Chapter 3 #2
first concern be the safety of our beloved queen?”
“Aye. But is it necessary to sacrifice one
for the other?” the tallest son asked.
“Perhaps we should ask our guest,” Douglas
Gordon said, glancing up.
The others followed suit. Lindsey studied the
man whose presence filled the room. If he suffered any effects from
the last few days, he kept it well hidden. His shirt was woven of
finest linen, and his elegant wool tunic stretched tautly across
shoulders wider than any she had ever seen. His borrowed breeches
revealed muscled thighs and a trim, flat stomach. Clean shaven, he
was even more striking than she had expected, with a firm jaw and
full, sensuous lips.
“Join us, Jamie MacDonald,” Douglas Gordon
said “Though you have been with us for a day and a night, you have
yet to be properly introduced to my family. I am Douglas
Gordon.”
Jamie bowed slightly before the old man, then
offered his hand.
“Murray is my eldest son,” the old man said,
indicating the bearded lad to his left.
Jamie extended his hand and felt the strength
in Murray’s grip. The two men assessed each other in silence. “This
is my second son, Donald.”
Jamie offered his hand to the raven-haired
lad who had passed him in the rain. Close up Jamie could see why
the lasses were attracted to this darkly handsome youth.
“Robbie is our poet and dreamer,” Douglas
said, indicating the golden-haired lad who smiled shyly at Jamie
before extending his hand.
“And our youngest is Neal.”
The lad was slender as a sapling, with arms
and legs that seemed too long for his body. But there was strength
in his grip and the beginnings of muscles in his arms. And his
smile was genuine when he offered his hand to Jamie.
“You have already met my daughter,
Lindsey.”
“Aye.” Jamie bowed over her hand and saw the
heat that stained her cheeks when he lifted her hand to his
lips.
This day she was gowned in pale ivory wool
that hugged her high firm breasts and revealed a tiny waist. He
thought of the way he had hauled her roughly into his arms,
pressing her lithe young body against his, and once again he felt
the rush of heat. Her waist-long hair had been brushed and tied
back with ribbons, but already several strands had managed to
spring free, falling in an oddly appealing way across her eye.
“Sit,” Douglas said, indicating the place
beside his daughter.
As he took his seat Jamie felt his thigh
brush Lindsey’s and he chanced to look in her direction. She
studiously avoided meeting his gaze.
“I see my mission has caused a conflict, my
lord,” Jamie said as he filled his plate.
“Everything creates a conflict in this clan,”
Douglas Gordon said dryly. “ ’Tis the nature of the Gordons. At the
moment we are discussing the danger of leaving our lands and people
unprotected.”
“Aye. ’Tis a risk. Mayhap I should take my
leave quickly, so that you might discuss your family business in
private.”
Unknowingly Lindsey’s voice took on a note of
soft persuasion. “ ’Twould be folly.” Seeing the way her brothers’
heads came up, she added quickly, “To leave without accomplishing
your mission, my lord. You do not yet know if the Gordons will take
up your banner.”
“How can you not?” His gaze left her to study
those around the table. “If you love your queen, you have no
choice.” His tone was matter-of-fact.
“Mayhap.” Neal, the youngest, met his even
look. “But we would go at great sacrifice, my lord.”
Jamie knew the truth of his words. This clan
prospered because of the strength of its lairds. Without these
leaders to defend against invasion, all could be lost to invading
clans within a fortnight. Still, the queen’s safety must be their
first consideration.
“There must be a nobler aim than defending
your people, or protecting your wealth.” Jamie drained his goblet
and felt his strength slowly return. The fire was back in his
blood. And in his voice. “I have come to beg you, in the name of
our queen, to take up arms against those who would shamelessly
attack one who, though queen of this great land, is helpless
against her enemies.”
Robbie’s fair hair glinted in the morning
sunlight. “Does the queen not have an army to command?”
“Nay,” Jamie said, his eyes flashing. “The
lady is at the mercy of those who plot and scheme against her. We
must be her army.”
“But she is queen,” Neal interrupted. “How
would anyone dare to harm her?”
“Aye, she is a queen. She is also a woman. A
woman,” Jamie added softly, “who is heavy with child.”
At that everyone fell silent. It was the
handsome Donald who broke the uncomfortable silence. “How do we
know that this attack was truly meant for the queen? Did you not
say she lives?”
“Aye. But her secretary, Riccio, is dead. And
Brice Campbell lies near death because he went to Mary’s aid. And
even now, while Brice fights for his own life, he is concerned only
for Mary. He is convinced that she was the intended victim.”
“There are many,” Murray remarked to those
around the table, “who would see your laird, the Highland
Barbarian, dead. He has crossed swords with many men of
influence.”
Beneath the table Jamie’s hands clenched into
fists as he struggled to keep the anger from his voice. “Is there
one among us who has not made enemies?” He studied the faces of the
Gordon men, who stared back at him without emotion. “But I tell you
that Brice Campbell is not a fool. His instincts about men are
shrewd. If he believes that the queen’s life is in danger, I
believe it also. And I am willing to lay down my life for my
queen.”
Douglas Gordon studied the solemn faces
around the table. “Murray. What say you?”
The eldest son spoke to his father, ignoring
the man seated beside his sister. “I do not relish leaving our
lands and people unprotected. And I am not convinced that Queen
Mary is in danger. Still...” He glanced at his brothers. “If the
others vote to go to Edinburgh, I ride with them.”
“Donald,” the old man prodded. “What say
you?”
The handsome lad studied the giant who sat
beside his sister. He resented this messenger of bad tidings. But
his love for adventure far outweighed his misgivings. Besides, he
had heard that some of the women at court in Edinburgh were some of
the most beautiful in the world. “If we could summon our clan to
stand watch until we return, I say we ride to Edinburgh.”
“Robbie?” Douglas Gordon turned his gaze on
the quiet, studious son who much preferred his books to a life of
action.
Robbie thought about his well-ordered life
and felt a welling of resentment at this intruder. But Jamie’s
reminder that the queen was a woman in distress had found its mark.
The poet’s tender heart could not be denied. “Aye. I would ride to
the queen’s defense.”
“Neal?” The old man smiled gently at his
youngest son.
“Aye, Father.” The lad was twitching with
eagerness at this unexpected chance for adventure. He had never
before had the opportunity to see what lay beyond his beloved
Highlands. “How can we refuse?”
Jamie sat back, relieved that there had been
no objection raised. He was surprised when Douglas Gordon turned to
his daughter. “And you, Lindsey? What say you?”
Lindsey saw the way the man beside her
stiffened. It gave her a rush of pleasure to know that Jamie
MacDonald had once again been caught unawares. He had not expected
a Highland laird to respect a lowly woman’s views.
“My first impulse was to agree with Murray,”
she said, enjoying the way Jamie’s eyes narrowed at her words. “We
cannot, after all, journey all the way to Edinburgh without being
observed. There are those who will take advantage of our absence to
steal and plunder. But, like the others, I am not willing to risk
my queen’s safety for the sake of wealth and comfort.” She paused
to moisten her dry lips, then said with a rush of words, “And, as
Donald said, we can summon our clan to defend our home. But there
is a question no one else has voiced.”
She turned to meet Jamie’s look, and he could
read the challenge in her gaze. “How do we know that this man’s
word is true? How do we even know that he is the man he claims to
be?”
The others turned to their father, who sat
silently regarding his daughter and the giant beside her.
In a solemn tone Douglas said, “I know of no
other who could masquerade as a man as... unique as Jamie
MacDonald.” A hint of a smile touched the older man’s lips. “But,
to put your fears to rest, I will tell you that I have seen this
man before, standing with Brice Campbell in the court of Mary.
Their friendship and loyalty to our queen are well documented.” He
turned to his daughter. “Does that ease your mind, Lindsey?”
She tore her gaze from the man beside her and
nodded. “Then the matter, for me, is settled. I vote to ride to
Edinburgh, no matter what the cost.”
Douglas glanced around the table. “You have
all spoken. We are in agreement then? We are all willing to see to
the queen’s safety?”
Murray, as eldest son, spoke for all. “Aye,
Father.”
“It is done, then.” Douglas Gordon turned to
Jamie with a smile. “The Gordons will ride with you to Edinburgh,
my lord. Our hearts and swords are pledged to our queen.”
“Thank you.” Jamie extended his hand to the
old man, then to each of the sons. “Thank you, one and all.”
When he turned to Lindsey, he lifted her hand
to his lips. “And my thanks to you, my lady, for your eloquent
words.”
“They were not mere words, my lord. Like my
brothers’, mine was a solemn promise. I have pledged my heart and
sword to my queen. And now, if you will excuse me, there is much to
prepare before we ride.”
“We?” Jamie glanced from Lindsey to her
father, then back to Lindsey. “Surely you do not intend to ride
with us all the way to Edinburgh?”
“Did you not hear my father’s words?”
Jamie saw the smiles on their lips as the
others pushed away from the table and exited the refectory.
Alone, Lindsey stood facing Jamie, her eyes
flashing fire. “The Gordons will ride with you to Edinburgh, my
lord.” Her tone of voice, her eyes, dared him to challenge her
father’s pronouncement. “All the Gordons.”
“Including you?”
“Aye, my lord. Including me.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “We shall see
about that, my lady.”
Her look was equally defiant. “Aye. You shall
see, my lord.” With a swish of skirts, she was gone.
As the servants began clearing the table,
Jamie walked to the window and stood, deep in thought. He had his
wish. The Gordons were pledged to the queen’s safety. But he had
not anticipated this turn of events. One among them might prove
more a curse than a blessing.