Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
Lindsey answered the
knock on her door and found shy, sweet Sabina standing there with
an assortment of ladies’ garments.
“My mother said I was to bring these to you
straight away,” the lass said, timidly entering Lindsey’s sleeping
chamber. “My lord Jamie MacDonald wanted to fetch you, but I was
sent ahead to see that you were properly gowned.”
“Thank you, Sabina. I will be most grateful
to be rid of what I am wearing.”
While the girl laid out the clothes on the
big bed, Lindsey swallowed her anger. Jamie would fetch her,
indeed. She could see to her own needs without his
interference.
She removed her borrowed breeches and tunic
and began to wash herself. In the looking glass she could see the
girl watching her with interest. Finally Sabina broke the
silence.
“My mother said I must not ask you about your
strange clothing, my lady.” She ducked her head when Lindsey
turned. “But I have never seen a fine lady wearing such as—that.”
She pointed to the pile of soiled clothing at Lindsey’s feet. “My
father said ’twas because you are a Highlander, and they are a
rough, strange breed.”
Lindsey swallowed a laugh. “Aye, it is a
strange costume, is it not?” She smiled and beckoned the girl to
help her into the delicate chemise and petticoats.
As the lass tied the ribbons, Lindsey said,
“Though I am indeed a Highlander, this is not my usual garment. I
wanted to appear to be a lad, so that I could enter a tavern
unmolested.”
“A tavern, my lady?” The girl’s hands stilled
as she stared at Lindsey with a look of surprise.
“Aye. I wanted the freedom accorded a man.
And so I dressed like one.”
“Oh, my lady.” The girl’s voice lowered to a
whisper. “What was it like?”
Lindsey thought of the way her heart had
pounded, and the anger when she had seen Jamie leave with a
beautiful woman, and the fear when she realized she was lost in a
strange city. “It was a passionate feeling, and a sense of freedom
like no other, Sabina. And though it turned out all wrong, I would
do it again.”
Lindsey realized she was telling more than
she ought. “But I must not tarry. Can you help me with my
gown?”
The servant lifted the gown over Lindsey’s
head, then smoothed down the skirt. While she buttoned it, Lindsey
studied her reflection in the looking glass.
The gown was midnight blue velvet, with a
low, softly rounded neckline and narrow waist. The sleeves were
full at the shoulder, then narrow from elbow to wrist and tied with
lighter blue ribbons. The voluminous skirt was gathered here and
there with the same pale blue ribbons, revealing an underskirt of
matching midnight blue.
“Sit, my lady,” Sabina said, “and I will
dress your hair.”
Lindsey sat in front of the looking glass and
Sabina began to brush the tangles from her hair. When it was
brushed smooth, the servant caught the sides with jeweled combs,
allowing the rest of Lindsey’s hair to stream down her back in a
cascade of silken waves.
“Oh, my lady,” Sabina breathed. “Without a
single adornment of jewels, you look lovelier than any of the
titled ladies who have been guests here at Lochleven.”
“Thank you, Sabina.” Lindsey stood and walked
to the door. “Despite your tender age, you are a fine ladies’
maid.”
She pulled open the door, missing the smile
of pleasure that touched the girl’s lips.
Below stairs Fergus greeted Lindsey
warmly.
“Ah, my lady. How splendid you look.”
She gave him a bright smile. “Thank you,
Fergus. Your wife has promised a fine meal.”
“Aye, it is being readied in the refectory.
If you will follow me, my lord MacDonald, Lord Darnley and the
queen await you in the library.”
“The queen? I thought she was too weary to
eat.”
“Aye, my lady. We thought so, too. But she
and her husband descended the stairs just minutes ago.”
He led her along the hall past several
darkened rooms. At the door to the library, he paused, allowing her
to enter first.
Bowing to the queen, Fergus said, “I will
announce when all is in readiness, Majesty.”
“Thank you, Fergus.”
With a lap robe tucked around her, the queen
resided on a chaise positioned near the fireplace. Her husband,
Lord Darnley, stood beside a table upon which rested a silver tray
with a decanter and goblets. Jamie stood to one side of the
fireplace. His eyes narrowed as he studied Lindsey.
For a moment she felt shy and awkward. Always
before, she had had her father and brothers around her to act as
buffers. Now she was alone with the queen and her dour husband, and
with this stern man who always seemed to cause her pulse to
race.
“So,” the queen said as Lindsey crossed the
room, “this is our young stable lad. You look much more fetching in
a gown than you did in those shabby breeches and tunic.”
Seeing the flush upon her cheeks, Jamie took
pity on her and poured her a cup of tea. As he crossed the room to
hand it to her, Lord Darnley said loudly, “I thought the lady
filled those breeches admirably.”
At his coarse comment Lindsey’s cheeks
flamed. Although it was early morning, it was obvious that the
queen’s husband had already had much to drink.
An awkward silence fell over them. As Lindsey
accepted the cup from Jamie’s hands, she glanced at the queen, who
pretended to have heard nothing. A quick glance at Jamie’s face
revealed a tiny muscle working in his jaw as he turned toward Lord
Darnley and watched him fill his tankard again.
Eager to break the uncomfortable silence,
Lindsey said softly, “I am grateful that Mistress Macnab managed to
find some clothes that fit me.”
“As she did for all of us,” the queen
remarked, glancing down at the demure ivory gown and shawl that
covered her swollen figure.
“I am pleased Your Majesty saw fit to join us
to break our fast.”
“I could not sleep. There was so much
whirling around inside my head, I could scarcely close my eyes.”
The queen fixed Lindsey with an intense look. “How did you come by
the garb of a stable lad?”
“I paid for them.”
Jamie and Darnley listened with interest.
“How much did you pay the lad for his
clothes?”
“A gold sovereign.” Lindsey lifted the cup to
her lips and tasted.
“And did you simply approach him and ask him
to remove his clothes?”
Across the room, Jamie chuckled.
At the queen’s bold question, Lindsey nearly
choked on the tea. Swallowing, she lifted her head to glare at
Jamie, then turned a more composed face to the queen. “His sister
was a maidservant at the inn where we were spending the night. I
asked her to help me with a disguise, and she was happy to
oblige.”
“You swore her to secrecy, I suppose.”
“Of course, Majesty.”
The queen became more animated. “And all
because you wanted to taste the freedom enjoyed by a man, you
said?”
Lindsey nodded. “I followed Jamie MacDonald
to a tavern.”
“Tell me, Lady Lindsey. Did you enjoy
yourself in the tavern?”
Lindsey’s eyes grew dreamy for a moment.
“Except for my fear of being discovered, it was not altogether
unpleasant. A wench brought me a tankard of ale, and I sat in a
corner and watched the others.” Lindsey thought about the man and
woman who had paraded their lust in front of the entire assembly
before going off to a room at the tavern. There were some things,
she realized, that she could not mention. “Alas, I could not join
in the conversations or the laughter, or my masquerade would have
been uncovered.”
Caught up in the tale, Mary touched a hand to
her heart. “How exciting. Had I been in your place, I would have
feared detection.”
“Nay. It was not so frightening as it sounds.
And if I had had the good sense to return to the inn when my
charade was over, no one would have been the wiser.” She lowered
her head, aware that Jamie was watching her closely.
“If the opportunity were afforded you, would
you care to go back and enjoy a tankard or two with the sailors and
tradesmen again?”
Despite herself, Lindsey broke into a grin.
“Perhaps. But if truth be told, I now see no reason to envy men
their freedom to go to such places. The tavern was filled with
smoke. And the smell of ale was quite dreadful.”
“Ah, my dear Lady Lindsey, I am so
envious.”
“Envious? How could you possibly envy others,
Majesty?”
“It is laughable, is it not? But I have
always been envious of the freedom others take for granted.” The
queen gave a deep sigh. “I suppose it is true of all people. We
want what we cannot have. We despise that which we are forced to
endure. And ofttimes, when we are given choices, we choose that
which we formerly rejected.”
She cast a meaningful glance at her husband,
who drained his tankard and pointedly ignored her.
They looked up when Fergus announced that
their meal was ready in the refectory.
The queen led the way, with her hand on her
husband’s sleeve. Lindsey and Jamie followed.
The refectory was a bright, cheery room.
Sunlight poured through the windows, making patterns on the stone
floor. The fragrance of freshly baked bread mingled with the scent
of spring flowers blooming in a garden just beyond the doors.
The queen’s mood seemed to lighten.
“Tell me,” she said, accepting a seat at the
head of the table and glancing toward Lindsey, who sat beside
Jamie. “How did you happen to be in the drawing room of
Holyroodhouse last night?”
Lindsey felt as trapped as she had last
night, when her charade had been uncovered.
“I—did not know my way back to the inn. When
I saw my lord MacDonald leave, I thought to follow him.”
Jamie turned and fixed Lindsey with a
strange, compelling look that made her throat go dry.
Their conversation was interrupted when
Fergus Macnab carried in a covered silver tray and knelt before the
queen. Mistress Macnab removed the domed cover, revealing a tiny
plump pig roasted to perfection and surrounded by glazed fruit.
When the queen had uttered the appropriate comments of praise, the
tray was carried to a nearby sideboard where the roast was carved