“He holds the ashes from last year’s Yule log. They will use them to help start this year’s fire.” Jeremiah stared at him. “Yes, that’s the MacKee heir. A bit young for this party, fourteen, I think. The one on the other side with the candle is a Boyd, one of the Royal Stuart clan. Fiona’s family. He will hand the candle to the king to light the log. It will burn for days.”
Judging from the size of the log, it would certainly take a long while. Everyone was in high spirits as the log finally made it successfully to the huge fireplace and the sweating footmen managed to get it into the fire box. The red-headed boy leaped off the log and cleared the greenery then added kindling. He stood with the other two as they spread the ashes and waited for a signal from the king that he was ready to light the log.
“I sincerely hope this Yuletide season is a blessed one for all of you. May you all live long and love well.” He glanced at Fiona. “But not too well.” That made the crowd laugh. Then he bowed his head. “God bless this land and our people with peace and prosperity. Amen.” He grinned and took the candle from the boy wearing a plaid like his own, then ruffled his hair. “Well done, lads. Someone get them goblets of wine!” He reached in and everyone cheered when the kindling burst into flames immediately.
The wood had been dried in advance, Jeremiah whispered. There could be no chance the fire would be allowed to go out until the log was a pile of ashes to be used next year. A servant would see to that.
The men around us were not cheering. One by one each approached Jeremiah.
“Call if you need me. This was not well done.” The big man with a heavy beard never took his hand off his dress sword as he watched the king speak to the men surrounding Robert and Fiona.
“Thank you, MacLeish, but I am sure it will come right.” Jeremiah gazed around at the other men who never smiled. “The duchess made a mistake. Let MacDonald wonder if the babe looks like him when she drops it.” That did get a few smiles.
“You are taking this well, but we shall be watching. If James does not make this up to you properly, he will hear from more than one of us on the matter.” A dark-haired man who was so handsome I couldn’t look away, studied my bodice. “At least you have found a pretty armful to help heal your broken heart.”
“Indeed I have, Bruce.” Jeremiah turned to me. “Gloriana and I met in London. Gloriana, this is Dennis Bruce, a good friend and ally. Dennis, Madame Gloriana St. Clair.”
I dipped a respectful curtsy, very aware that many of the men standing near us were listening and taking my measure. “Very pleased to meet you, sir.”
“Well done, Campbell. Do not forget to keep us informed of how things go these next weeks. Many of us have your back. The king spends too long in England these days.” Bruce kept his voice low but not so low that there weren’t nods and glances toward the throne. “He must remember who has always supported him.”
“Aye.” Jeremiah gripped my hand. “I thank you. All of you.” He glanced behind us. “The dancing has started and the king is expecting us to make merry. This is not the place for frowns or plotting. I know you agree. We will talk later. Now pray excuse us. Now that I am not bound for the altar, I feel like dancing.” He tugged me to the space where couples were forming lines for a dance I recognized.
The dancing began and the crowd became rowdy. Apparently the mistletoe was getting good use and the coins had stirred some excitement in more than a few couples who disappeared into alcoves behind the greenery. Jeremiah and I danced and I discovered there were many Scots who weren’t so dour when the king was not forcing his will on them. Handsome men flirted with me and begged a dance but Jeremiah would not share. It was flattering and thrilling to be in such elegant company. These endless Scottish nights were heavenly when we weren’t being hunted. By the time Jeremiah called for our carriage, I was sure I had never been happier.
Then I felt a presence near us as we walked to collect our cloaks. Of course Valdez had never been far. Now he looked behind me as he took my cloak from the man standing near the castle doors.
“Campbell, I wish a word.”
Jeremiah turned. “MacDonald. Were you waiting for me to congratulate you? It is quite a coup for your clan to have ties with the Royal Stuarts.”
“Yes, it is. So I would suggest the Campbells cease raiding our herds.” Robert bowed to me. “Gloriana, you are certainly in good looks tonight.”
“Thank you, Robert. I hope you will be happy. I know you were surprised…” I had trouble finding words for what had happened to him.
“Surprised? Indeed.” He shook his head. “This is not the time and certainly not the place to speak of it.” He looked back over his shoulder, then at the motionless man who was waiting to open the door to the waiting carriages. “I have already said too much. I need to speak to you both. May I come by tomorrow night? I will be with the king until midnight then. After that?”
“I have no reason or desire—”
I put a hand on Jeremiah’s arm. “Let him come. I wish to see him. One more time at least. It is wise.” I smiled at Robert. “I’m sure Jeremiah will be busy with the king at some point as well, but I will welcome you. Come when you can.” I took Robert’s hand. “You have my good wishes, always.” I would never forget how he had helped Jeremiah save me. More than once. I let Robert see those thoughts. “Good night.” Valdez settled my cloak on my shoulders then I took Jeremiah’s arm. “May we go now?”
“Of course.” Jeremiah exchanged a long look with Robert. “As you can see, women can rule us if we let them. Get used to it.” He actually smiled and guided me outside as soon as the footman opened the door.
I heard Robert’s laugh as we walked down the steps to the carriage. It made my heart lift. I wanted my friend to be happy. Fiona loved him. That was a start.
Inside the cozy carriage, I leaned toward Jeremiah. “My love, I am very uncomfortable. Could you possibly find that heavy coin you pushed down my bodice? It is digging into my breast.”
“Really?” His eyes gleamed in the light from the carriage lantern. “Let me see.” He carefully pulled away the red velvet. “I think it must have fallen. I will have to search for it.” He pushed a finger between my breasts and wiggled it around, teasing first one nipple then the other. “Are you sure it’s still in there?”
“Don’t you dare rip my bodice with your clumsy efforts. I love this dress.” I leaned back against the cushions.
“Clumsy? That is not what you usually say.” He grinned and kept teasing me with that wicked finger.
“Hurry. We are almost home.” Cool air on my breasts made me look to see that the clever man had managed to get the velvet down to expose me.
“This is impossible, Gloriana. That thing you’re wearing that pushed up your breasts—I like the way it makes them look, I have to say—has trapped the coin. I see a gleam of gold but I cannot get my finger under it. What is that instrument of torture?” He frowned as he poked at it.
“My corset. Mercy has it very tight. But it is the latest fashion.” I gasped when I saw he had a knife in his hand. “What are you going to do, Jeremiah? Surely you are not going to cut it off!”
“I certainly am. I’ll cut the bastard apart and free you. You will not wear such a thing again.” His knife was so sharp it took just a flick of his wrist to sever the ties that had held it together.
I took my first free breath in hours. Of course that hadn’t mattered. I’d gotten used to the vampire habit of not breathing, but still… It was heavenly.
“We are throwing this away!” He held up the gold coin.
“Not the coin. I’ll take that.” I grabbed the gold. “I must buy you a gift tomorrow night for Yuletide.”
“I meant we’re throwing away that thing you were wearing. Your breasts are high enough without help from that piece of work. Mercy must like inflicting pain. I’ll have a word with her about that.” He pulled up my dress but it wouldn’t stay properly without the corset doing its work. “We are already home.”
“Or it will be my pleasure to undress you.” Jeremiah closed my cloak himself as the coach lurched to a stop. “We’re here. I was very proud to have you with me tonight, Gloriana. This could have been difficult for you, but you handled the surprises we endured well. Then you stood before the king as if born to royalty yourself.” He leaned over to give me a leisurely kiss.
“Thank you, Jeremiah. I would have hated to embarrass you.” I knew he was exaggerating, but it certainly made me love him even more. I took his hand as the coach door opened. I couldn’t take my eyes off him when he helped me down the steps. He was elegant, yet undeniably a leader. The heirs had chosen sides. Jeremiah could have lashed out and demanded immediate recompense for the humiliation Fiona had heaped upon him in company. Instead, he’d proven his loyalty to the crown again. Yes, the king owed him. It would be interesting to see what the next few days brought besides Yuletide celebrations.
“You couldn’t embarrass me, Gloriana.” He suddenly picked me up and carried me inside. “But I can embarrass you. Do you mind?” He laughed and ran up the steps to our bedchamber, his mood light. Oh, I loved him this way! When a sleepy Mercy jumped up out of the chair she’d arranged next to the door, he dismissed her. “We can manage, lass. Off to bed with you.”
She hurried away, her face rosy.
I laughed, delighted. When he set me on my feet, he made quick work of my cloak, then the buttons down the back of my dress. He took one look at that corset and got out his knife again. By the time he was finished, it was in ten pieces and a pile on the floor.
“Mercy will cry over that. She would have worn it herself if she could. It cost the earth.” I kicked at it, not sorry to see it gone. Perhaps I would buy Mercy one of her own for Yuletide. Let her wear it for her handsome footman if she was that foolish.
“That would be madness.” Jeremiah unwrapped his kilt and took off the rest of his finery until he was almost naked. “I have been mad myself this night, to have you. You were the most beautiful woman there. How could you not know that?”
“You are mad. Fiona was—” I stopped working at the knots on my petticoats when his finger landed on my lips.
“Fiona was pretty. Yes, beautiful. And high-spirited. MacDonald is welcome to her.” Jeremiah pulled me close. “If the king had tried to force the marriage, I believe I would have taken you with me and run.”
“You would have done that? For me?” I stared up at him and for once he let me see into his mind. He told the truth.
“I don’t know what spell you have cast over me, Gloriana. Are you a witch? I’ve never seen signs of it, but I know you are not an ordinary woman. How can this be, that I am so lost to reason when I am with you?” He kept staring into my eyes.
I blocked my thoughts. I knew it was cruel when he was being so open for once, but I didn’t know the answer myself. Why? Why did he love me so madly? This man was worth ten of me. Twenty. I was no one. Came from nowhere. He could have had a royal wife. Ties to the king. Yet he would have risked his clan, his life, to be with me.
“Jeremiah, who are we to understand the workings of the heart?” It was all the answer I had for him. I hated that. It sounded like something Master Shakespeare or Burbage might spout from the stage. “I only know that you are that to me. I became vampire for you. What more could I do to prove that you mean everything to me?”
“Nothing. You have certainly taken more risk than I should have asked of you.” He pulled off his shirt and tossed it aside.
Oh, he was beautiful, scars and all. The miracle was that he would never change but keep his body the same forever. Well, unless some evildoer ripped out his eye or lopped off a limp. I shuddered to think of what a near miss we’d had. Thank the gods that was behind us!
He gave me a long look. “Come to bed. Let me love you. This night has made me think about the future. About how we will go on from here. The king will have something to say about that, but I will not accept another of his marriage proposals. I am sure of that.” He helped me with my petticoats and we were soon in bed, his arms around me.
Later, dawn pulling at us both, I lay staring at the bed draperies over my head. The light from a dying fire flickered on the carved bedposts and on Jeremiah’s face when I turned my head to look at him. Was he content? No, he’d seemed restless, clearly disturbed by all that had happened in court. Robert had been forced into a marriage he hadn’t wanted by the king’s machinations. It could happen to anyone with a clan to protect, Jeremiah included. He might deny he could be pulled into another arrangement, but if Clan Campbell were at risk, could he stand up to the king? No wonder he was thinking about the future and what lay in store for us.
My own background was so cloudy. He certainly couldn’t risk tying himself to me in marriage. That subject hadn’t been raised, had it? He’d even wondered if I’d put some kind of spell on him. Really? We had been too close to witches lately. Perhaps that was to blame for his thoughts. No, I would never call on Red Mary to fix this for me. Though surely such a strong witch could spell Jeremiah right down the aisle to a wedding if that was what I wanted.
No, I’d hate myself if trickery was the only way to get that. Fiona would have to live with the results of her trap. Would Robert make her pay for it? I shivered. Men could be hell to live with if they felt betrayed. Robert would have to tread carefully if he did decide to punish her. Fi had the ear of the king. A king’s justice could be swift and merciless.
Dawn had almost gotten the best of me when I remembered what Jeremiah had said to Robert.
“Women can rule us.”
If that was true, then I needed to think about what I wanted for my future, our future. I couldn’t just wait for Jeremiah to decide my fate. I had to take it into my own hands.
17
Ihad just returned from shopping with Mercy and Valdez to find Jeremiah ready to leave for a meeting with the king. It was almost midnight. I had been lucky to find the shops open late. First I’d found a beautiful waistcoat in a deep green that would look a treat with Jeremiah’s plaid. Then I’d made my two loyal attendants stand outside in the cold while I had bargained with the shopkeeper. I had come away with a new dagger for Valdez as well as a corset that would make Mercy’s face turn red. I was pleased that I could share my good fortune this Yuletide.
Last year… Well, I could not forget that it had been a cold, empty holiday when a single orange from Master Shakespeare had seemed like the veriest miracle. The kindness of the other players had kept me from being lonely. Maggie had shared a mug of ale with me when her worthless “husband” had disappeared with their rent money and left her alone on Christmas day. Oh, how happy it made me to imagine her with Fergus now, her body swelling with his child in her own home!
I knew I owed everything to Jeremiah. He had made this new life possible. I greeted him with a kiss and teased him when he complained about my cold cheeks.
“You are so beautiful you are glowing. I wonder if I dare leave you alone with Robert MacDonald. He has always had his eye on you. You know I don’t trust the bastard.” Jeremiah reached for his cloak. He had decided to walk up to the castle.
“You can trust me. He holds no appeal for me.” I shook my head at the waiting servant holding that cloak. “Don’t leave just yet. I’m sure Robert will be here soon and he did want to speak to you.” I tugged Jeremiah back into the sitting room. “You have plenty of time before your meeting. The castle is but five minutes away. I hope the king isn’t thinking of making another match for you.”
“James will find that I am not willing to risk being made a fool of twice in one season. I cannot imagine he would ask it of me, after seeing how many clans stood with me last night. He values the good will of my clan and theirs too much to do that
. I have a stack of notes that arrived today. Those weren’t idle gestures last night. Some heirs want to meet this week. Tempers are rising at what was seen as an affront to my clan.” Jeremiah glanced at Valdez. “You will not leave her alone with MacDonald for even a moment. The man is no doubt in a dangerous mood. You saw what happened last night.”
“Who didn’t?” Valdez grinned. “I gather the duchess is not with child.”
“Of course not!” Jeremiah strode to the fireplace and stared into the fire. “Fiona is a fine woman but this trick of hers is a disaster. You know what I think of that clan, but for the heir to bring a mortal home as his wife…” He frowned. “MacDonald’s father will have much to say about this complication no matter the size of Fiona’s dowry.”
I sat on a velvet couch and patted the seat next to me. “I hope Fiona gets a better reception than I got from your mother. Is Robert’s mother kind?” I knew I should leave this alone, but Mag was never far from my mind.
“How the hell would I know? You think I ever set foot in the nest of vipers that is the MacDonald castle?” Jeremiah would not sit. When there was a knock on the door, he did not wait for a servant but strode over to answer it himself. When he saw who stood outside, his gesture was impatient. “About time. Get in here, say what you will and leave.”
“My, but you are in a mood. I would think this has worked out in your favor.” Robert handed his cloak to the servant who had hurried forward. He walked into the room, greeting me with a proper bow. “Gloriana, you are lovely, as ever.”
“Yes, she is, MacDonald. Shouldn’t you be with your wife?” Jeremiah finally sat next to me and took my hand.
“I have been for the past hours. The bishop himself came out of hiding and performed a hasty ceremony just after sunset. You should have seen his eyes on Fiona’s bulging tummy.” Robert laughed. “We did the pretty as long as we could stand it then Fi claimed exhaustion and sent everyone away, including me.” He stalked to the window and pulled a drapery aside.
Real Vampires: A Highland Christmas (The Real Vampires series Book 14) Page 21
