Fire Glow

by Linda Ladd

  Caitlin swallowed hard, awed despite herself at being in the Royal presence. All her life she had heard tales of the Stuarts from her father and Roger, and they had spoken especially of their love and loyalty to Anne herself. It was that devotion which had prompted Caitlin and Christian to send Anne a goodly portion of the Anna's booty. Now, as she stood before the Queen, Caitlin felt the greatness and power of the throne of England, and unreasoning fear rose to close her throat. Her frightened eyes sought out Trey, and he inwardly cursed the guards that kept him from her.

  A scarlet-liveried servant approached, bending his white bewigged head to whisper to the guard beside Caitlin.

  "The Queen wishes to see you now," he said to Caitlin, and she moved slowly forward, hardly aware of the curious stares of the lavishly attired ladies and gentlemen standing in hushed silence along a wall hung with gigantic murals of ancient Greek gods and goddesses. They watched her progress with eager eyes. For days the members of Court had buzzed with speculation about the fate of the Queen's favorite, who had so blatantly defied her. All waited anxiously to see what would become of him and the notorious lady pirate who had caused his downfall.

  Caitlin's heart palpitated wildly as she neared the velvet-draped dais. She dropped into a low and graceful curtsy as Trey had taught her months before, then lifted wary amber eyes to the throne.

  Queen Anne looked elegant and regal, her brown hair pinned behind her ears in cascading curls, and her gray eyes were very warm and friendly. She smiled affectionately at Caitlin.

  "Come closer, my child," Anne said in a low voice that was clear and pleasant to the ear.

  Caitlin dared a quick look at Trey before she obeyed, an action which did not go unnoticed by the Queen. Caitlin lifted her skirts to ascend the low step, her heart a steady drum in her breast, but the Queen smiled kindly down at her.

  "You are indeed the very image of your mother," Anne said to her. "Except for your hair, of course, and that is certainly a legacy from your father. They were both dear to me."

  "Yes, Your Majesty," Caitlin managed, her voice shaking. I often heard my father speak of his loyalty to you."

  The Queen looked at her a moment without speaking. "I am most relieved that you have finally reached here safe from harm. I have been most concerned since the Earl of Worthington saw fit to take matters into his own hands."

  Her eyes lost any remnant of warmth, and she motioned for Trey to be brought forward.

  "My husband has been most kind to me, Your Majesty," Caitlin said quickly in Trey's defense. "Please do not punish him for his actions."

  The Queen did not answer her plea, but sat very still as Trey went down on one knee before her.

  "I am at your service, my Queen," he said, his dark head bent with respect, but the Queen's face hardened perceptibly.

  "Nay, Lord Cameron, you are at my mercy. Arise."

  Her voice held no trace of the kindness with which she had addressed Caitlin.

  "I beg your Majesty's leave to explain my actions," Trey began, but an imperious wave of one beringed hand cut him to silence.

  I have no need for such words. You disobeyed my royal commands, thereby destroying my trust in you." Her voice trembled slightly with anger as she finished. "If it were not for the regard I harbor for your mother, I would order you weighted with irons and cast into prison."

  Caitlin's face showed relief, but Trey well knew the Queen would not leave his disobedience unreprimanded. He waited, muscles tensed, wary of the cold anger in the gray eyes, a look she had never before directed upon him.

  The Queen gazed at him without speaking for a long intimidating moment before she turned and motioned forward a man who had heretofore remained hidden in the forefront of the crowd. Francis Durham stepped forward, smiling broadly as he looked at Caitlin.

  "Lord Durham has made a very long journey to petition me," the Queen said to Trey. "From what I ascertain from his testimony and the lengthy letter he brought to me from Sir Henry McSpadden, he was led to believe that Caitlin Alexander would become his bride in accordance with my wishes. Instead, you, Lord Cameron"—she paused, her look growing more grim—"took it upon yourself to defy my commands by marrying the lady already promised to another, then spiriting her away aboard your ship before the deed could be annulled."

  A muscle flexed and held in Trey's cheek, but he was little prepared for the Queen's next pronoucement.

  "Since Lord Durham was deprived of his rightful due and a proper courtship on the isle of Barbados as I had intended, I have granted his petition to conduct it here under my supervision."

  "Caitlin is my wife!"

  Trey's handsome face was flushed with anger, and the Queen's cold regard returned to him.

  "You forget yourself, Lord Cameron," she said in a tone that made more than one of the courtiers around them shiver. "Do not try my patience further, or I will banish you from this land forever.""

  Caitlin gasped in dismay, meeting Trey's furious eyes, her own filled with horror.

  "Furthermore," the Queen continued, ignoring Caitlin's obvious distress, "I hereby revoke and nullify the marriage between Lady Caitlin Alexander and Lord Trey Cameron, Earl of Worthington, deeming it void and nonexistent. As a ward of the Crown, Lady Alexander will make her residence here at Hampton Court, acting as my lady-in-waiting. During this time, Lord Durham may reside here as well and conduct his courtship with my blessing."

  "No," Trey protested harshly. "She is mine!" A shocked murmur rippled through the crowd of onlookers, and the Queen's face went red with outrage.

  "Seize him!" she ordered sharply, and three armed guards instantly had Trey in their grip.

  Caitlin could not bear to see him hurt, and she choked back a sob, falling to her knees before the throne.

  "Have mercy, my Queen. Free him and I will obey your every command. For the memory of my mother and father, I beg you, do not imprison him."

  Queen Anne looked down at the beautiful face raised to her in supplication, golden eyes filled with fear, and vivid memories of Caitlin's mother winged their way back to touch her heart. A great tenderness for the girl overwhelmed her, and she reached out and laid one hand on the bright coppery curls.

  ""Do not fret, my child, he will come to no harm. But he will not be allowed in my presence again, nor will he be allowed in yours."

  Caitlin's heart constricted with a pain she had never known before, and she watched despairingly as Trey was dragged away by his guards. For months she had threatened Trey with this very thing, and now that she loved him so desperately, the Queen had taken him away from her forever. Grief closed over her with such agony that she could not breathe.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  "Lord Durham has requested your company in a stroll this afternoon. Would you care to join him, my dear?"

  The Queen's question did not please Caitlin, but she knew she had no real choice but to agree. She nodded unenthusiastically, watching as Abigail Hill, Anne's trusted bedchamber woman, poured warm chocolate for them. They sat in the private drawing room where Trey had received instructions for his mission over a year before, but Caitlin knew nothing of that meeting, and her mind dwelt on how slowly time was passing. It had been three days since Trey had been forbidden to see her; although she had been treated with kindness, she was very worried about her husband. The Queen had generously given her a suite of elegantly appointed apartments near Anne's own privy chambers, with personal servants to serve her needs. Indeed, others at Court had begun to envy Caitlin's status, since Anne had invited her more than once to join her husband and her for private dinners. As yet, however, Caitlin had not been allowed to mention Trey, though she had heard through the courtier gossip that he had been confined to the Glory, where it lay at anchor in the Hole of London.

  Caitlin sighed, dejectedly, bringing Anne's eyes to contemplate her.

  "I was told by Francis Durham that you were most unhappy during the time you spent under Lord Cameron's guardianship at Windsway. He said you told hi
m you loathed Trey and only waited for the opportunity to escape from him."

  Caitlin met the curious gray eyes, glad for the opportunity to discuss her husband.

  "Aye, I did hate him then, but after we were wed, I found that I loved him very much."

  Caitlin gazed at her earnestly, and the Queen sipped the sweet chocolaty brew, deciding it sounded like Trey Cameron well deserved his formidable reputation for charming the fairer sex. In truth, she had been slightly skeptical of young Durham's insistence that the girl harbored such intense hatred for the handsome captain of the Glory. Most ladies found the young rake irresistible, and Caitlin Alexander's change of heart concerning him did not surprise her. But, still, Trey Cameron had shown a reprehensible arrogance that she could not ignore.

  "Then am I to understand that your dislike for Captain Cameron did not continue throughout the voyage to England, as I ascertained from my discourse with Mister Richard Hale?"

  Caitlin frowned, wishing now that she had shown her husband a little more devotion while they had been on board his ship.

  "I loved him then as well, but I felt betrayed; he had given me his word that I could remain on Barbados after our marriage, and, instead, he set sail for England while I slept in his cabin."

  "I consider that quite enough reason to be angry," the Queen agreed. "Lord Cameron seems to take what he wants with little regard for the feelings of others."

  Caitlin smiled. "Aye, but even though he is most stubborn and at times quite impossible, I am most content and happy to be his wife."

  She held her breath, daring to hope that Anne would relent and grant her leave to join Trey. Instead, the Queen picked up a delicate morsel of pastry.

  "Have you tried these sweetmeats, my dear?" she asked, pointedly changing the subject. "Hill makes them herself, and they are quite delicious."

  Caitlin glumly took one from the tray that Abigail Hill held for her, her face desolate.

  Queen Anne was most aware of her young ward's unhappiness at the moment, but Trey Cameron needed to be taught a lesson in humility. He was too dear to her both as a friend and a naval captain for her to mete out a harsh sentence, and she had a distinct feeling that such would be a good deal less effective than separating him from the object of his affection. By all indications, he had finally succumbed to the charms of one woman, and if his reaction to her pronouncement of the dissolution of his marriage was anything by which to judge, he was nearly obsessed with the beautiful young woman across from her.

  A manservant appeared at the portal and awaited permission to speak; when given such, he made his announcement in a deep and sonorous voice.

  "Lord Durham awaits the Lady Alexander in the long gallery, Your Majesty."

  "Run along then, my dear," Anne said. "I shall look forward to seeing you at the ball I have planned for my good friend Mrs. Freeman. She has been in the country for a time, and I am most anxious for you to meet her." Caitlin nodded, aware the Queen spoke of the beautiful Lady Sarah Churchill, wife of the Duke of Marlborough, whom she called by the pet name of Mrs. Freeman.

  "Yes, Your Majesty," she murmured, dipping into a curtsy before she followed the servant through several connecting rooms to a wide gallery which looked out on the Privy Gardens.

  Francis stood waiting there, bathed in the sunlight streaming through a tall window, and his face brightened with a smile of welcome as Caitlin appeared before him. He bowed gallantly, and Caitlin put her fingers lightly on his forearm. The gesture reminded her of Trey, and her sadness intensified.

  "So I am finally to be allowed to be alone with you," he said as they strolled down the marble corridor toward the public rooms, where courtiers and petitioners whiled away their days awaiting the Queen's pleasure. "I have missed you sorely since last we met."

  "It seems a very long time ago," Caitlin said wistfully, drawing her velvet shawl closer around her. The palace was drafty, although the day was bright and beautiful. The sun was a welcome sight to Caitlin after days of gray skies and snow, and it felt good to pass through the warm rectangles of sunlight that slanted across the hall.

  Other strollers partook of the gallery as well, and many of the ladies stared openly at Caitlin, whispering and giggling behind their fans. Francis frowned darkly at their rudeness, but Caitlin ignored them. Since her arrival, she had been the center of Court gossip, but she considered that undeserving of her worry. Her other problems were much greater.

  They stopped at a high-backed bench with brocade pillows sitting in a sunny spot near the windows, and Caitlin pulled her velvet skirts to one side so that Francis might sit beside her. Francis took his place, admiring the radiant copper halo of her hair that seemed to be set ablaze by the sun. He had long ago decided he was hopelessly in love with Caitlin, and now that he had a second chance to woo her, he meant to do everything in his power to win her affection. When he had first arrived in England, he had not been at all sure the Queen could be swayed toward his argument, especially in light of the well-known friendship between Anne and Trey Cameron. Her anger at the other man had worked in Francis's favor, and he had wasted no time taking advantage of it.

  "You are very quiet," he remarked after several minutes of watching Caitlin gaze listlessly at the patches of melting snow on the gardens below.

  "Forgive me, Francis, but I was thinking of my husband."

  Her words were definitely not ones that Francis had hoped to hear, but he quickly shook off his disappointment.

  "Your union with Cameron has been dissolved, and I truly thought such a development would be to your liking. You bore no affection for Trey Cameron while you were at Windsway. I told the Queen as much."

  "I did not know then how I felt about him," Caitlin said with a sigh. "I suppose that sounds silly to you."

  "Nay," Francis answered softly. "I understand."

  He did understand, but he did not want to talk about the other man, so he chose a subject he knew would interest Caitlin.

  "Christian sails the Anna again. Did you know?"

  Caitlin abruptly turned her gaze to him, and he stared in wonder as the sun reflected off her eyes with a glorious sheen of gold.

  "Truly, Francis? Is he well, then?"

  "As far as I know, he is fine. Just before I departed from Bridgetown, I heard they had sunk a French corsair and Christian had managed to persuade the captain's daughter to become his mistress."

  Caitlin gave a low laugh. "How I wish I had been there to see it," she said, her voice animated, but the excitement in her eyes soon turned to sadness. "I never knew how beautiful the Indies were until Trey took me away. I miss the sea and the warm wind and, most of all, the colors of the sky and ocean."

  "If we were wed, I would take you back, Caitlin." Francis's face grew earnest. "I am eager to go home as well. I hate these English winters. I only came here because I thought you were taken from me against your will."

  Caitlin smiled, laying her hand over his. "I was, Francis, and I appreciate all you have done for me. You are a good friend, but I must be honest with you. I love Trey, and I will always love him."

  "The Queen will not allow it," Francis reminded gently. "It is unlikely you will ever be with him again."

  "I will find a way," Caitlin replied, fierce determination glinting in her eyes. "We will be together, if it be as hunted fugitives aboard the Anna."

  Francis frowned, his hopes dwindling considerably as their conversation progressed. He tried a new tack.

  "I would like very much to escort you to the ball honoring Lady Churchill. Would you do me the honor?"

  "Of course," Caitlin said, then smiled at the obvious pleasure her answer had given him. Something about his expression and the way he looked at her reminded her of her brother, and a pang of regret twisted inside her. She sighed again, glancing across the room, but her gaze sharpened on the figure of a tall woman coming quickly toward them.

  "Beatrice!" she cried, leaving Francis on the bench as she rushed to meet her mother-in-law. They embraced, and
Beatrice looked with sympathy at the tears shining in Caitlin's eyes.

  "You have heard?" Caitlin whispered, and Beatrice nodded, her brows knitting in a frown.

  "I have heard nothing else since I arrived in London. Trey is beside himself, and I am afraid he will do something quite reckless if I do not convince Anne to reconsider."

  "You have seen him, then?"

  "He is held aboard his ship, and I have left the girls with him. He sends you his love."

  Francis had come up behind them, and he cleared his throat to remind Caitlin of his presence.

  "Forgive me, Francis, but this is Lady Beatrice Cameron, Trey's mother. Beatrice, this is Francis Durham."

  Francis bent at the waist, more than uncomfortable as brilliant blue eyes settled on him in an accusing stare.

  "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Cameron."

  "I am not sure that I can honestly return such a statement to you, sir," Beatrice answered curtly. "You have caused my son and his wife much unnecessary pain and worry."

  "I assure you, madame, that I never intended to cause pain for Caitlin," he returned stiffly before turning to Caitlin. "I will leave you now until the ball."

  He strode quickly away, his shoulders set in anger, and Caitlin looked at Beatrice.

  "'Twas really not of his doing, Beatrice. He only thought to help me."

  "Perhaps, but if you had witnessed my conversation with Trey, you would understand why my nerves are set on edge. He threatens to come here and claim you by force."

  "I have lain awake every night, worrying about what will become of us," Caitlin admitted softly, and the dusky violet shadows beneath her eyes attested to her sleepless nights. Beatrice squeezed her hand consolingly.

  "Try not to worry, for I have known the Queen since we were girls. I have reason to believe she will listen to me."

  "I have tried to tell her how I feel, but she rarely will discuss it at all. I am fearful of what is to happen."