Thistle and Roses Collection: A Bundle of Scottish, Irish and English Historical Romance

by Eliza Knight

  “And what would ye consider me? Before the treaty was signed, and yer princess was betrothed to my king, we were enemies. Does a piece of parchment truly change all that much? Ages and ages of anger?” Her eyes hooded and he had the distinct idea she was referring to something else. Something in her own past. “Would ye scheme with me, sir?”

  For a clumsy imp, Alexandra was remarkably astute. Another reason why he felt so drawn to her.

  “I can promise, my lady Alexandra, you will have nothing to fear from me. No schemes. No treachery.” He stopped walking and faced her. “Unless you go against the treaty. I am duty-bound to honor the agreement and to protect my princess.”

  The way her throat bobbed, he was certain he’d touched on something. What was the lady doing by the princess’ chamber door? What could she have wanted? What was she thinking?

  Alaric studied her face, seeing her eyes hood once more. Alexandra didn’t want to confide in him just yet. Or perhaps ever. And he could understand that. But, though he understood, it did not mean he agreed.

  “Tell me what troubles you,” he urged.

  She shook her head, and flashed him a pretty smile. “’Tis nothing. Just thinking about all the things at court I’m not yet used to.”

  “Hmm,” Alaric mused. “I am happy to be your guide.”

  She beamed up at him. “A friend is just what I need, but I’m afraid Lady Home would not approve of me being friends with a knight.”

  Alaric shrugged. “As you said, Lady Home does not seem to notice much.”

  Alexandra shook her head, a smile touching her lips once more. “And as I said, ye are a rogue.”

  Alaric bowed low to her. “I aim to serve, my lady.”

  “Promise ye’ll not mention our…”

  “Kiss?” he asked.

  She nodded, biting her lip. “I’ve only just arrived at court, and while I know I shouldn’t have been so brazen—”

  Alaric pressed a finger to her lips, gritting his teeth at the softness and warmth. “I promise, your secret is safe with me.”

  And with that, he marched her back to the grand feast, just in time to fall in line with the princess and her ladies as they left the festivities—and for him to enjoy a stiff drink without having to watch her across the room, though he knew he’d be plagued by her kiss for days.

  Chapter Six

  The ladies laughing and gossiping ahead of Alex echoed off the stone walls of Dalkeith Castle. They were like a group of tittering ninnies. None of them said anything of significance and she found herself grinding her teeth to keep from saying such, whenever one tried to include her in the conversation.

  Not wanting to be perceived as an upstart, or to be cast aside by the very group she needed to remain close to in order to be near the necklace, she smiled and offered her own nonsense replies.

  What was wrong with her? Just the day before she’d enjoyed those very same conversations. But that was before the kiss. Before her world had opened up. Before she’d been interrupted in her course—a course she was actually glad to be derailed from.

  Except that it pushed her further from her goal, and soon she was certain to receive a missive from her father demanding to know what was taking her so long, and perhaps more threats from her mother of a life not worth living.

  Today, the women spoke of nothing beyond ribbons, shoes, jewels and who was flirting with whom. They complained only of the sourness of the wine and the extra sugar added to the plums. Postulating on if the king would come to the princess’ chamber now or wait until it was official. Not one of them had said anything of significance that Alex could give to her father in hopes he’d find the information useful even if she never returned the necklace.

  Of course, then there was the warring within her own mind.

  Alex didn’t want to be a traitor. She didn’t want to hurt their future queen or their king. She rather liked little Margaret. Perhaps a youthful queen was what Scotland needed. And with the newly written treaty hopefully there would be less warring.

  But even thinking such thoughts went against everything her parents had ever taught her. It went against everything they expected of her while she was here.

  Siding with her queen and king meant going against her parents, and yet if she sided with her parents, she’d be considered a traitor to her entire country.

  And then there was Sir Alaric. Oh, Alaric…

  Alex sighed heavily. She was certainly going to have to repent for her wanton kiss. For the brazen way she flirted with the braw knight. But he was so handsome, his lips so inviting, the spark of deviousness in his eyes spoke to the part of her that yearned to go against the rules. And she couldn’t stop reliving the moment in her mind!

  Alaric was a bad influence on her.

  Yet, she’d been the one to kiss him and not the other way around.

  “Are ye all right?” one of the Scottish ladies popped her head out of the princess’ chamber door.

  Zounds! She’d been standing in the corridor, staring at the stone walls, while everyone else had already gone inside to help put the princess to bed.

  Alex put on her most cheerful smile, gave a little laugh and waved away her hesitance as though it were some flighty mistake. “Dear me, I must have had a little too much wine.”

  The lady laughed. “Haven’t we all?”

  She disappeared back into the room and Alex considered running down the hall. Leaving. If only there were some distraction to get the princess and her ladies out of her room. Then she’d sneak back in with Sir Alaric none the wiser as he would have assumed they’d all gone to bed.

  Alex slipped into the princess’ chamber, her eyes drawn to the wardrobe where she’d hidden the pretty, wooden chest. The necklace. So close and yet so far away.

  Summoned to the princess, she helped unpin her sleeves along with the other ladies working to get Margaret out of her sumptuous clothes.

  “Will you remove my necklace?” Margaret asked sweetly.

  Alex smiled, nodded, all the while thinking. She had planned to remove the other one just an hour before—albeit from a wooden box and not a body.

  “I’m so sleepy! And excited all at the same time,” Margaret exclaimed to her ladies.

  Alex giggled and gossiped some more, not really paying attention to what she was saying or what anyone else said for that matter. All she kept thinking was there had to be a way to get them out of here. Perhaps when the princess broke her fast with the king in the morning—

  A knock had them all jolting.

  “I’ll get it.” Alex opened the door, the king himself stood in the hallway, tall and broad and handsome. “Majesty.”

  Alex and the rest of the ladies curtsied and the room fell silent as he passed by her and walked toward Princess Margaret.

  “May I kiss ye goodnight?” King James asked the princess.

  She stood straighter, her ladies falling back. Standing only in her undergown, she nodded, her cheeks growing pink.

  The king cupped her cheek. Leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. “Goodnight,” he whispered, and then he was gone, the scent of wine and leather following him out.

  As soon as the door closed, the room erupted into more giggles and sighs and exclamations. The kiss had been chaste. Not at all like the way Alex had been kissed by Alaric. His kiss was something entirely different. A promise of decadence and pleasure.

  She turned away from the group, touching her lips and closing her eyes. The feel of his kiss still burned. With the princess tucked into bed, the ladies found their own chambers. Alex shared hers with one of the other younger maidens. Exhaustion filled her. She’d not realized how tired she was until her head hit the pillow.

  What felt like moments later, Alex was startled awake. Was it morning already? She felt so drained. Outside the window glowed orange. And there were shouts and screams of terror.

  Were they under attack? The rebels trying to thwart the wedding before it even occurred?

  “What’s hap
pening?” her bedmate said groggily.

  Alex leapt from bed, running to the window. Flames licked up and down the barn. People ran to and fro, tossing buckets of water and slapping at the flames with blankets.

  “A fire,” Alex said.

  Their bedroom door burst open and Lady Home stood at the entrance. “The princess needs ye. The fire in the barn has killed her favorite horses and destroyed many of the goods she brought, including that beautiful cloth-of-gold gown… Oh, it is dreadful.”

  “We will dress and come,” Alex said.

  “No time for that. Put on yer wraps and come to the Great Hall immediately.”

  The Great Hall. The princess was not in her rooms. Away from her necklace. The perfect distraction.

  Alex reached for her throat, unable to breathe. Had she wished this ill will on her princess?

  “Do not dawdle, lass, get moving,” Lady Home ordered. “Dinna worry about yer lack of formal gown. Everyone is in their nightclothes.”

  Alex had not even thought of that. Throwing on her thick robe and slippers, she hurried down to the Great Hall. If she wished this fire on her princess then she would not do worse damage to her by stealing the necklace.

  Never.

  She couldn’t do it.

  Alex was no traitor.

  Inside the Great Hall, the princess sat in a chair at the dais, sobbing. The king knelt beside her, patting her shoulder and trying to console her, but the loss of her favorite horses had been great. The princess valued herself as something of a horsewoman and many of the animals she’d seen foaled and helped to raise them herself. She’d brought them to Scotland with the hope of breeding them with King James’ prized mounts to create new Thistle and Rose horses.

  Alex was still having trouble breathing. She felt cold, hugging herself and shivering.

  “My lady, are you well?” Sir Alaric appeared at her side.

  Alex couldn’t look at him, certain her face would show her guilt of both wishing the fire and wishing to kiss him at once. Shameful. She ducked her head and nodded, hoping he’d go away. But he didn’t.

  “Can I get you a tisane? You look ready to faint.”

  Alex flashed her eyes at him, certain the guilt was plain on her face. Why should he care so much about her? Why not leave her be? “I am well, sir knight. Please, leave me alone.”

  He stared at her hard, studying her features and she was certain he could see straight into her soul. Alex tried to look anywhere but at him. Nobody was looking their way, thank goodness, all too concerned with the sobbing princess.

  “Might I have a word in private?”

  Alex’s mouth dropped open. “Nay! I cannot leave my princess and ’twould be inappropriate. I am only in my robe.”

  Dear heavens, why had she pointed that out? The knight’s eyes deepened as he appraised her. Her heart pounded behind her ribs.

  “I have a few questions for you. Come willingly or I’ll happily make a show of it.”

  Alex reluctantly agreed, her skin sizzling where he grasped gently at her elbow as he steered her toward one of the curtained alcoves.

  “I will not go in there with ye. Everyone will see it. I’ll be scandalized!”

  “To the garden then.” He pivoted, tugging her toward the back of the Great Hall and outside into the gardens.

  The night sky glowed orange and the scent of smoke was thick. Alex held her wrap up to her nose and mouth to keep from inhaling too much of the acrid air. The further Alaric led her into the garden, the easier it was to breathe.

  “Shouldn’t ye be helping put out the flames?” she asked.

  “I’ve been charged with finding out who did it.”

  “The flames were intentionally set? Then why are ye here with me.”

  “They were intentionally set. I’m trying to find out who did it.” His meaning and the way he looked down at her were clear.

  “Ye think I had something to do with this?” Her lower lip trembled. Dear God, she couldn’t start sobbing now!

  “Did you?”

  Tears welled in her eyes and she clamped her lips closed. Did she? She’d certainly wished for a distraction to get the princess out of her rooms. Had she set the flames? Nay, of course not. But that didn’t mean that her ill-wish hadn’t brought the devil to their very door.

  Alaric gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Why are you crying?”

  “I did pray for a distraction.” The sobs came then, in a torrent, and she spoke through them, her voice wobbling. “But I didn’t set the flames! I’m not a killer. I’d not have harmed any animals.” She pressed her hands to her face, swiping at her tears.

  Alaric pulled her into his embrace and she felt as though she’d been tugged home. He was so warm and strong. Being in his arms, she felt safe, comforted. He let her cry her tears all over the front of his shirt, telling her everything would be all right. That wishing for a distraction was different than setting a fire.

  Alex looked up at him, their faces only inches from each other. “Why are ye so nice to me?”

  He smiled. “Because I like you.” And then he was kissing her. His mouth brushing tenderly over hers, before his tongue swept between her lips to lick delicately. A tamer kiss than earlier tonight. But just as mesmerizing.

  She felt herself sinking against him, kissing him back. What was it about this man that made her throw off inhibition? That made her feel so… cared for? Home… She’d never felt this way with anyone else.

  He kissed the tip of her nose and brushed away her tears with the pads of his thumb. “Tell me, Alexandra, why did you need the distraction?”

  Lord she loved the way he said her name… But the question? She didn’t want to answer.

  “I know you’ve distracted me twice tonight with your sweet kisses… What is it you’re running away from? Tell me. I’ll do everything in my power to help.”

  Alex felt as though she’d been socked in the stomach. If Alaric knew what she was running away from, he’d not help her at all. In fact, he’d drag her to the nearest dungeon.

  Chapter Seven

  She was running from him.

  Alaric stared after the billowing white fabric, eerie against the night gloom, as she raced away, weaving her way through the garden paths. For a moment he watched, stunned by the orange glowing sky, and the woman who could have been an apparition.

  Why would she run? Why wouldn’t she answer his questions? He only wanted to help her.

  Alaric could still taste her on his lips, feel her in his arms.

  What in bloody hell?

  As she reached the back door to the keep, his feet finally moved and he raced after her, every one of his strides worth three of hers. Inside the castle, he heard her footsteps racing up the stairs. He followed, in the dim light, seeing the ends of her robe flicking against the wall like white shadows as she passed just out of reach. Taking two stairs at a time, he finally caught up. He gripped both of her arms and pinned her to the wall, just below an arrow slit. Flattening her hands with his palms, he pressed them firmly against the stone, holding her prisoner, though if she tried to escape, he’d let her go.

  “Why did you run?” Would he get an answer this time? Felt like all he did was ask questions that went unanswered.

  Tears in her eyes, Alexandra bit her lip, shook her head, refusing to speak. But she didn’t try to wriggle free. Did that mean she wanted him to hold her hostage? To pry the truth from her? Breaths coming fast, her chest rose and fell. Their heartbeats melded with the sound of their heavy breathing.

  Hell, all Alaric wanted to do was kiss away her tears. But they’d played this game before. Kisses were a distraction from the truth. And he had to know the truth.

  “You’re hiding something from me,” he accused. “Tell me what it is.”

  “None of yer business.” Her voice did not hold firm conviction and her eyes pleaded. But for what? She wasn’t trying to get free. Did she simply wish him to continue beseeching her for the truth?

 
; Alaric started to lean close, instinctively needing to touch her but caught himself. “Everything in this castle is my business.”

  Alexandra shook her head, her lower lip trembling. “Not everything.”

  “Do not play games with me, my lady, I will win.” He laced his fingers through hers.

  She shifted subtly but didn’t try to get away, in fact, she tightened her grip. “I am not good at games.”

  “Ah, but that’s where you are wrong. You’ve done nothing but play games with me since the day we met. Falling so prettily on the field by Lamberton, teasing me with your lilting laugh, the twinkle in your eye, distracting me with your sweet and naughty kisses.” She couldn’t help but nibble on that pouty lower lip. “I’d say you have playing games down very well, indeed.”

  “Rogue,” she murmured, tilting her face up for more of a kiss.

  He resisted, enjoying the game. “Wench. Answer me.”

  She shook her head.

  Alaric locked his gaze on hers. “I will be forced to arrest you on suspicion of treason if you refuse to speak.”

  A flash of fear crossed her face, but was quickly replaced with anger. “Arrest me then, for I will not say a word.”

  All the sensuality of their game evaporated as his frustration mounted. “Why the bloody hell not?” Alaric let go of her hands, running his fingers roughly through his hair. “You’re driving me mad.”

  Alexandra looked away, her gaze toward the wall behind him. “That is not my intention.”

  “Then what is your intention?” He gripped her chin, gently turning her back to face him. “Look at me. Tell me. Tell me everything.”

  She glanced up at him, begrudgingly, he could tell. “I did not do it.”

  “You made that clear outside. Running away makes no sense.”

  “I am not running because of the fire, or that ye believe I started it, which I did not.” Her tone was exasperated and her shoulders slumped. “I am running for an entirely different reason, and one which I do not care to share with ye.”