hall where a feast was laid out which was not on the king’s scale, but it was on their scale.
They’d prepared various fish as the main for their midday meal and had reserved roasted boar for later that evening.
Breads and other cured meats and cheese along with cold rabbit pies and more pastries than they could eat in a lifetime.
Alexander had been the one to suggest the pipes play outside the castle during the meal which was something they reserved for only very special occasions.
At the table, the king and queen sat at the head with Alexander and Marion seated across from one another, with the remainder of Alexander’s siblings filling up the remainder of the seats on either side as their ages dictated.
Up to this point, Alexander had not had the opportunity to speak with Marion but hoped he could manage to steal a moment or two of her time as the afternoon allowed.
“What of the sport in the area?” the king asked.
Thomas, who had been relatively quiet to this point, spoke up. “We’ve been tracking a particularly large buck for the past few weeks, Your Majesty. We would be honored if you would join us.”
The king’s eyes grew wide and for good reason.
Alexander was well aware the king had been craving the opportunity to collect that particular trophy, and Alexander would see it happen as long as the animal was appropriately honored with no wastage of the spoils.
In fact, if it were to transpire, Alexander would ensure the nearby village was invited to pay respects as they did when any of the majestic beasts were felled.
“I would very much like that. When do we leave?”
“We can leave within the hour, Your Majesty, if that pleases you,” Thomas said.
“Argyll, will you join us?” the king asked.
“I beg you to excuse me as I have some things to attend to at the moment,” he said as he pointedly caught Marion’s gaze, “and it is my brother here who is the master huntsman. I believe he also has hopes to show you our best fishing places as well.”
“Very well, if the ladies will excuse us,” he said and arose from the table, “I believe I have a buck to collect.”
With that, he kissed his wife’s cheek and followed Thomas out of the hall.
“Your Majesty,” Jean said. “Would you like to join me on a tour of the back gardens? I have heard so much about yours at Linlithgow. For surely ours are not so grand, but we have some very pretty places to enjoy the sun’s warmth and the many songbirds visiting this time of year.”
Alexander caught her eye, understanding what she was about. It appeared the queen did as well for she accepted very quickly.
“Lady Marion, would you like to see our library?” Alexander asked.
Her eyes grew wide for a moment. “Aye, my lord, I would like that very much indeed.”
The younger siblings scattered about playing with their wooden swords again as Alexander offered his arm to Marion.
Her small hand clung to his arm lightly, but the sensation of it still brought a warmth that spread through him. If they were to spend the next days under the same roof, he would have to be sure they could do so cordially and without awkwardness. He didn’t want that for either of them.
“I was quite surprised and pleased to see you earlier, Lady Marion, for I was not aware you were the friend the queen intended to bring.”
“I apologize for that,” she said. “I had asked her majesty to share that information, but she assured me ’twas not necessary.”
“’Tis of no matter. You are here now, and we shall make the most of it.”