Bedazzled (32 page)
Conall More-Leslie nodded as if in agreement, but he thought the first mate a damned fool to believe such superstitious nonsense. His look was quizzical when India and Meggie appeared before him. Both were attired in foreign garb, and they were barefoot. Then he bowed to India. “I am Conall More-Leslie, your grandmother’s majordomo. I hae been sent to bring you to her, my lady. And the wee lassie, too.”
“Let us go then,” India said briskly. “How the hell do we get off this damned boat?”
“Ye’ll hae to climb down the ladder over the side, my lady. I’ll go first, and then yer serving girl, and then ye,” he told her. “Mr. Bolton, will ye help the ladies, please.”
“Aye, and glad I am to do it,” the first mate said enthusiastically.
“Good-bye, Knox!” India called. “Thank you for everything.”
To her surprise, both India and Meggie navigated the rope ladder in their bare feet without incident. Safe within the longboat, they looked toward the shore. Shortly Afterward they found themselves settled in a large, comfortable coach, riding through the streets of a noisy city. The smells were ferocious. India grew dizzy with it all, and leaned back against the upholstered seat.
“How can my stomach be so unsettled on such little food?” she wondered aloud.
“We’re getting used to being back on the shore again, m’lady,” said Meggie. “And perhaps the wee one is hungry for some nourishment. Ohh, I could use a bowl of Abu’s good soup now, I could!”
“Lady Stewart-Hepburn will take care of us, Meggie. Although I barely know her, I can tell you she is a woman of uncommon good sense.”
The city was left behind, and they traveled along a rural road by the sea. Finally the carriage turned into the gates of the Villa del Pesce d’Oro, the horses trotting smartly up the graveled drive, finally stopping before the beautiful double doors of the mansion. A servant ran to open the carriage door and lower the steps, offering India his hand. She stepped out, and immediately through the open doors of the villa she saw Catriona Stewart-Hepburn.
The older woman held out her arms to India, who felt compelled to fly into them and be well hugged. “I said you’d cause a scandal if they did not marry you off,” Lady Stewart-Hepburn said dryly. “And here you are safely back from your adventures. Jemmie will be so relieved. Come into the house, my dear. You look exhausted, and will want a bath, some food, a rest, and fresh clothing. Is this your servant? Weren’t you a lucky lass, child. Had you not been my granddaughter’s maid, you might not have had the opportunity to go home to Scotland again.”
“Yes, m’lady,” Meggie said, dropping a curtsey to this beautiful woman who didn’t look old enough to be anyone’s grandmother.
“Come along now,” Lady Stewart-Hepburn said, and led them into the cool of her villa, then into her salon where Captain Southwood awaited.
“Ah, you are here, Cousin,” he said pleasantly.
“Get out of my sight,” India said coldly. “If it hadn’t been for you, I should be with my husband now. I will never forgive you, Tom!”
“What is this?” the older woman said, looking between the two antagonists. “You told me the dey fancied India, not that she was his wife, Thomas Southwood!”
“How could an English noblewoman be married to an infidel?” he demanded angrily.
“Because the iman made it so, you arrogant bastard!” India almost shouted at him. Then she rounded on her stepgrandmother. “He would not listen, madame. He struck me a blow that rendered me unconscious, and then kidnapped me from my home.” She stuck out her jaw, and pointed with her finger to the faint purple bruise. “Caynan will be frantic, madame. You must return me to him!”
“He will replace you with another girl from his harem,” her cousin said cruelly. “One wench is pretty much alike to these fellows.”
With a shriek India flew at him, clawing at his face. “Bastard! Bastard!” she screamed. “I would kill you if I could!”
Conall More-Leslie leapt forward, and pulled the furious girl away from her victim. “Easy now, lassie. Dinna slay the man for doing what he thought was right.”
“He wouldn’t listen!”
India shouted once more. Her heart was pounding with her burning anger. She couldn’t believe the murderous fury Thomas Southwood had engendered in her. She had never been this angry in all her life.
India shouted once more. Her heart was pounding with her burning anger. She couldn’t believe the murderous fury Thomas Southwood had engendered in her. She had never been this angry in all her life.
The captain touched his face, looking slightly horror-struck at the scarlet stains on his fingertips. “You’ve blooded me,” he said incredulously. “You’ve actually drawn blood, you damned wildcat!”
“I would tear your heart out with my teeth if I could,” she responded darkly, her eyes blazing violent rage.
Instinctively he stepped back, shocked by the look.
“I think it is best my granddaughter be taken to her room now,” Lady Stewart-Hepburn said quietly. “I will send my own women, Susan and May, to help her.” She put her arms about a resisting India. “We will solve this problem together, India, I promise you.” Then she sent her off with Conall and Meggie.
When they had gone, she turned to Thomas Southwood. “Perhaps you should have listened to her, sir. She is extremely distraught. It is not the attitude of a woman taken from a man who was holding her in bondage. If the dey of El Sinut took her for his wife, then she is his wife. I understand your family loyalty, but what do you think awaits her back in Scotland?”
“They’ll find a husband for her,” he said sullenly. “She’s rich enough, madame, that her wealth will cover her sins.”
“Oh, dear,” Catriona Stewart-Hepburn said softly. “You are having second thoughts, aren’t you, my dear? Well, the deed is done. You will have to get on with your life, and I shall have to straighten out this unfortunate muddle. You will remain in Naples for a few days? And you will take my advice to take on a cargo and sail to Istanbul? If the dey of El Sinut catches you now, I truly fear for you, sir. Go back to your ship, and return for dinner. We eat in the evening here. My son Ian will be coming. You will like each other. Like you, he has yet to settle down,” she laughed. “Before you go, however, allow me to attend to those scratches.” She peered at his face. “They are not deep. Your handsome face will not be scarred.”
“I never realized what a troublesome witch India was,” he grumbled. “Your son has obviously had his hands full raising her.”
“My son adores her, and she him. I think that may have been the difficulty for India in choosing a husband. No one could quite measure up to Jemmie. And then the charming Viscount Twyford came along. Rather than being supportive, Jemmie was jealous. Although from what I have been told, the young man was really quite unsuitable for an heiress of India’s social standing; my son might have handled the situation a bit more tactfully. Sometimes he reminds me very much of his father, Patrick Leslie. Patrick was always quite heedless of the consequences when he wanted his own way,” Lady Stewart-Hepburn said. Then, reaching out, she tugged at the tapestried bell pull, and moments later a maidservant appeared.
“Acqua e uno bacile,”
she said.
“Acqua e uno bacile,”
she said.
“
Sì
,
madonna,”
the girl said with a curtsey.
Sì
,
madonna,”
the girl said with a curtsey.
“You speak Italian?”
His older companion laughed. “I have lived in Naples and Rome for over twenty-five years, Captain. Although some of my servants are Scots, most of them are local people. It was necessary that I gain a good command of the tongue. It’s a beautiful language; very lyrical and romantic, unlike my own Celtic tongue.”
The basin and water were brought, and Lady Stewart-Hepburn quickly cleaned the blood from Thomas Southwood’s face. When she had finished, she sent him on his way and hurried upstairs to see how India was faring. She found her in a tub of scented water being tended by Meggie. Her own two serving women, Susan and May, were nearby, seeing to fresh clothing for their guest and preparing her bed.
“I have instructed Captain Southwood to return to his ship, but he will be back for dinner,” she told India.
“I cannot bear his company, madame. Please understand,” India said.
“You do not call me Grandmama as you did in France,” Lady Stewart-Hepburn said.
“I only met you for the first time there. I do not think of you as my grandmother,” India answered her honestly.
“Then you must call me Cat,” the older woman said. “I was baptized Catriona Mairi, but I was always Cat to my friends and family. I hope we are at least friends, my child.”
“Oh, yes!” India said, favoring Cat with a smile. She arose from her tub, and Meggie wrapped her in a warm towel, seating her mistress upon a small chair and drying her wet hair as the two women continued their talk.
“You must forgive poor young Southwood,” Cat said. “He was only doing what he thought was right.”
“Like all men, he didn’t listen, or if he did, he didn’t hear,” India said. “I have to get back to El Sinut!”
“You are certain you want to return?” The leaf-green eyes scanned the younger woman’s face.
“Yes!”
India said. “Ohh, Cat! I love him, and he loves me! I have never been happier than I was with Caynan Reis. We had so many plans. I told my cousin that I was glad to remain. I asked him to carry a message to my parents for me, but no! With his misguided sense of honor, and family loyalty, he had to steal me away. I cannot forgive him the pain he has caused me and my husband.”
India said. “Ohh, Cat! I love him, and he loves me! I have never been happier than I was with Caynan Reis. We had so many plans. I told my cousin that I was glad to remain. I asked him to carry a message to my parents for me, but no! With his misguided sense of honor, and family loyalty, he had to steal me away. I cannot forgive him the pain he has caused me and my husband.”
“I understand,” she said. “I truly do, India. When I was separated from my lord Bothwell, I thought I should die. I could actually feel my heart cracking with my misery. The first thing we must do is send a message to your husband in El Sinut that you are safe,
and
we will say nothing to your cousin about our decisions. As long as you are certain, I shall not keep you from the man you love, even if the rest of the whole world disapproves!”
and
we will say nothing to your cousin about our decisions. As long as you are certain, I shall not keep you from the man you love, even if the rest of the whole world disapproves!”
India burst into tears. “Ohh, thank you!” she sobbed.
“I shall excuse you from dinner tonight,” Cat said. “You have had an exhausting voyage. Your cousin will be here for a short time, and before he goes, you will reconcile with him. He need not know the reason why, but you will do it to please me, India, since I have agreed to help you.”
“Ohh, yes, Cat! I will!” India sobbed.
“May . . .” Lady Stewart-Hepburn called to her serving woman. “Go to the kitchens and fetch some of Anna’s hot soup, a piece of fresh focaccia, some fruit and wine, for Lady Lindley. She must eat, and then I want her put to bed.” She turned to Meggie. “What is your name, lassie? I am told you are one of us. Where do you come from?”
“I’m Meggie, your ladyship, and I’m from Ayr,” was the answer.
“Go with May then, Meggie, and remain to eat something. Anna will see you are well fed. Then come back to watch over your mistress. There is a nice trundle beneath this bed which Susan will see has fresh bedding and linens for you. You look fair worn, child.”
“Thank you, your ladyship,” Meggie said, curtseying. “Mistress?”
“Go, Meggie. I will be fine,” India said. She was now quite dry in the warm air, as was her dark hair.
Cat’s other serving woman, Susan, came now with a soft silk nightgown which she slipped over India’s body. “There, my lady. There’s nothing like a nice bath and fresh clothes to make a body feel better.”
“You’re a Scot,” India noted.
“Lord bless you, m’lady, aye, and we are. May and me is sisters. We hae been wi our mistress for longer than I care to remember. Conall is our uncle. We came from Glenkirk wi Mistress Cat many years ago.”
“Do you ever long for home?” India wondered.
“Not really,” Susan said honestly. “The climate here and in Rome is really far better than in our dear old Scotland. Come along now, m’lady, and get into bed.”
India was glad to climb into a comfortable bed. She was certain she would fall asleep before May returned with her meal, but she didn’t. The two serving women bustled about her, tucking a napkin beneath her chin, settling the tray, and then sitting by her side as she ate. They were full of stories of their mistress and her early adventures. India found herself laughing at the story of how Cat was in labor with India’s stepfather, yet would still not marry his father until Patrick Leslie returned property of hers that her father had wrongly included as part of her dowry, instead of allowing it to remain in her hands.
“Did she get it back?” India asked, her mouth full of bread and delicious cheese.
“Aye,” Susan said, “and then her waters broke even as she said her vows to her husband.”
“She had spirit,” India remarked, rather fascinated by these new glimpses of Cat.
“She still does,” Susan replied, “even if our life is not quite so exciting as it once was.”
When India had finished her meal, and drunk down a goblet of wonderful red wine, the two servants took the tray and left her to rest. She wasn’t certain she could sleep now, or that she would sleep well, but she slipped into a slumber that lasted until early the next morning, when she awoke to find Meggie snoring happily upon the trundle. India lay quietly in her bed, listening to the sounds of early dawn. The air coming through the long windows that led onto her balcony was sweet with the scent of flowers. Only the early chatter of the birds broke the silence. It was all very lovely, but she missed El Sinut. Cat had said they would send a message to Caynan Reis, but how? That was something that had to be settled today. Surely Cat was not attempting to gull her.
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