This Heart of Mine (41 page)

“You will get them home safely, won’t you, Murrough?” Velvet’s voice was slightly unsteady. “The Portuguese won’t harm Mama and Papa before you return with the ransom?”

“If I know Mother, Velvet, she will have wagered some mad bet with the viceroy and won back every penny of the ransom before I arrive. Do not fear, little sister. The viceroy is only interested in becoming a wealthy man. Harming Mother and Adam would gain him nothing. They may sail beneath an English flag, but they are Catholics. There is no
reason to harm them. By this time next year our family will be back together, I promise you!”

She believed him. He was Murrough, her Murrough, the big brother who had carried her on his shoulders when she was a wee girl. This was the brother who had sneaked sweetmeats into her bed when she had been sent to her room supperless for some long-forgotten infraction. Murrough had never failed her, and Velvet knew that he wouldn’t now.

In the next few days Murrough set in motion the revictualizing of his ship and the provisioning of the ships that would accompany him. The gold that was secretly brought from goldsmiths in three different countries would be placed aboard at the last possible minute, hidden among the trading cargo that was even now being placed in conspicuous locations on the O’Malley-Small docks in order to allay any suspicions. All the captains and the crews involved in the mission were hand-picked and trustworthy. Murrough was pleased to discover that his own crew didn’t want to be replaced. Despite their many months at sea and their short stay at home, they had begun to love this adventure, and to a man they were determined to finish it. Once everything was well under way, Murrough departed for Devon to visit his wife and children.

Although she was concerned for her parents, Velvet knew now that come spring Alex would request the queen’s permission to return to
Dun Broc.
Under the circumstances she suspected that the queen would give him that permission. Velvet might get Alex to remain in England until her sixteenth birthday on May 1, but she knew that soon after that they would be on their way. So she would have only a few months more at court, and the Lenten season would shortly be upon them with its fasting and prayers. There would be no gaiety or parties during the six weeks between Ash Wednesday and Easter. She debated the wisdom of allowing Alex to get her with child now, but discarded the notion for she knew it meant a great deal to him that his heir be born at
Dun Broc.
Better to wait until they returned to Scotland than to attempt pregnancy now and force Alex to remain in England until the baby was born.

There was to be a final masque on Shrove Tuesday night at court.

“On the morrow ’twill be fish and ashes,” mourned Essex, and the queen rapped him sharply on the knuckles with her fan.

“Fie, sire!” she scolded. “A six-week penance will do you no harm, and I’ve no doubt that come Easter Sunday you’ll begin to make up for lost time!”

The queen had ordered that the ladies come to the masque garbed in either silver or gold, the gentlemen in red or black. The celebration would end precisely at midnight. Until then there would be music and dancing and feasting at Her Majesty’s expense.

“What will you do in the next six weeks?” Angel asked Velvet as they lunched on the day of the masque. “We are leaving for
Lynmouth
tomorrow. My health is excellent, and Robin feels that if we travel slowly there will be no danger to the baby. Surely you don’t mean to stay in London. ’Twill be so dull!”

Before Velvet could answer, Alex broke into their conversation. “We are leaving for Scotland in several days’ time,” he said quietly.

“Scotland!”
Both Velvet and Angel gasped, and then Velvet cried, “ ’Tis winter! The roads will be terrible, if not impassable! I did not think we would leave until after Easter, my lord.”

“I have been away from my lands ten months now, Velvet. I have an enormous group of retainers that is costing me a fortune to feed and house here in London. They are restless, and restless men grow troublesome. They long for their homes and families. It may be cold, but the roads are passable here in England. I cannot say what they will be like in Scotland, but we are going to try to get through. With luck we will be at
Dun Broc
within the month. I have already asked the queen’s permission. Yer parents will not be back for a full year or more. With luck we can greet them with a fine grandson.”

“Which is just as it should be!” said Willow briskly. “Why James and I are for Alcester once Lent begins. With your permission, brother Alex, we shall ride with you. For once I’ll have no fear of getting home safely, for no one will even consider trifling with that wild-looking band of Highlanders who owe you loyalty. If you wish the hospitality of
Hill House
before traveling on, you’re most welcome to it.”

“I’m most happy to have you travel with us, Willow,” responded Alex courteously. “As for yer hospitality, we shall see. If the weather is good we shall press on without delay.”

“When did you intend to tell me of your plans, my lord?” said Velvet. Her voice was ominously calm at first, then it began to rise angrily. “Tonight is the queen’s masque, and
then how many days was I to be allowed to pack up my life before being dragged into the wintry Highlands? Or perhaps, my lord, you meant to drag me off again with nothing but the shift on my back as you did the last time we traveled north together!”

“Ye don’t need to take everything ye own now,” Alex replied foolishly. “Pansy can pack the rest and come in the spring.”

“What?” Velvet shrieked. “First you propose to deprive me of my family, then my clothing and personal effects, and now my tiring woman! Is it that you have duplicated everything at that Highland stone heap you call a castle? Have you a maid waiting there for me who can speak the queen’s English to keep me company, or will I be faced with some half-savage girl who’ll not understand me, nor I her? I’ll not go! If you’re so anxious to return to Scotland, then go yourself, but you’ll go without me if I cannot have the time to pack my things and if I cannot have my own tiring woman!”

“Will ye disobey me then, Velvet?” he shouted back at her, and everyone in the room jumped at the threatening tone in his voice.

“Is it the horses and dogs again, Alex?” she demanded, hands upon her hips.

He glowered blackly at her, and then Robin spoke. “You cannot expect my sister to go to her new home without her own things and servants about her, Alex. How soon do you want to leave?”

“Within the week.”

“Plenty of time,” soothed Robin, “for Pansy and my servants to pack everything up for transport. Can you use my traveling coach?”

“As far as Edinburgh,” muttered Alex.

“Excellent!” enthused Robin. “Velvet and Pansy will be most comfortable and well-rested for the ride from Edinburgh to
Dun Broc.
It’s settled then, eh?” He looked at his sister and brother-in-law.

“Well,” said Willow, “I for one will be delighted to ride to
Hill House
in your fine coach, Robin. You’ve never offered it to me, and ’tis the best-sprung vehicle I’ve ever ridden in. But how will you and Angel get home?”

“We are leaving tomorrow,” came Robin’s reply. “There will be time enough for the coach to get us to
Lynmouth
, and then return to London for you and Alex and Velvet.”

“In that case,” said Velvet sweetly, “I shall be quite content
to leave for Scotland.” She smiled mischievously at her husband.

“Ye’ll drive me mad, woman, if I don’t kill ye first,” Alex grumbled at her darkly.

“Have you grown tired then of the making-up?” she murmured.

Alex’s eyes suddenly grew warm again, and his mouth, which had been compressed into a thin, angry line, softened. Crossing the space that separated them, he swept her up laughingly and walked from the room carrying his precious burden. Behind him he heard the gasps of surprise from Willow and Angel and the indulgent chuckles of his two brothers-in-law.

Velvet nuzzled her husband’s ear as he exited Lynmouth House and moved across the garden that partitioned it from their own house, Greenwood. He stumbled a little as she nibbled thoughtfully on his tender earlobe.

“Wanton,” he growled. “Ye’re naught but a shameless wanton.”

“And you’d have me no other way, my lord,” she whispered boldly as he entered their house and mounted the stairs to their private apartments. Two young housemaids dusting in the hallway gaped, stunned, after them. Velvet ran her tongue around the shell of his ear, and he shuddered.

“I’ll drop ye,” he threatened, but she only laughed.

“Nay, you won’t, Alex. You’re too hot to take your pleasure with me and too much the gentleman to do it here before the servants.” She blew softly into his ear.

“Ye’re as hot to fuck as I am,” he muttered thickly, kicking their bedchamber door open and entering the room.

“Aye, my lord,” she drawled slowly, “I am.”

He put her down and, hooking his fingers into her low-cut bodice, yanked the fabric downward, tearing her gown away to bare her breasts. Pushing her back upon their bed, he deftly tossed her skirts up with one hand while loosening his own clothes with the other. Then, falling atop her, his mouth found a tender and tempting nipple. Slowly his tongue encircled it while his left hand imprisoned her hands above her head, and his right hand found the sensitive little jewel of her womanliness. Gently he stroked it, his mouth all the while suckling her breast. Beneath him, Velvet quivered with excitement, loving his touch and his insistent lips on her nipple.

“Aye, ye’re naught but a shameless strumpet,” he muttered against her flesh, “and were I not sure ’twas I who took yer maidenhead, I should wonder about yer unseemly eagerness.
Knowing the truth, however, I can only assume yer wild passion for me is the cause.”

Velvet laughed low. “Aye, my lord, but I wonder if my passion will ever be satisfied with all your talk. Ahhhhh! Oh, Alex, yessss!”

His mouth descended on hers as he thrust deep within her warm sweetness. He moved upon her with maddening slowness, teasing her lovingly until Velvet sank her teeth into his muscular shoulder to ease some of her swiftly roused passion.

“Vixen! My hot, honeyed little vixen,” he crooned.

Amid the tangle of her bunched-up skirts, she strove to meet his every downward stroke. She almost laughed remembering how fearful she had been of this marvelous part of marriage. Then she wondered if all women craved the loving their husbands gave them or if she were indeed the wanton he teased her about being. But suddenly it didn’t matter, for she was being swept up in the powerful and magnificent storm that their lovemaking created. With a soft cry she clung fiercely to him as their rapture built in intensity until finally the raging fire between them hurled both Alex and Velvet into an exquisite world of perfect pleasure from which neither was anxious to return too quickly.

“Ah, lass,” he finally said, “never will there ever be another woman for me but thee. I adore ye!”

“And I thee, my lord husband, my beloved lover!” she responded.

They lay quietly for a time, entwined together upon their bed. The shadows of late afternoon lengthened, and soon the room was dim. Finally Velvet said softly, “ ’Tis another gown you owe me, my lord, and I’ll have it before we return to Scotland.”

He laughed lazily. “Ye’re well worth the price of a new gown, lass.” Then he leaned over her and kissed her bared breasts again with slow, warm kisses.

Velvet felt a delicious tingle race down her spine, but then she caught at his hair and pulled his head away. “Oh, no, Alex! You’re forgetting the queen’s masque!”

“To hell with the queen’s masque,” he muttered and captured a pert nipple between his teeth, worrying it gently.

“No! No!” she fussed at him, laughing now and helpless in the face of her own rising desires.

“Yes,” he insisted. “We’ve time for one more sweet tumble, madame, before I must dress myself in some silly fanciful garb and dance the evening away simply to amuse an aging queen.”

“Alex! You must not speak so against the queen!”

“Aye, lass, ye’re right,” he said, and blew softly in her ear as his strong hands caressed her breasts and moved down to stroke her silken belly. Then his mouth found hers once more in kiss after long, sweet kiss until Velvet’s lips ached with his loving. His body hovered over hers but a moment and then he was entering her gently.

She sighed deeply, her hands frantically clutching his back as he moved upon her. She could feel him within her, loving her fiercely and strongly, his hardness fanning a fire that raged totally out of control. The queen’s majesty, the queen’s masque, the coming trip to Scotland were all forgotten in the midst of their passion.

Once again Alex and Velvet lay together sated with their love, but this time a knock came upon the door. “My lady! My lady!” called Pansy. “I must bring the bath or else you will be late.”

“That bloody wench has no proper sense of timing or of decency,” grumbled Alex. “If Dugald weren’t so taken with her I should leave her behind!”

“Nay,” said Velvet, laughing, “you wouldn’t. She means much to me, and well you know it.” She sat up. “Quickly, Alex, help me get out of the ruins you’ve made of my gown. Pansy will be far less shocked to see me in a chamber robe at this time of day than to witness the tatters you’ve made of my bodice.”

Alex made a noise that to his wife sounded as if he were quite pleased with this afternoon’s work and not in the least repentent. With swift hands he undid her gown, his fingers teasing mischievously, and chortled gleefully as she frowned at him and slapped his hands away.

“Where shall we hide it?” He grinned at her, holding up the rags that had been her gown.

Velvet looked frantically about the room, and then, leaping off the bed, she stuffed the unfortunate garment into a small trunk by the window. Then, turning, she grinned saucily at him. “I’ll give it to the sewing woman tomorrow so that she may repair it if that’s possible.” She laughed again, seeing the dangerous look smoldering in his eyes as he gazed upon her nudity.