Page 28 of Kilty Until Proven Innocent
Brigit’s gaze skimmed the courtly ladies and she hummed in agreement. The game of battledore and shuttlecock was a simple one; two or more players rallied the shuttlecock back and forth, trying to keep it aloft and counting the hits. If it ever evolved into a game more similar toteniswhere the players attempted to score points on their opponents, the Queen of Scotland would kick everyone’s arse.
“Oh God’s Teeth, Brigit!”
At her monarch’s exasperation, Brigit whirled, already reaching for her dagger to defend fromdanger. But the Queen was standing with one hand on her hip, brows cocked.
“What?” Brigit asked, relaxing.
“You! You have been distracted of late, I will agree, but passing up the chance to make a comment about these ladiesdropping the cock every which way?” The Queen stepped forward, reaching for Brigit’s brow. “You must be ill. Are you fevered? Allow me to check.”
Scoffing, Brigit brushed away her hand and side-stepped the English woman. “I am healthy enough. Just…distracted.”
“Verydistracted, if you misseddropping the cock—”
“Aye, fine, aright,” Brigit snapped with a roll of her eyes. She made her voice honey-sweet to say, “Heavens, Yer Majesty, if they all dropped the cock, we’d be finding unmanned men throughout the gardens.”
The Queen chuckled. “Sounds messy.”
“Idomanage to do other things besides make cock jokes,” Brigit sighed.
“Oh really?” the other woman teased, handing off the equipment to a servant. “Such as embroidery? The purple heather on your neckline is exquisite.”
Unbidden, Brigit’s hand rose to brush the stitching, which were, of course, her secret penises. Judging from the twinkle in the Queen’s eyes, she knew it too.
But Brigit wasn’t in the mood to be teased and looked away.
“Oh, dear, I am sorry,” the other woman finally admitted with a sigh, stepping up to Brigit and slidingher hand through her bent elbow. “You have plenty of other talents. Investigation, strategy….”
“Seduction,” Brigit finished dully.
“Ah.”
The Queen inhaled, as if she was going to say something—mayhap not something Brigit wanted to hear—but was interrupted by a call from the other side of the gardens.
“The chessboard is prepared!”
The announcement was met with a general hue and cry of excitement as the ladies of the court gathered their skirts and moved in various stages of hurry toward the other end of the walled sanctuary.
The Queen sighed and squeezed Brigit’s arm against her ribcage. “Will you partner with me?”
“Of course, Yer Majesty.”
They strolled sedately in the wake of the ladies, and Brigit couldn’t even force herself to find humor in what awaited them. ‘twas the latest rage at court, and one simple enough: life-sized chess.
As they arrived, Avaline was overseeing The Hats. That’s how she called them, and everyone present could hear the capital letters.
“Pawns, yer helms are here—yes, Millicent, feel free to take the mace, ‘tis wood, but still have a care if ye are called to fight. Milady Keith, will ye play the part of the black queen? Yer daughter should be the bishop. Here is the headdress—nay, just put it atop yer wimple.”
Brigit and the Queen slowed to watch the set-up. Not for the first time, Brigit reflected on how well Avaline took command. ‘Twas as if she’d been bornfor such a role and only made do as a court attendant and spy.
“Sheshould have been queen,” murmured the monarch at her side.
“I was just thinking something similar. She certainly understands command well, aye?”
“Yes, and she has beenquiteproud since my husband publicly praised her for saving his life again. I wonder—oh yes, look, Ava has made herself the white queen.”
Brigit watched her partner scurry about the chessboard—merely colored tiles atop the grass—arranging her pieces. “So ye are to play the black side.”
The Queen pulled her arm free to rub her hands together almost gleefully. “Yes, I appreciate advantages of allowing her the first move. Besides, I believe Ava overestimates her skill.”
