Chapter Seventeen
Marion’s breath caught in her throat. What was he doing here? She’d practically given up on ever seeing him again. She shifted her gaze from Alexander to her father and back again. Both men wore an odd smile that she could not decipher.
“Do come in and close the door, daughter.”
She did as he asked and moved to sit in a chair across from them both. She tried to steady her breath as much as she could, but her insides jittered around like a box of butterflies had just been unleashed.
“I imagine you are curious as to why I have come this morning?”
“Aye, my lord, as I witnessed you leaving last eve. I did not think you would return.” As she said this, a lump formed in her throat.
She was of the opinion she’d cried all her tears the night before, and in fact had cried herself to sleep.
She’d been grateful for the distraction of the morning market, but now he was before her, all those emotions came flooding back and tears welled in her eyes.
She blinked them away and cast her eyes downward, not wanting him to see.
Large warm hands reached for hers as he knelt before her. He squeezed them and said, “Marion, I am not going anywhere.” His voice was but a whisper.
She looked up to meet his gaze and saw tears in his as well. “I love you, Marion. I believe now I always have, and I want to marry you. I left last eve after I acquired your father’s permission to seek the king’s permission for us to marry at the abbey.”
“The abbey, as in Linlithgow Abbey?”
He nodded. “The very one. As you can imagine, the queen and king are now planning a wedding feast the likes this region has rarely seen.”
“So, what you are telling me is that I cannot refuse,” she said, trying an attempt at a jest. It was all so overwhelmingly what she wanted, she could hardly trust it.
He sat back and released her hands. “Do you want to refuse me?” he asked in a quiet voice.
She shook her head and reached for his hands. “I do not want to refuse you, my lord. I do want to marry you. I do.”
He was on his feet in an instant and pulled her up with him. He picked her up and twirled her around then planted her firmly on her feet.
“Then it is set. We will marry the day after tomorrow and I have much to see to before then.” Turning to her father, he said, “I trust you will arrange for her to arrive at the queen’s apartments this afternoon for her fitting?”
“My fitting?”
“Aye, the queen has insisted upon it.”
Marion was not sure how she felt about the idea of an elaborate gown, but she would be pleased to see her friend again and appreciated her generosity. Now she could apologize to her in person for her abrupt departure from Inverary.
Alexander cupped her face with his hands and brushed his lips across hers. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that her father had turned away to inspect the curtains.
Focusing her attention back to him, she returned the kiss, soft and sweet. “Is this real?” she asked.
“Aye, love. ’Tis real.”
“But your family are not here.”
“Not to worry about my family. We will celebrate with them upon our return to Inverary.”
She hadn’t thought about that. She’d have to say goodbye to her family for good. Not that she would change her mind, but she had simply not considered where they would live.
“Is that acceptable to you, Marion? Will you be my countess and live with me at Inverary Castle?”
Imagining living there with him was easy. But it was all happening so fast her heart was moving along faster than her mind. In this matter, her heart would guide her, and her mind would have to catch up in time.
“Aye, Alexander. I will be your countess and live with you at your beautiful home.”
He embraced her again and then kissed her on the forehead. “I will see ye in two days at the abbey. Enjoy being pampered by the queen as it is clear this wedding has brought her much joy.”
Marion laughed. “Aye, I imagine planning an elaborate event upon short notice is something both she and the king enjoy.”
Alexander released her then shook her father’s hand and left.
When the door closed, she plopped down on the chair and drew a deep breath then let it whoosh from her lips.
“Are ye certain of this, lass?” her father asked as he sat near her.
“Aye, father. ’Tis a wee bit sudden, but he is a good man.”
“And do ye love him?”
That her father would ask her that when her mother wouldn’t was the distinct difference between them. She was sure her mother cared for her wellbeing, but she was less concerned with feelings and more with duty—unlike her father.
“Aye, I love him.”
“Then let us tell your mother and get ye ready to be doted on by a queen no less. My daughter, a favorite of the queen,” he said and shook his head.
“For all your balking over the years about marriage, I never imagined such a wonderful outcome. I have spoken at length with the man and have formed a high opinion of him.”
“I have as well,” she said, not daring to share just how familiar she was with the earl.
“Very well, go and call in your mother.”
Marion found her mother in the front room that had the best light for her needlepoint. She did not look up when Marion entered, but Alice, ever the astute one, narrowed her eyes toward Marion.
“Something has happened,” she said. “Mother, look at Marion. Something has happened.”
Her mother looked up and squinted at Alice then Marion. “Don’t be foolish, Alice. The earl has gone away. What could have possibly happened?”
“Mother, Father would like to see you in his study. It is a matter of some import.”
Her mother placed her needlepoint in her lap and regarded Marion more decidedly, her brows drawn together in perpetual dissatisfaction with any goings on that did not include needlepoint or betrothals for her daughters.
“Very well, I will go see him, but it had better be important.”
Marion led her mother to the study and opened the door to let her pass through. She was not sure if her constitution could handle her mother’s reaction, but at the same time it would not be fair for her to leave her father to deal with her alone.
After closing the door, Marion moved to stand by her father and clasped his hand while her mother took a seat in front of them.
“Well, out with it. I have my stitching to finish.”
Her father flicked his hand toward her mother as if to dismiss what she said. “Never mind your stitching, woman. As we speak, a wedding is being planned for our daughter at the abbey with a feast to follow at the palace.”
For the first time in Marion’s seventeen years, she was surprised her mother had no words. The sight of her wide-eyed expression and slack jaw was almost humorous. Marion had to work to not burst into laughter.
“Did you hear me, wife? Our daughter is to be married in two days. I thought you would be joyous over this news.”
Her mother blinked a couple of times and mouthed, “who?”
“I am to marry the Earl of Argyll,” she said and watched as her mother slowly shifted her attention from her husband to her daughter.
She drew in a deep breath and in the next instant a sound emanated from her that surely only dogs could hear. The sound was so high pitched that Alice came barreling through the door wearing a look of pure fright.
“What is amiss?”
“Nothing, sister. I am getting married is all and our mother is processing the information.” Marion moved to her mother and took her hands then shook them a little to bring her back to the moment.
“You are marrying the earl?”
“Aye, Mother, I am.”
“The nice earl who we thought was lost to you?”
“The very one.”
“And you will need a dress, and other clothes,” she said as a little pink rose in her cheeks when she flicked her gaze to her husband. “And we will need to have a talk.”
“All is in hand, mother. The queen has arranged for her seamstresses to create a gown for me. We must make haste with our midday meal as the queen is expecting us this afternoon for my fitting.”
With that, her mother scurried around the house looking for bits and bobs of things Marion did not comprehend as she had an entire conversation with herself about whatever she gathered. Something about a grandmother’s pin and something else about a bonnet.
Within the hour, they were fed and dressed in their best gowns and in the carriage heading toward the palace. Alice was permitted to go because there would only be women in attendance, and it was clear her mother was not up for the battle that would ensue if she were to remain at the manor house.
Marion drew in a deep breath as they approached the palace. The last time she was here, she had no idea she would return under these circumstances.
*
The tailor was more than adept at his craft.
Alexander was amazed how quickly he had produced the outline of a thick velvet doublet and trews.
He was not partial to hose and, as such, had his long boots polished to a shine.
He spent the remainder of that day and the next traveling back and forth between the tailor for fittings and reining in the king for his elaborate plans.
The man was determined to not be outdone and so had hired workmen to build wall-to-wall trellises that would be filled with as many flowers from their gardens as they could spare.
He further had secured one of the gardeners who had an interest to capture and safely secure as many butterflies as they could find, even if it meant traveling to gardens in the surrounding areas.
While he was appreciative of the effort, he tried to make the king see that he and his wife were not the kind of people who needed such a spectacle. The challenge was the delicate delivery of such a message.