A Spinster at the Highland Court: The Highland Ladies Book One

by Barclay, Celeste

  “I wasn’t acquainted with Beth then, but I find the notion of being a gentleman farmer rather appealing.”

  Robert chortled.

  “I don’t quite believe that. But until the weather thaws, you can remain at Culreuch. After that, we will decide which keep you will become laird of, and you can return to the Highlands.”

  Edward breathed easier as he pictured the life he and Elizabeth would create together.

  “Little brother, I suggest you get some sleep before the ceremony. I suspect your bonny wee bride will be keeping you up tonight.” Robert laughed as he stepped down from the dais.

  Edward made his way to his chamber where he slept and then readied himself for the service.

  Chapter Eleven

  Edward stood before the altar and priest as he waited for the rear doors of the chapel to open. He glanced at the priest, who returned his look with a scowl. The same man who informed the queen of his inappropriate attention to Elizabeth was the man who’d now marry them. Edward grinned with a sense of vindication, but it didn’t last long when the trumpets blared, and he caught his first glance of Elizabeth. His breath whooshed from him as he beheld a vision far more exquisite than he ever dreamed. Her father stood beside her, and Edward swallowed as his bride walked toward him. She wore an ice-blue gown that sparkled with silver thread inlaid around the collar and the hems of her sleeves and skirt. The neckline plunged low enough to reveal her creamy pale skin; the skirt was cinched tightly at the waist. Edward once again felt his palms itch to wrap his hands around her and pull her against him. Her chestnut hair had intricate braids looping around her crown, but much of it hung free in waves and curls. If her smile weren’t so warm, she might have appeared as a perfect ice queen. She shimmered like an icicle as diamonds in her ears and around her throat cast prisms of light as she moved toward her groom. She didn’t take her eyes off him as she approached. Edward stepped down to greet her, ignoring the gasps as he broke tradition. He took Elizabeth’s hand and tucked it around his arm.

  They stepped up to the altar, and the wedding Mass proceeded. They held hands throughout the ceremony, even when it was expected that they would fold their hands in prayer. As the ceremony drew to an end, Edward helped Elizabeth to her feet and drew her in for a kiss. They ignored the clearing of throats and the tsks of disapproval as they took their time and savored the blessing of their union. They drew apart and Edward swung Elizabeth into his arms. He carried her past the crowds and into the Great Hall until they reached the dais. He placed her on her feet and chuckled when he looked up to see someone had placed mistletoe above their seats. He pointed up and nipped at Elizabeth’s neck as she took in the small garland. She pulled Edward in for a kiss as people filed in and took their seats. The rest of the evening was spent gleefully giving in to people’s demand that they kiss.

  The feast presented to them was beyond anything short of when the king married. The combination of welcoming Christmastide and a wedding meant they were favored with every possible course. Edward and Elizabeth fed one another as the musicians strummed carols in the background. The festive nature of the holiday along with the hope that goes along with a new marriage filled the Great Hall with cheer.

  When the meal was cleared away, Edward escorted Elizabeth to the floor and twirled her around in the dance he spent the last month dreaming about. They danced and laughed until neither had the energy to keep going. Well-fed and merry, they had eyes only for one another. The revelers and merrymakers continued to celebrate even when Elizabeth and Edward shared a look that communicated their need to escape. They retired to their newly shared chamber where they undressed one another and fell into bed.

  Edward pulled a small box from beneath his pillow and grinned at Elizabeth.

  “Wife, I have something for you to mark the occasion.”

  “Is this a wedding gift or a Christmas gift?”

  “Open it and see.”

  Elizabeth opened the box to find a sparkling emerald set in a gold band. Edward lifted the ring from the satin upon which it rested and revealed a pair of crimson-red ruby earrings. He slid the ring onto her finger and kissed each fingertip.

  “Eddie, they are breathtaking.”

  “They shine only because they are held by you. The ring is for our wedding and the earbobs are for Christmas.”

  Elizabeth leaned in for a kiss as she reached behind her and under her own pillow. When they broke apart, and Edward opened his eyes, he found a long narrow box resting between them.

  “Go on. Open it!” Edward chuckled at Elizabeth’s giddiness.

  He lifted the lid and found a beautiful sgian dubh that held a jewel-encrusted handle. The agate shone with hues of blue and green that nearly matched his hazel eyes.

  “We seem to like one another’s eyes, husband,” Elizabeth chirped.

  Edward couldn’t take his eyes from the dagger. It was the first gift he’d been given since he was a boy and received the sword he still carried.

  “Beth, you have no idea how special this is to me.”

  “I noticed you carry a couple of daggers, but a sgian dubh comes in handy.”

  “That’s not what I meant. No one has given me a present since I was a lad.”

  Elizabeth was sure she saw his eyes glisten, but she would never point it out.

  “Then this is a merry Christmas after all.”

  They were left to their own devices until they emerged four days later, blissful and even more in love.

  “Robert, I’d like to retire to Culcreuch by the end of the week. As you’re aware, Sir Arthur Galbraith is here at court with his wife, so they are not in residence at the keep. It’s close to Stirling, but far enough away to keep Elizabeth away from this intrigue.” Edward gave his brother a hard stare, daring Robert to challenge him. Few people would be so demanding, yet Robert’s brothers were among those few. “I don’t want to keep Elizabeth here any longer. You and I both realize it isn’t safe for her. Not until we resolve the carriage mystery.”

  Robert looked long and hard at his brother, trying to remind Edward who the decision maker was even though Robert had already arranged for the staff at Culcreuch to prepare the keep for the arrival of his brother and sister-by marriage.

  “You may depart as soon as you are ready. I have no love lost for any of the Frasers. I think the sooner you are away, the sooner we will both have peace of mind. Galbraith will not object to having you as a guest provided you don’t eat him out of house and home. Besides, my Elizabeth will have my bollocks if anything else happens to your Elizabeth, and that’s before the Sinclairs weigh in. I’m certain your Elizabeth has written to her cousin, and there is little chance Deirdre won’t have shared the events with at least Magnus, if not Liam, too.”

  “That is not such a bad thing. I actually wouldn’t mind having at least two of the brothers help to investigate the accident. None of them love being at court, so I’m certain they will be honest. They have nothing to gain since the Sinclairs have been in your favor since the beginning. Hell, all five Sinclairs are your godchildren.”

  “You have a point. Tavish and Magnus are both familiar with court, and both of their wives were ladies-in-waiting who are familiar with how to navigate life here. Both brothers are tenacious and not easily intimidated. And Ceit, Tavish’s wife, was one of the best spies I’ve ever had. Deirdre is certainly one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met; her reasoning is faster and more astute than most.”

  “Do you think they’d come?”

  “There’s no question about their willingness to come. They’ll understand it isn’t a choice. The question will be whether either of the brothers will be willing to leave their wives if the investigation takes them away from court.”

  “Protective, are they?”

  Robert shot Edward a rueful glance before chuckling. “They are no worse than you are.”

  “Good Lord, then they will be angrier that bears with burrs in their paws if you try to send them away.”


  “And what will you do if you must leave Elizabeth here to direct the investigation?”

  Edward had already thought of this possibility, and there was no possibility or permeation that he found acceptable. He detested leaving Elizabeth at court when the reason for leaving was a so-called “accident” that might have killed her. He was aware Elizabeth was close to her cousin, Deirdre, and she had developed a friendship with Ceit; however, without those women’s husbands at court, he was unconvinced that there would be adequate protection for his bride.

  “I will have little choice but to entrust her to your care.” Edward’s tone lacked humor or sarcasm. His stare was hard and determined as he issued a silent challenge to his brother. Although Robert was the king, there was much that happened at court that he couldn’t prevent. That someone may have plotted against Elizabeth or her family was proof of that.

  “I will ensure that guards are posted at your chamber doors every night, and Elizabeth will have an escort throughout the castle and anytime she might leave the grounds. I would recommend your bonny bride not go gallivanting on her horse as she usually does.”

  “Aye, well, she hasn’t done that since we married. The accident scared her enough that she’s refused to leave the castle grounds without me. I do trust you enough to keep her here rather than alone at Culcreuch.”

  “Your faith in me is inspiring, little brother.” Robert’s voice was just as dry.

  “She might already be carrying your niece or nephew.”

  “Do you think so?”

  “It’s too soon to know, but you know we’ve been, er--”

  “Blind to the rest of the world. Disinterested in anyone other than each other. Pawing at one another.”

  “Yes, I suppose you could say that.” Edward was embarrassed neither by how much he loved his wife, nor how enchanted he was.

  Robert clapped a hand on Edward’s shoulder before offering a true smile. It was a smile that Edward recognized, one that wasn’t kingly, but brotherly. “I won’t let any harm come to her. I care for her as my sister, and I understand how important she is to you. She is under my personal protection. She may chafe at how overprotective I am, but I will remind her that you expect no less.”

  Edward grinned at his brother as he nodded his acceptance. “If you are as overprotective as I am, then you may see a testy side to my bride.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Edward left Robert’s antechamber as his brother moved into the Privy Council chamber. He went in search of Elizabeth, searching first in the queen’s solar. A guard knocked on the door and opened it to a chamber filled with young women, including his sister-by-marriage. The queen sat upon her chair working on her embroidery. Edward was aware of the other women who were sewing or reading, but his eyes immediately found Elizabeth seated in the window seat, her sewing in her lap. As though someone whispered in her ear, her head snapped toward the door as Edward stepped inside. She stood, dropping her needle and lace to the floor. Bending, Elizabeth scooped up her sewing and took a step forward before remembering the queen hadn’t granted her permission to acknowledge or go to Edward. She glanced toward the queen, who gave her a nearly imperceptible nod, allowing her to glide across the room to where Edward held out his hand. Laying her hand in his palm, a charge of electricity shot up her forearm straight to her heart. Despite spending four days tucked away in their love nest, Edward’s touch still excited her just as much as the first time he kissed her. She made her back rigid to keep a shiver from passing through her. Beyond guiding her through the door, neither looked at the other, nor did they speak. They were aware that plenty of attention followed them because of their courtship and brief seclusion. While neither was uncomfortable with the entire court knowing they were blissfully in love, they didn’t trust anyone who might overhear their conversations.

  When they arrived at their chamber, Edward held the door open as Elizabeth stepped through the doorway, then froze. Her choked gasp had Edward pulling her back and behind him. He drew his sword as his gaze swept the room. He saw no immediate threat or even anything out of place. Elizabeth tugged on his arm and pushed past him, rushing to her armoire where she discovered someone had broken the lock. Edward once more pulled her behind him as he eased the doors open. Several gowns were on the floor of the closet, many ripped and in disarray.

  Elizabeth swung around and rushed to her chest, which sat at the foot of their bed. That lock was also destroyed, with material peeking out from under the lid from when someone hastily shoved it back in. She waited for Edward to lift the lid before staring down at the tangled mess of undergarments and parchments she’d stored beneath the clothes. She lifted the fabric out and kneeled to go through the correspondence she stored in the chest for safekeeping. Among the missives were letters exchanged with Deirdre over the years, both from before she joined the court and since her marriage. There were also letters from her mother from when her parents traveled back to Fraser territory on extended visits home. Elizabeth had been at court for so long, she craved any description of her childhood home.

  “Why would anyone do this? What do they think I have? What could I have that anyone else wants?” Elizabeth spoke around the lump in her throat. She sorted through the parchments trying to put them back into order, noting that at least three letters from her parents and two from Deirdre were missing. Nothing important came to mind from those letters.

  “I don’t have answers to those questions, my love, but I will find them.” Edward eased Elizabeth to her feet and led her to the chair before the fire. He sat down and pulled her into his lap. “What is missing?”

  “I’m not sure that there is anything missing from the bureau since I only keep my gowns there, but there are missives from my mother and Deirdre that aren’t among the others. Why would anyone care about those?”

  “What were they about?”

  “The ones from my mother described clan members that I remember from my childhood. She mentions things about the keep that she wants updated or how some fields flooded or are too dry. She talks about what she bought from the market, trinkets she’d bring back for me. Deirdre wrote about Magnus in the early letters. They were still courting, and she’d tell me some things they wrote about or what it was like to see him at the infrequent clan gatherings. More recently, she told me what it was like to join a clan that cared for its people and cared about her rather than what she could gain them. She wrote of how strong the bond is between Magnus and his brothers and sister. She marveled at how protective they are of one another. And she spoke of how happy she was to live with Magnus after all the years her parents kept them apart. I thought none of it would interest anyone other than me.”

  “Beth, did any of the letters from your mother or even Deirdre describe the condition of the Fraser keep? Did they talk about any walls in disrepair, or any changes in the number of guards or illnesses that weakened the clan? Anything like that at all?”

  “A few over the years, but you know my mother and father are at court right now. She hasn’t been back on Fraser land in months, not since they celebrated the beginning of spring with Beltane. That was eight months ago. There’s been no reason for her to send me a missive when she sees me here every day.”

  “Has your father been back since then?”

  “Yes. He returned a few months ago for Samhain. He wanted to meet with my uncle about the harvest and some matters here at court, but I have no idea what those were.”

  “Did he ever write to you?”

  Elizabeth inwardly scoffed at the idea before shooting Edward a wry glance.

  “Eddie, I don’t think my father has ever written to me. It would require more words than he has to spare for me. Besides, why would he do it when he could tell my mother what to say to me?”

  “Did your mother and Deirdre date the letters? Someone reopened these but was in a hurry to refold them.”

  “Yes. Both of them always dated their letters. Sometimes a messenger would deliver more than o
ne at a time, so it helped to figure out in what order to read them.” Elizabeth looked through the letters once again to remember when the missing letters were written. “From your questions, I gather someone wants to learn of any weaknesses to the Fraser keep. They hoped that either my mother or Deirdre included something that would help them plan an attack or information to hold against my father or uncle.”

  “That is my guess. Do you have any idea who it might be?”

  Elizabeth’s laugh held no mirth as her mouth turned down. “It could be any number of people. The Hays are still ill-tempered about Deirdre’s marriage to Magnus being upheld and the dowry they lost, not to mention Archibald Hays’s death. The Keiths were displeased that the Hays were gaining more territory from Deidre’s impending marriage. The Hays sandwich them and they would rightfully feel threatened if the Hays’ holdings were to expand. The Gordons weren’t happy for the same reason, but I bet the Ogilvies were grinning from ear to ear that Fraser lands would shrink when Deirdre’s dowry lands passed to the Hays. They would assume the loss might weaken us. However, the Gordons have been our allies, and they surround the Ogilvies on all sides except for the north, which borders the sea. I’m not sure the Leslies would care that much about land changing hands since their land doesn’t border ours, but it borders the Hays further from the Frasers. You understand how complicated clan borders can be. But land exchanges hands all the time, since that’s the reason people make alliances and marriages. It’s rarely the woman but the land she brings with her that interests potential suitors.”

  Edward pulled Elizabeth closer and kissed her temple.

  “You know that I never cared about your dowry, don’t you? That had nothing to do with why I married you.”

  “I do. I know you even turned down some monies that would have come with me and insisted the land be my dower lands in case something was to happen to you. But you are the king’s brother. Only you and Edward don’t need to gain a woman’s dowry. The king could abscond with any land you or your brother might want.” Elizabeth spoke the words without rancor; they were simply the truth. It made her grateful that the man she married chose her because he loved her, not because he wanted to gain something, though many said she pursued Edward for the prestige of being part of the royal family. At times like this, Elizabeth would have rather Edward been a pauper, or at least a lesser noble with no ties to court.