Authors: Bertrice Small
Darling Jasmine (28 page)
“This is my wife, Jasmine,” he introduced her, lifting her up onto the highboard so they might all see her.
“Ye've an eye for beauty even as yer father hae,” his uncle Adam Leslie declared, with a courtly bow to Jasmine and a twinkle in his amber eyes.
“Aye, she's fair enough, laddie, but can she gie us the next earl of Glenkirk,” his elderly cousin of Sithean asked bluntly.
“I gave my second husband a son, and two daughters; and I gave Prince Henry a bonnie son, my lord,” Jasmine defended herself.
The men were startled, but then they laughed, and Colin Leslie said admiringly, “Why, Jemmie, she's as bold as our mother.”
“Aye,” his uncle Adam said, “she's as bold as any Scots-born lassie, I'm thinking. Ye'll hae strong bairns.”
“But when?”
the old earl of Sithean persisted. “Ye wed her several months ago, and if yer like the men in this family, ye've bedded her regularly, cousin. Yer seed should be well planted by now.”
the old earl of Sithean persisted. “Ye wed her several months ago, and if yer like the men in this family, ye've bedded her regularly, cousin. Yer seed should be well planted by now.”
“Would late winter be soon enough for you, you old trout?” Jasmine asked him, laughing at the surprised look on their faces, her husband's in particular. “Now, get me down, Glenkirk! Your relations have seen me. Where the hell are the women in this family?”
His brothers began to laugh uproariously, and, their surprise easing, the other men joined in, too.
The earl of Glenkirk lifted his wife gingerly from the table. “Why didn't you tell me?” he whispered to her, unable to keep the grin off his handsome face.
“I was going to, tonight, when we were all tucked up in our marital bed, but when that old man started twitting me, now seemed as good a time as any. I wouldn't want it thought, James Leslie, that you weren't doing your duty by me.”
“A chair for the countess,” the earl of Sithean called, and his demand was immediately met. “Sit down, me dear,” he invited her. “Yer carrying a most precious burden, ye are. Ye must take a care of yerself, lassie,” he cautioned Jasmine.
“I've borne four children already, my lord,” she reassured him.
“Aye, aye, but yer a wee bit longer in the tooth now, lassie,” he said concerned. “Did ye ever miscarry of a bairn?”
“My first,” she told him. “ 'Twas the shock of my first husband's murder that did it. I was fourteen at the time. I've had no difficulties since then, my lord, and this child is planted deeply and firmly.”
The old earl smiled. “Aye, he's a Leslie,” he said.
“Now, tell me, sir,” Jasmine said, “where are the women?”
“They will come tomorrow when yer rested,” Adam Leslie said. “All the aunts and yer sisters-in-law are anxious to meet ye, although when the word reaches them of how fair ye are, they may change their minds,” he teased her. “My Fiona is quite the beauty,” and then he lowered his voice, “but I canna say the same for my brothers' wives. Once they were pretty creatures as the young always are, but they hae nae stood the test of time verra well, but Jemmie's sisters are pretty lasses.”
“You are very wicked, aren't you?” Jasmine said mischievously.
“It comes from living wi my Fiona all these years,” he told her. “When she and Jemmie's mother were young, they were rivals for a time, but they later became friends. Both were headstrong, difficult lasses, I fear. My Fiona hae softened a bit, and I've grown wicked wi age,” he said, chuckling. “Are ye wicked, Jasmine?”
“Sometimes,” she said. “Ye must ask Jemmie. He will tell ye, I am certain. I think being wicked is far more fun than being good, Uncle Adam, don't you?” Her eyes twinkled.
“Aye,” he agreed with her. “I'm glad ye hae a bit of spunk, lassie. Jemmie's first wife was a sweet child, but about as exciting as a bowl of oat stirabout. Ye look like a lass wi hot blood in her veins, and that's just the sort of wife he needs.”
“Are you flirting with my bride, Uncle?” the earl of Glenkirk said.
“Nay, laddie,” Adam Leslie declared. “ 'Tis she who is flirting wi me, the pretty vixen. Yer a lucky man, laddie.”
“He's won my heart because he has grandpapa's name,” Jasmine replied to her husband. “You know my weakness for men named Adam.”
“Perhaps we'll name our son Adam,” James Leslie said.
“Nay,” Jasmine said. “Our first son will be called Patrick after that handsome devil over the fireplace. Our second son will be Adam, and the third, James, my lord.”
“God bless me!” the old earl of Sithean chortled. “The wench is ambitious in her desire to gie the clan sons. I fully approve!” He stamped his gnarled cane upon the floor of the hall enthusiastically.
And afterward, when the Leslie men had all departed, and they sat together at the highboard eating a simple repast of broiled trout and toasted cheese and apples, James Leslie said, “You've made a grand impression upon my brothers, uncles, and cousins, madame. As for the clansmen, they will be devoted to you forever for the way you accepted their rousing greeting, darling Jasmine.”
“I often watched my father reach out to his subjects when he would pass through their towns. They were so eager to touch the Mughal. It meant so much to them. Today, when your clansmen came to greet us and surrounded us with such a warm welcome, I did what my father did, reaching out to them as they did to us. I suddenly realized, Jemmie, that here in your highlands you are very much like a little king to your people. Perhaps this is why the Scots have always had such difficulty serving a single king when each chieftain is in reality a king himself within his own holding. It is a very heady experience.”
He nodded. “How quick you are to understand us, but no country can survive amid its neighbors without a strong monarch.” He took her hand and began to nibble upon her fingers. “We have not had a moment to talk,” he said, “since you made your momentous announcement. We had no sooner gotten rid of my relations when Adali and Will Todd were calling us to the highboard to eat.” He turned her hand over and kissed the inside of her blue-veined wrist. “When do you plan to produce my son, madame?” His look was intense.
“ 'Twill be sometime in late winter,” she said. “The very end of February, or in early March. It happened that first night when you returned from your silly little trip to Edinburgh.” She caught his hand and began to suck upon his fingers.
“I don't want to harm the bairn,” he said desperately.
“We don't have to worry about it yet, my lord,” she told him. “I can yet ride both my stallions, the two-footed and the four-footed one.” She caressed his face. “I have never wanted a man like this, Jemmie. I desire you always, and it took us so long to come from England. We haven't been in a proper bed in weeks. Are you not hungry for me, too?”
Reaching out, he cupped her head in his hand, his mouth brushing suggestively against hers. He could see her nipples pushing against the silk of her shirt, and his lust rose up to almost choke him.
“Aye!”
he managed to grind out, aching to possess her.
“Aye!”
he managed to grind out, aching to possess her.
“I do not know where to go,” she said intensely.
“I do!”
he groaned, pulling her up from her chair and practically dragging her through the Great Hall and its antechamber beyond. They reached the wide staircase and, picking her up, he almost leapt the steps to the floor above, where the apartments of the earl and countess of Glenkirk were located. Kicking the door open, he strode in, still holding her in his arms. Then he set her gently down. “Do not keep me waiting long, madame,” he said intensely.
he groaned, pulling her up from her chair and practically dragging her through the Great Hall and its antechamber beyond. They reached the wide staircase and, picking her up, he almost leapt the steps to the floor above, where the apartments of the earl and countess of Glenkirk were located. Kicking the door open, he strode in, still holding her in his arms. Then he set her gently down. “Do not keep me waiting long, madame,” he said intensely.
“Jesu!” Fergus More whispered to Adali. “He was nae this way with Lady Isabelle. I dinna know if I can get used to all the burning looks between them and this intensity. Why they can scarcely keep their hands off one another.”
“Passion between a man and his wife is a good thing,” Adali murmured reassuringly. “Have you never had such feelings for a woman?”
The Scotsman shook his head. “Nay,” he said, “but I'm thinking I might work up to them wi Mistress Toramalli. Sends a shiver down me back, she does,” he admitted. “Do ye think she likes me, Adali?”
“I will ascertain if an advance on your part would be met with favor by Toramalli,” Adali told him diplomatically. “Now, you had best attend your impatient master, Fergus More.” Then he moved into his lady's bedchamber, where the twin maidservants were helping Jasmine to disrobe. “We have a great deal of work to make the castle habitable again, my princess,” he told her. “It has been virtually shut up for most of the years the earl has been in England. Will Todd did his best, but there is a lot more for us to do.”
“It isn't as bad as Jamal's place on my wedding night,” Jasmine said laughing. “I will never forget that. I gained great satisfaction from selling off those appalling women in his zenana.” Naked, she stepped into the tub that had been prepared for her, quickly washing without the help of her servants.
“There is enough wood by the fire for tonight, and for the morning,” Adali said. “I have seen that wine was placed on the sideboard in the dayroom, and there is a basin with a supply of love cloths by your bed, my lady. Rohana and Toramalli have made it with our own linens and featherbed. You will be comfortable, and tomorrow we will make it even better. The rooms have a smell of mustiness about them, but it is not surprising considering the circumstances.”
“It's a wonderful castle,” Jasmine said softly. “We have finally come home, Adali. You knew it too, didn't you?”
He nodded, smiling. “Aye, I did, my princess. I would not have thought this pile of stones in the hills of Scotland would have felt like that to us, but it does.” Then his eyes twinkled, and he changed the subject completely. “Would you object, my lady, if Toramalli had a suitor? Fergus More has indicated he would be interested in paying her court, if she would have him do so, and with your permission.”
“Toramalli?”
Jasmine asked her servant. “It is your decision.”
Jasmine asked her servant. “It is your decision.”
“The cheek of the man!” Toramalli, who was hot-tempered began.
“He's a lovely man,” her sister Rohana said. “You are very fortunate. And he has asked permission before approaching you. What delicacy of feelings, my sister.”
“He probably means you, and can't tell us apart,” Toramalli said, grumbling, as she dried her mistress off, but she was smiling.
“If you think so, then let Adali have him approach the lady he would court,” Jasmine suggested as Rohana lowered a nightgown over her head, and it slid down to cover her body. It was white silk, with a round neckline and long sleeves.
“An excellent suggestion,” Adali said. “Come, ladies, let us take the tub from the room. Together, the trio lugged the small oaken tub from Jasmine's bedchamber.
When they had emptied it down a stone chute in the garderobe, they stored the tub away and returned to the dayroom. Fergus More had just exited the earl's bedchamber. He looked hopefully at Adali.
“Toramalli wonders if you really know the difference between herself and her twin sister, Fergus More,” Adali told him. “Do you? If you do, then you have her permission to court Toramalli, she says.”
The twins stood side by side, identical in features, but for one difference. Dark-haired and dark-eyed with golden skin, each possessed a flower-shaped birthmark at the corner of her eye. Toramalli's was on the right. Rohana's on the left. Without hesitation Fergus More walked directly to the correct twin and stood before her.
“Of course I know which one ye are, Mistress Toramalli,” he said quietly.
“Well,” Toramalli answered him pertly, “if you are clever enough to know the difference between Rohana and me, I suppose we could keep company for a while, Fergus More.”
“Come to the kitchen with me now, lassie,” he invited, “and we'll hae a cup of ale. Yer sister can come to,” he added as an afterthought.
“You go,” Rohana said. “I'm much too tired, but I thank you for the invitation, Fergus More.” She yawned broadly.
The two servants departed from the apartment, Adali remaining just a moment longer to snuff the candles and bank the fire. Rohana found her way back to her bedchamber, which was located within the apartments, bidding Adali good night as she went.
James Leslie had entered his wife's bedchamber by means of the connecting door between their rooms. Jasmine stood silently looking out of the windows across the moonlit hills. Hearing his entrance, she turned, smiling, and held out her arms to him. “My lord,” she said softly, and enfolded him within her embrace.
Wordless he caressed her face as if for the very first time. His green-gold eyes adored her. Then his two hands tangled within her hair, and he kissed her deeply, his mouth warm and firm. “I love you,” he finally said. “I have from the moment I first laid eyes upon you. I know I have said it before, but I shall say it to you for the rest of our lives that you never think I might grow tired of you. I will always love you, darling Jasmine.”
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