The Last Heiress (38 page)

“You did not ride down from Scotland in the middle of February simply to pay me a social call, my darling girl,” Lord Cambridge said.

“I echo Banon’s query. What is the matter? Is Logan all right?”

“For now Logan is visiting John at St. Cuthbert’s, and hoping that his eldest son has changed his mind. I know he has not, but if he had he would find himself in a quarrel with
my
eldest son, who now sees himself the next laird,” Rosamund said. “But it has nothing to do with the Hepburns, Tom. It is Elizabeth.”

“Elizabeth? Is she all right, dear girl?” he asked, his look concerned.

“No, Tom, she is not all right. She is with child. Baen MacColl’s bairn,” Rosamund told him.

“And he has left her.” Lord Cambridge looked irritated. “The fool.

He loves her.”

“He departed from Friarsgate the same day you did, Tom. She had no sooner bid you farewell than he rode out to return to Grayhaven,”

Rosamund said. “He knows nothing of his coming child. Elizabeth didn’t realize it until a short while back. Her whole attention is on Friarsgate, the sheep, the wool trade. And with Edmund unable to carry part of that burden now, it has all been up to her. She has never been a girl to think of herself when others needed her. When she realized her condition she sent for me, though why I cannot fathom, since she doesn’t want to take my advice. Why is it that two of my three daughters have persisted in being so stubborn where men are concerned?

When I remember how Philippa howled and snarled at us over that foolish incident with Giles FitzHugh; and yet she found perfect happiness with Crispin.”

“And became a countess,” Lord Cambridge murmured.

“Elizabeth will never be a countess,” Rosamund said with a small smile, “but she loves this Scot, and he her. Yet she says she will not have him. Her belly grows bigger each day, and she rages that he left her for his father, and she will not have him back. Well, I will not have it, Tom! She will wed Baen MacColl, and the next heir to Friarsgate will be legitimate and carry its father’s name.”

“I agree, darling girl. I agree fully with you,” Lord Cambridge said.

“And while I am delighted to see you, this is a dreadful time of year to travel. Could you not just have written all of this to me?”

“I need your help, Tom,” Rosamund said softly.

“Dearest cousin,” he began, “you know I will do anything for you.”

Rosamund smiled archly at him. “Anything?” she purred.

“Of course! Any . . .” A look similar to that of a trapped animal suddenly appeared upon his face. “Rosamund,” he quavered.

“I need you to go to Scotland, Tom,” she said. “We must leave tomorrow.”

“Scotland? At this time of year?” he croaked. “It is cold, cousin.

Scotland? It will snow, and I shall be frozen to death.”

“You cannot freeze to death until you and Logan reach Grayhaven.

If I send Logan alone to speak with the master of Grayhaven he will surely lose his temper and quarrel with the man. We need Colin Hay’s complete understanding and cooperation, Tom. Logan adores Elizabeth. When he learns of her condition he will be ready to start a feud between the Hepburns and the Hays. And her attitude will only encourage him to mayhem. You must travel with my husband and see that Baen MacColl is brought back to marry my daughter. Logan cannot do this alone. He needs you. I need you. Elizabeth needs you. Besides, you were there when she began her affair with the Scot. Do not tell me you did not know what she was doing! Elizabeth is not a subtle girl.”

“My dear Rosamund, surely you aren’t blaming me for Elizabeth’s naughty behavior?” Lord Cambridge looked just slightly offended.

“Your daughters, as you well know, are most strong-willed girls.”

Rosamund chuckled. “You did not answer my question, Tom,” she said.

“You must accept part of the blame for this yourself, darling girl,” he countered. “Did you not approve of Baen MacColl? Yet you did not share with Elizabeth the secret you possess for avoiding . . . er . . .um . . . the complications of one’s naughty behavior.”

Rosamund shook her head. “Nay, I did not. I did not believe she would bed him before marriage, Tom. If I had I should have given her the secret. Aye, I am equally to blame, but you are too!”

“We have both been too anxious to see Elizabeth happy at last,” he admitted. “And, darling girl, she is so very happy when she is in the company of her Scot.”

“Then you will go,” Rosamund said, “and promise to never rue the day we were reunited as a family, Tom.”

He laughed aloud. “Darling girl, I can barely remember the time when we were not together, nor do I wish to remember it. We have loved each other from the moment we met, and I regret naught of our time together. Aye, I will go. I will travel north, in the company of that handsome husband of yours and his brawny clansmen, through the foul winter weather. We will bring back Master MacColl to stand in Friarsgate Church before Father Mata, with Elizabeth by his side, to be united in matrimony. But I must tell you that I thank heavens Elizabeth is the last of your daughters, darling girl! I do not believe I have many more adventures left in me,” he concluded with a gusty sigh.

She laughed and blew him a kiss. “Thank you, Tom.”

“Are you hungry?” he asked her. “Of course you are. You have ridden the day long. Will, shall we show my cousin the secret of entering the main house?” Lord Cambridge chuckled. “I usually join Banon and her family for the evening meal.”

“I believe that Lady Rosamund will keep your secret, my lord,” Will said with a small smile. “And it is time.”

Thomas Bolton rose from his chair and took his cousin by her arm as she stood. “Come along, darling girl. Only one other person knows my secret, and that is Elizabeth.” He led her from the room and into the gallery, one wall of which was all windows. The facing wall was hung with portraits of Lord Cambridge, his late sister, their parents, Rosamund, and each of her daughters. The gallery appeared to have but one entrance, but at the far end Thomas Bolton reached out to touch the paneled wall and a small door sprang open. They moved through it, Will drawing the door shut behind them. “This way,” Lord Cambridge said as they walked down a narrow interior corridor that was obviously a secret passageway.

“Tom, you are wickedly clever,” Rosamund told him, and heard him chortle.

After they had gone a short distance Lord Cambridge stopped and, reaching out again, pressed his fingers against a small, practically hidden catch. A second door flew open, and they stepped out into Otterly House. “Can you see anything in the wall?” he asked her. “I believe my entry is quite invisible, darling girl.”

Rosamund peered closely at the paneling in the corridor wall. She could see nothing that gave evidence of a door in the wall. She shook her head. “It is ingenious, Tom,” she told him admiringly.

“This corridor is in what was my original wing of the house. When I lived here I was constantly besieged by Banon’s brood. They could not seem to leave me in peace. Now that I am gone they come here not at all. It allows me the perfect entry without being seen. And the servants rarely come except to clean. I believe Robert Neville hides here now and again, poor fellow. Banon is a dear girl, but she has little control over her daughters, as you will shortly see. Listen. You can already hear the shrieking.”

They entered the hall at Otterly. Banon’s five daughters, ranging in age from nine to three, were chasing one another about in a rough game of tag. “Grandmama!” they cried with one voice upon seeing her.

Rosamund held out her arms to them, laughing as they swarmed her.

“So my mother now knows the secret, but I do not,” Banon grumbled at Lord Cambridge.

“Otterly is still my house, dear girl,” he replied quietly.

“Oh, Uncle, I did not mean to be rude,” Banon cried, “but you know I hate secrets, and this is one you seem to very much enjoy keeping.”

“A man must have his privacy, dear girl. One day when your brood is grown I shall share my knowledge with you. Until then I pray you accept my decision in the matter.” He patted her cheek. “You have always been my favorite, Banon, which is why you are my heiress. Be satisfied with that.”

She sighed. “I have no other choice, I fear. Now, tell me,” Banon said, slipping her arm through his, “why has Mama come?”

He lightly swatted the little hand on his arm. “Bad child! She will tell you herself if she chooses,” Lord Cambridge scolded her.

Banon laughed.

Robert Neville came forward to greet his mother-in-law. He was a quiet man who quite obviously adored his wife and children. And he was content to allow Banon to rule their home, for it allowed him more time for gentlemanly pursuits. “Rosamund, this is a pleasant surprise,” he said, kissing her hand and bowing.

“Thank you, Rob,” she answered him. “I apologize for appearing at Otterly with scant notice, but there is a small family emergency that must be attended to. I needed to come for Tom.” She turned to her granddaughters, who had started to quarrel over some silly matter.

“Girls! Girls! Stop at once!” Her usually gentle voice was sharp, and the little girls looked at her openmouthed. “Your behavior is not acceptable at all. Katherine, as the eldest it is up to you to keep order among your sisters. Instead you lead them in bad behavior. This will not do.”

“But Grandmama,” Katherine Neville, age nine, whined, “they will not obey me. And it is her fault!” she said, pointing at one of her sisters.

“Why should I obey you?” eight-year-old Thomasina demanded to know.

“You listen to your sister because she is your elder by one year and ten days, if memory serves me,” Rosamund said. Then she turned back to Katherine. “But you must set a good example, and not bully your sisters simply because you are the eldest.”

“Did our mother and her sisters get on better than we do, Grandmama?” Thomasina asked pertly.

“Indeed they did,” Rosamund said quickly. “Now go and wash your hands and faces, my pets. When you do you will be welcome at the high board tonight.”

The five little girls looked to Banon, who nodded her approval, and so they ran off to do their grandmother’s bidding. “You have asked them to the high board so you will not have to discuss Elizabeth,” Banon said.

Rosamund nodded. “After the meal I shall tell you all,” she promised.

Banon made a face, but was forced to be content with her mother’s decision.

It was a happy table that evening. Led by Katherine Neville, Thomasina, Jemima, Elizabeth, and Margaret Neville exhibited their best manners. And when the meal was over and they were dismissed by their parents, they kissed each of their relations good night and retired without a word of complaint.

“Your behavior has been excellent, girls,” Rosamund told them as the left the hall.

Katherine turned and curtseyed with a smile to her grandmother, but Thomasina, turning, grinned and winked mischievously before scampering after her siblings.

Banon waited patiently for several minutes after her daughters had departed the hall, but finally she could bear it no longer. “What has happened at Friarsgate?” she demanded of her mother.

And so Rosamund explained quietly and in detail.

When she had finished her recitation Banon said bluntly, “Well, I would have never thought Bessie had such passion in her, Mama. ’Tis true that Katherine was already in my belly on our wedding day, but at least Rob and I knew we were getting married. Do you think Logan and Uncle Thomas can bring this Scot back? And what if she does as she has threatened and refuses to wed him?”

“For once in her life,” Rosamund said, and there was a distinct edge to her voice, “your youngest sister will do precisely as she is told. We will protect her position in the marriage contract that is drawn up, but she will marry Baen MacColl so that her child may know its father and Friarsgate have its next generation. Whatever is or is not between them they must settle themselves, but marry they will.”

“Or that dear boy Logan will set the Highlands aflame with his outrage,” Lord Cambridge said drolly. “If I must make a trip north to Scotland in the dead of winter, my darlings, I do believe I should enjoy myself. I have not a doubt that Logan Hepburn will see to it that I do, and provide me with a variety of amusements. Now,” he said, rising, “I must leave you. Will and I have to see to my packing. If I am to appear before this master of Grayhaven it must be in my finest garments so that I may convince him to release his son to us. It will not do that I look less than my absolute best. We do not want him to think badly of our family. Good night, all.” He blew them several kisses as he left the hall.

“The master of Grayhaven is in for a rare treat,” Robert Neville said with a grin. “I doubt he has ever met anyone like Lord Cambridge.”

“Nor is he ever likely to again,” Banon agreed. “Let us hope this Highlander survives his encounter with my uncle.”

“Let us hope Logan survives his travels with him,” Rosamund said, chuckling. “He likes my cousin, but Tom has always confounded him.

And takes great delight in it.”

“I hope this Baen MacColl is worth all the trouble we are going to for Elizabeth,” Banon said. “You have met him. Is he, Mama?”

Rosamund smiled. “He is. Bessie is going to be very happy, when she ceases being angry at us and at herself for ever letting him go.”

Chapter 13

C
olin Hay, the master of Grayhaven, stared at the man who stood before him smiling broadly. He was a peacock of a fellow in his scarlet velvet breeches with cloth of gold showing through the slashings. His striped gold-and-scarlet silk stockings sported a single garter of sparkling red crystals sewn upon a golden ribbon which adorned one shapely leg. His scarlet velvet doublet had full padded sleeves and a fur collar, and was trimmed in rich marten. The shirt beneath had a ruffled edging on the collar and sleeves. His hat had a stiff turned up brim, and was embellished with an ostrich plume.

“My dear sir,” the vision said in the plummy tones of a well-bred northern Englishman, “I am delighted to meet you at last.” A beringed hand, freed of its pearl-trimmed glove, was thrust towards the master of Grayhaven.