Page 52 of Wild Hearts

"I adored your mother; worshiped the ground she walked on. When I do things for you, it gives me the deepest delight that I am doing it for Danielle's child. I was already wed to the countess when I met Danielle at Court. She was the young daughter of one of the Queen's ladies, and I lost my heart the first day I saw her. I wangled it so she could be one of the countess's ladies, and she left court and came to Tantallon without hesitation. She was too good for this world." He shook his head at the bittersweet memories. "I remember one spring afternoon; we had ridden out quite far. A sudden snowstorm came up, blinding, vicious, as only a storm can be in these parts. Bad weather didn't bother me, but I feared for her. She was so fragile; so sweet. I took her to a shepherd's cottage to shelter. It was empty; we were completely alone, deliciously cut off from the world. After I tucked up the horses in the lean-to on the sheltered side, I built us a roaring fire. I remember my saddlebags were filled with wine and cheese and little oat cakes. As darkness descended, I began to feel very amorous, as you can imagine. That's when she heard it. A big ewe outside began pawing a nest for herself and bleating pitifully. I explained it was going to give birth soon. That did it! She was frantic with worry for that damned ewe giving birth in the snowstorm. Though I tried to explain it happened every year all up and down the mountains, she made me go out every ten minutes to see if it had dropped the lamb. Finally, nothing would do but that she must come out with me to see for herself. I'll be damned if the ewe hadn't given birth to triplets. There they lay— three bloody little heaps, almost frozen stiff from the cold. We carried them inside. I wiped the birth mucus from their little heads and began rubbing and slapping them to revive them. She even made me melt snow in a pot on the fire so we could wash them and make them pretty again. Do you think she was satisfied with all my hard work? Not a bit of it! Instead of letting me take the lambs back to their frantic mother, she insisted the bloody ewe come into the cottage to spend the night with us. An idyllic tryst, guaranteed to dampen the ardor of the most rampant male, but I cherish the memory."

Tabrizia felt a lump in her throat. "Thank you for telling me."

"She was too soft," he whispered hoarsely. "Never thought about money, never thought to put herself first, which should be life's first lesson. Anyway, it will be different for you. Try to get a good sleep; we sail tomorrow with the tide."

It was the last day of November when the entourage was rowed out to the Ambrosia, and by the time Tabrizia was safely aboard, she was glad to go belowdecks to thaw out. Snow had begun to fall, and the wind that whipped the Atlantic threatened to cut her in half. The earl's ship was comfortable and well appointed, though it lacked the exotic furnishings and atmosphere of the Sea Witch.

It took a full fortnight to sail down the length of England to the estuary of the Thames. Tabrizia was content to stay below out of the cruel elements. The first two days on the rough ocean made her queasy, but after she got her sea legs, the nausea was forgotten.

Though the papers and mortgages she had inherited had been returned to her father's bank vault for safekeeping in her absence, she still found many areas of business and finance to discuss with Stephen Galbraith. Magnus had made it plain to him that he was only welcome if he put all ideas of courting Tabrizia from his mind. He could not do this, of course, but nevertheless, since he must appear to do so in Magnus's eyes, his behavior toward Tabrizia was more gallant than loverlike.

When the Ambrosia reached southern England, the climate was milder, gentler, and on a sunny afternoon in mid-December, Tabrizia came up on deck to watch as the great ship maneuvered into the wide-estuary. In Scotland it had seemed the dead of winter, yet here everything was still as fresh and green as late summer. The traffic was busy on the waterway, and Tabrizia felt alive and free and filled with anticipation. Ships from around the world plied their trade at this great port, and with fascination she watched the docks go by. The wooden docks were indelibly stained by the cargoes that had been unloaded there for scores of years. They were black with coal, white from flour, blue with indigo, brown with tobacco, and some stained with purple wine. The smells were as varied as the colors, changing from fish to spices to the acrid stench of piles of hides.

It was the middle of December, and they had no time to lose if they wanted to be at Court for the festive season. They anchored the Ambrosia at Greenwich, five miles down the Thames, and while Stephen Galbraith left for Court immediately, it took Magnus five full days to lease a house and hurriedly set up its furnishings.

Tabrizia had never seen so many people in her life. London was bulging at the seams with people who had flocked to Court. This was the first Christmas Queen Anne had spent in her new country, and rumor had it that by the time she had reached Windsor the previous summer, her entourage had swelled to five thousand on horseback and two hundred and fifty carriages. More than half of them were Scots families who had to equip and adorn themselves to compete at the richer English Court. To pay for the journey and lease houses in London, they had flocked to moneylenders like Abrahams, using their Scottish lands as their security.

For her first appearance at Court two days before Christmas, Tabrizia chose a white velvet gown, the bodice of which was encrusted with crystal beads that caught and threw back brilliant little flashes of candlelight with every movement of her body. Magnus, resplendent in wine velvet, was almost as excited as Tabrizia as he wrapped her white fox stole around her shoulders and told her to hurry. He had carefully selected one of his most trusted men as a bodyguard for his daughter. Jasper, a wiry man with iron gray hair, had been instructed to shadow Tabrizia's every movement, but in such a discreet manner, even she would not know her every word and gesture were being observed and guarded.

King James lived at Whitehall, and it was at Whitehall Palace that his court was holding the great Christmastide festivities: Tonight was a masque, tomorrow a ball, and two days after Christmas, the King's young son was to be invested as the Duke of York.

When Tabrizia and Magnus arrived at Whitehall Palace, the long throne room was ablaze with candles. The room already overflowed with people, yet more seemed to arrive by the minute. There was no room to dance, no room to sit, even, the standing-room atmosphere was conducive only to gossip, drinking and dalliance.

In the center of the room, Queen Anne and her ladies were putting on a lavish masque. Tabrizia caught glimpses through the crowd. There were men dressed in exotic animal skins and women in costumes so brilliant in color and so richly embellished with jewels that the dazzling display caught and held her eye. Each player in turn took center stage to recite a monologue, but their voices were drowned out by the chatter and laughter of the crowd that thronged in front of the masquers.

Tabrizia could see the tableaux represented the lion of Scotland and the leopards and Tudor roses of England, but the beautiful costumes took paramount attention. Magnus slowly made progress through the crowds with Tabrizia following. He knew none of the English, but all of the Scots, so it took him two hours to maneuver close to the King's dais. Magnus had spent enough time around the King to know that he preferred young men both in and out of bed, and he was not surprised to see the King now sat with his favorites close about him. Some he had brought from Scotland, others had been selected from the flower of the English aristocracy. His principal page, Sir John Ramsay, about eighteen with a girlish complexion, sat on his right, and Harry Wriothesley, the young. Earl of Southampton, lounged to the left,-making coarse jests about the play.

Tabrizia was struck by how resplendently the men were dressed here at Court. Everyone wore cloth of gold, purple and scarlet. Doublets were stuffed and padded to exaggerate the size of men's chests, and their legs were more often than not covered with pied cloth, one leg a different color from the other. They made her father's attire plain and out of fashion by comparison.

After a brief acknowledgment by the King, Magnus took Tabrizia's hand and led her back down the room. By chance he spied his sister-in-law, Katherine, and parted the crowds to get to her.

"Magnus, how wonderful to see you. Thank you for bringing Stephen to London, you know I appreciate it well."

"Kate, I am equally as pleased to see you. I brought my daughter to court, but I fear she will be lost in the crowd."

Katherine smiled at Tabrizia. "Come to Somerset House tomorrow. The Queen keeps her own establishment there. You know it-- just along the Strand. It's called Denmark House now. The Queen only makes a token appearance at these great festivities, then retires to her own court where the atmosphere is much more delicate and feminine. We are leaving now before the horseplay gets out of hand, and I'd advise you to do likewise."

To Tabrizia it had been a most exciting and fascinating time. She would need time to sort everyone out. She leaned her head back against the velvet squabs of the carriage. Tomorrow promised to be another new adventure. She was more than willing to meet it halfway.

For her presentation to Queen Anne, Tabrizia chose a gown of pale apricot velvet with cream satin ribbons, which fastened high beneath the bosom, drawing attention to her breasts without being low-cut enough to reveal them.

Katherine Galbraith had been watching for the earl, and led them upstairs to a vast receiving room lined with mirrors. The Queen was very popular here in England, and for this reason alone the King tolerated her and paid for her extravagant life-style. They had a great personal loathing for each other and were happy with the arrangement of entirely separate households. The room was filled with the tinkling laughter of a feminine atmosphere, although many young men were present. Spicy wit prevailed in place of bawdy jests, and Magnus relaxed his guard as Tabrizia was introduced to the maids of honor. The Queen had some ladies from Scotland and some from England, the youngest of whom was dark and vivacious, Frances Howard. She also had some maids of honor from Denmark, all extremely pretty blonds with long, slim legs and delightful accents.

Katherine Galbraith convinced Magnus that he could safely leave his daughter and she would take her under her wing. He was wise enough to realize Tabrizia would attract more suitors without her father at her elbow.

Tabrizia, observing Queen Anne at close range, saw that her skin was like white alabaster and that she was full of life and energy. She never arose before noon, but she stayed up all night, every night, and danced until dawn. The ladies of the Court were extremely sophisticated and seemed years older than Tabrizia, but she was the only redhead in the room, and soon attracted the attention of a young English noble. When he generously complimented her dress, she was momentarily unsure if he was mocking her girlish attire.

She smiled enchantingly. "I feel almost a child beside such worldly ladies of the Court."

You have a woman's body"— he smiled—"and a woman's mouth." Before she could object, he bent his head and stole a kiss from her.

She gasped. "I don't even know your name, sir!"

"It's Pembroke, my darling," he replied. lightly.

At that moment the doors were flung open unceremoniously, and King James lurched into the room. "You, Annie." He pointed a rude finger at the Queen, who shuddered with distaste. "I'll hae a word wi' you. Ye've been damned uncivil to young Southampton. Insulted the laddie, and I'll no put up wi' it!"

Anne's eyes blazed her anger. "He is a troublemaker, a drunken lecher and everyone knows he's a...a..." With great difficulty she bit back the fatal word. "Sire, he has gotten one of my ladies with child. I have forbidden him at my Court."

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