Love Wild and Fair (24 page)

Bothwell’s lip curled. “So he eased his hurt by getting drunk wi Jamie and taking turns wi the king in raping his own wife!” The earl exploded. “Be quit of them both, Cat! I have been meaning to divorce Margaret for some time. Now, I’ll do it, and ye must divorce Glenkirk and marry me! I love ye! I want ye! And, by God, I’ll keep ye safe from the royal Stewart.”

Stunned, she could only stare at him. “My children?” she finally managed.

“I’ll gie ye all the bairns ye want, and if ye must hae yer wee Leslies, I’ll take them gladly.”

“I think Patrick might hae something to say about that,” she said wryly.

Bothwell’s blue eyes looked into her green eyes. “I dinna want to talk about Patrick,” he said softly, and his mouth found hers. She yielded easily. Though her conscience troubled her slightly, her feelings for Francis Hepburn were deeper even than she knew.

His mouth gently touched her forehead, her closed eyelids, the tip of her little nose. She murmured contentedly, and he laughed in spite of himself. “A fine thing,” he teased. “I seek to rouse yer deepest passions, and instead ye make contented noises like a well-fed bairn.”

She giggled. “But ye make me feel content, my lord.”

“Good,” he said, “because I intend keeping ye here all day. There’s never been a woman yet, madame, that I’ve wanted to keep in bed all day!”

“But we’re not in bed,” she pointed out. “We’re on the floor, under a plaid, and if one of yer great borderers should come clumping in—” she paused and her eyes twinkled mischievously—"well, my lord, yer already grand reputation will become legendary!”

Roaring with laughter, Francis Hepburn stood up and, pulling her after him, carried her upstairs, where he unceremoniously dumped her on the bed. “I’ll build the fire this time,” he said, bending to light the kindling.

“Will ye indeed, my lord,” she asked provocatively. Francis Hepburn, turning to look at the beautiful Countess of Glenkirk, knew that if the night just past had been sweet, the day would be sweeter yet

P
ATRICK Leslie had awakened late the morning after his return to Holyrood Palace with an ache in his head and a mouth that tasted of old flannel. Reaching for Cat brought back with tremendous shock the events of the previous evening. For a moment he lay perfectly still, unable to absorb the memories tumbling in on him James and Catriona. Then he, and the king, and Cat.

“Oh, my God!” he whispered. Stumbling to his feet, he crossed the room to the fireplace wall, touched a piece of carving on the mantel, and watched miserably as the secret door swung open. Shutting it again, he returned to the bed and felt the place where she had lain. The sheets were icy, and he knew she had been gone for hours. He checked the trunk at the foot of the bed and found her riding clothes gone. The mantel clock chimed ten.

Dressing quickly, Patrick Leslie sought the captain of the guard. “I want to speak wi all the men on duty last night. When was the guard last changed?”

“At six this morning, my lord.”

“And before that?”

“Midnight, sir.”

“Those are the men I want, captain, the ones who took duty at midnight How many were on gate duty?”

“Six men. Two at the main gate, two at the back gate, and two at the servant’s postern.”

Patrick thought a moment. The average person would have gone out through the back, or the servant’s gate. “Send me the men who were on the main gate,” he said.

Despite the violent emotions tearing through him, he could not help but chuckle wryly at discovering that he was right. A “messenger” for Glenkirk had passed through the main gate a few minutes before five that morning.

He sought his interview with the king through Barra, the chamberboy. He made it very clear that if James would not grant him immediate audience he would go to the queen. Within the hour Barra was guiding him through the secret passage. The king was still abed, having awakened with as big a hangover as Glenkirk’s. Patrick wasted no time. “Ye remember what we did last night?”

The king flushed. “I was drunk,” he muttered.

“So was I,” replied his cousin, “but ‘tis still no excuse for rape. She’s gone, ye know—on horseback out the main gate, before five this morning. I intend making her excuses to the queen, and then I am going after her. When I find her I shall get down on my knees and beg her forgiveness. I only pray she will gie it me, though I am not at all sure she will do so. Remembering what we did to her, I couldna blame her if she refused. We shall remain at home at Glenkirk from now on, Cousin James, ever loyal to the Stewarts, but absent from this cesspool ye call a court.”

James Stewart nodded. “Ye hae my permission,” he said.

The Earl of Glenkirk returned him a look that plainly said he didn’t care whether the king gave him permission or not. Then he found the question torn from him. “Was she willing, Jamie? Was my wife willing to whore for ye?”

There was a long silence, and then the king lowered his eyes and whispered, “Nay.”

“You bastard!” said Patrick Leslie softly. “If ye were anyone else, I’d kill ye!” Turning, he reentered the secert passageway and closed it behind him. Dashing into his own bedroom, he found Ellen, startled by his abrupt entrance from the passage. “Pack everything that belongs to us. We’re returning to Glenkirk, and we’ll nae be back!”

“My lady—” began Ellen.

“Left early this morning,” he said. “Now, hurry! I want to be out of here by afternoon.”

He went next to the queen, and told her that he had returned late last night to fetch his wife. Their eldest daughter was seriously ill. Cat had left early this morning, begging him to make her excuses. Since it might be some months until she could return, the Earl of Glenkirk offered to sell his wife’s position to whichever lady the queen chose. He would then buy the position for that lady, thus enriching the queen’s private coffers. Anna always needed money. It was a very generous offer, and though she regretted losing the lovely Countess of Glenkirk, Anna Stewart had been worried lately that there were so many lovely ladies about her.

It wasn’t her husband who concerned her, for, she thought smugly, he was quite unaffected by other beautiful women. But beautiful young girls attracted too many men, and invariably complications arose. She decided to give the open position to the widowed daughter of old Lord Kerr. The lady was a good woman, past thirty, and not particularly pretty.

Protocol satisfied, Patrick Leslie gave orders to his people to return to Glenkirk immediately. Then he set out alone for his castle. Cat already had a seven-hour start on him, and when he caught up with her, he wanted to settle their differences away from prying eyes.

As he rode he relived the previous night, seeing clearly now all the things his injured pride had refused to acknowledge then. Cat had begged him to take her

from court, but he had begun to enjoy it himself, and had put her off. Ashamed of being forced into an intimate relationship with the king, yet equally fearful of his discovering that relationship, she had been helplessly caught in a trap. When he had walked into their bedroom to find the king fondling his wife’s naked breasts, his reaction had been shock, followed by fury at his wife. How could he have misjudged her so? In all these years she had never given him reason to doubt her.

Now, looking back, he saw again her frightened white face staring out at him from the pier glass. Later, when they were taking turns raping her, he saw her leaf-green eyes mirroring shock, anguish, disbelief, and finally a blankness that was the most terrible of all.

Patrick Leslie rode steadily north and east, and as he rode he prayed that his wife would be waiting at Glenkirk. Another problem facing him was what to tell his mother and the children. They were all old enough to know something was wrong. He was grateful that his two oldest boys were in service. The younger children were easy, but he did not want to face his eldest son and heir. Thirteen-year-old Jamie Leslie adored his beautiful mother, and between them existed a special closeness. Cat loved all her children, but Jamie had always been
her
bairn.

When the towers of Glenkirk came into sight several days later the Earl kicked Dubh into a gallop, and the great black stallion, scenting home, responded eagerly. Patrick quickly sought out his mother. Margaret, the dowager Countess of Glenkirk, was still one of the most beautiful women in Scotland. Rising to her feet at the sight of her eldest son, she held out her arms.

“My darling! I didn’t expect ye back so soon. Is aught amiss?”

He entered the security of that embrace and then, leading her over to the privacy of a windowseat, sat down with her. “I hae done a terrible thing, mother.

A terrible thing to Cat And I hae probably lost her.” Kneeling, he put his head into her lap and wept The sound he made was terrible—great, tearing sobs wrenched up from deep within him His broad shoulders shook, and Meg Leslie, stunned, touched his head gently and said, “Tell me, Patrick. Tell me what ye hae done to Catriona.”

Mastering his emotions, he slowly and carefully told his mother what had happened. Meg closed her eyes when he reached the part about the rape. “She must still have some feeling for ye, Patrick,” said his mother, “for had it been me, I would hae stuck a knife into ye before I fled! And to answer yer unasked question—no, she is not here. What made ye think she would be?”

“Where else could she go, mother? Greyhaven? A-Cuil?”

“Nay. Heather was here yesterday, and said nothing. Ye may be sure that if Cat had gone home to Greyhaven her mother would have been all atwitter with worry, and told me. And she is not at A-Cuil. Cat’s brothers have been up there hunting wolves, and came yesterday with Heather to bring me some skins.”

“Then where is she?” he asked. “Christ in his heaven! Where has she hidden herself?”

“Ye want her back?” said Meg. “Why, Patrick? So ye may punish her further for not killing herself at James Stewart’s first advance. Would ye hae preferred a dead and pure wife to a live, albeit slightly used one? God’s toenail, my idiot son! It’s nae as if James took the
droit du seigneur
of yer virgin bride! And why in heaven’s name did ye assume her the guilty party? Undoubtedly because she is but a weak woman! Fool! Has she ever given ye cause for doubt? Never! She has been a loving wife since the day she married ye … though now I think perhaps she must have had a premonition of disaster when she tried to escape yer marriage. She’s been a good wife and a good mother to yer six bairns.”

Meg stood up and paced furiously back and forth. “Ye dinna deserve her, Patrick! Now, get the hell out of my sight, my lord earl! I detest fools, and ye are a great fool! Ye disgust me!” Pulling her skirts back so as not to touch him, the dowager countess swept angrily from the room.

He stood where she had left him, thinking that he also disgusted himself.

“So ye found out,” came his brother Adam’s voice.

The earl turned. “I didna know ye were here,” he said dully.

“Just arrived. I was on yer trail the whole way. Ellen came to see me before she left Edinburgh. How did ye find out?”

“I came back to Holyrood to find the king’s hands all over my wife’s naked tits. Did ye know? And Ellen too? Am I the only one at court who didn’t know that the king was fucking my wife?”

“No one knew, Patrick, except Ellen because she is Cat’s tiring woman and me because when James first delivered his ultimatum to Cat she came to me for help. I told no one, not even Fiona.”

“My wife came to ye for help, and ye sent her into the King’s bed? Was that yer idea of helping us?” Leaping the distance between them, Patrick Leslie hit his younger brother square on the jaw.

Adam staggered back. His hand came up to rub his injured chin. The earl advanced on him. “I’ll kill ye for this, brother!” The younger Leslie’s hand went to his dirk and, whipping it out, he held it before him. “For God’s sake, Patrick! Listen to me for a minute!” The earl stopped. “James threatened to confiscate our estates and put us to the horn. He was all ready wi trumped-up charges, for he was determined to have Cat, and knew she would protect her family at whatever cost to herself. She was terrified. She didna want to lie wi the

king, but neither did she want everything lost that was yers … or ours. It is not permitted for a woman to refuse the king, ye know that! And even if she had refused, Jamie would have taken everything. Then what would have happened to all of us? To Mother, and the bairns. Yes! I told Cat to yield! There was no other way. If ye had been in my position what would ye have done?”

Patrick’s hands fell to his side. “Do ye know what I did to her, Adam, when I found her wi Jamie? I got drunk wi the king, and then we took turns wi her. All night, brother. Drink and fuck! Drink and fuck! She’s run away from me, brother. I would gie my life to find her and beg her forgiveness!”

“Christ, man!” said Adam Leslie in shocked disbelief. “What a fool ye are! I dinna think she’ll ever forgie ye for that, but I’ll help ye to find her. God knows ye dinna deserve her. Where hae ye looked?”

“Our house in Edinburgh. Here. Mother tells me she’s nae at Greyhaven, or at A-Cuil. She’s obviously not in yer house, or ye’d hae told me. Could she hae gone to Sithean?”

“I’ll ride over,” said Adam, “ostensibly to bring Fiona’s greetings to her parents. If there’s been any word, our sister Janet will know and tell us.”

But they soon knew that Cat was not at Sithean. Nor was she hiding in Crannog village with old Ruth. They had exhausted all the logical possibilities, and in the days that followed they checked back in Edinburgh with the Kiras. Cat had not withdrawn any of her vast funds, either in person or through an intermediary. The Earl of Glenkirk was becoming genuinely frightened. His wife has disappeared over a month ago, without a trace and without funds to sustain her. There were only two answers. Either someone was hiding Cat—and they could think of no one with whom she was that friendly—or else she was dead.

F
RANCIS Hepburn awoke at first light and lay quietly for a few minutes enjoying the silence before the birdsong. Turning carefully, he looked at Cat. She lay curled into a tight ball like a small child. In sleep she looked so innocent.