Wild Jasmine (69 page)

Men did not cry
.

Part IV

J
ASMINE

England
1611–1613

Chapter 18

“
Y
ou have been in mourning for Rowan for over a year now. I really do believe it is time enough,” the Countess of BrocCairn said to her daughter, Jasmine Lindley. “Quite frankly, my dear, any further display of sorrow on your part is quite excessive.”

“How easy it is for you, Mama,” Jasmine replied bitterly. “You have never lost a husband to death, have you? I, however, have lost two.” She stared with deep concentration at the pastoral view outside of her day room windows. The late summer hills were lush with greenery, and the river flowed as serenely as it always did.

Velvet drew a deep breath to keep from losing her temper. Rowan’s death had been an unexpected tragedy that could not be changed. He was gone, and would not come back. It was time for Jasmine to begin thinking about another marriage. She could not spend the rest of her life alone. She was simply too young.

“Alex and I want you to come to court with us in the autumn,” Velvet said. “Sibby and Tom are going as well. The court is really a very exciting place these days.”

“The court,” Jasmine said primly, “is a sewer, I have heard. I am amazed that my stepfather would consent to go there. I believed him to have better sense, Mama, but perhaps he finds it easier to humor you than to have to argue with you. I cannot go. I have the children to consider. They are far too young to accompany me.”

“God’s foot, Jasmine!” her mother said, irritated. “The children most certainly should not accompany you. One goes to court for pleasure. My grandchildren are perfectly safe here at Cadby. All are sturdy, thank God!”

“They are too young for me to leave,” Jasmine insisted.

“Nonsense!” Velvet said firmly. “India is practically three and a half; Henry is two and a half; and Fortune is past her first birthday. They all have their nurses, and if you think for
one moment that Adali would let any harm come to them … Why, he is devoted to them all.”

“Your mother is right,” Skye said. She had remained seated and silent until now.

“
Grandmama!
” Jasmine had counted on Skye to back her.

“Well, she is,” Skye said. “Rowan would dislike it intensely that you have shut yourself away here at Cadby. He was so full of life, the rogue! As long as you remain here, my darling girl, you become more ingrown. You are making a saint out of a man who was very much a man, and what is worse, you are spoiling your children terribly.”

“They have no father!” Jasmine cried, tears welling in her eyes.

“That is no excuse for giving in to their every whim and wish,” her grandmother said sharply. “I have raised enough children myself to know certain danger signals. India is an absolute little terror these days. Henry follows her every lead. As for Fortune, for all her wee size, she is a tiny tyrant, screaming herself red in the face if she is not immediately gratified. Do not delude yourself into believing that they will outgrow these bad habits, that it is only because they are small. They will grow worse with each day, each week, each month, each year, unless you begin to discipline them, Jasmine. If you cannot, then you must allow others to do so. Let me have my great-grandchildren at Queen’s Malvern for a little time. Go to court with your mother and the rest of the family. You must think of marriage eventually, Jasmine, even if you do not think of it now.”

“The queen gives the most delightful masques,” Velvet enthused.

“Which the king never attends,” Jasmine replied.

“Oh, Jamie is such an old sobersides.” Velvet laughed. “He always was.”

“Except when it comes to his
laddies
,” Jasmine said. “I hear that young Kerr is still his majesty’s favorite. They say he has taught the fellow Latin, but I hear he should have taught him English, for his Scots English is almost unintelligible.”

“ ’Tis true,” Velvet admitted, and then she added, “He has Anglicized his name, my dear, and calls himself Carr these days.”

“How does the queen bear it?” Jasmine demanded.

“
Bear what?
” Velvet replied. “The king is devoted to her, and to their children. She has had nine, even if they did not all
live. Although the princes are her favorites, Henry most of all, Princess Elizabeth is her father’s pride and joy. The king and the queen have different interests, and were they not so much the center of our universe, we should notice nothing amiss with their relationship. The king is given to being demonstrative with those of whom he is fond. Lady or gentleman, there would be gossip, Jasmine. Now we must think about your wardrobe. Styles are changing, and you will need a new one.”

“If I go, will you come with us, Grandmama?” Jasmine asked.

Skye laughed. “Nay, darling girl, I am past that, I am happy to say. I shall remain quite contentedly at Queen’s Malvern, and attempt to instill some respect and some manners into your children. Henry will benefit from having a man around the house. Your grandfather may be an old man, but he is still a vital one. Why, he hunts several times a week even now. It is time that both Henry and India learn to ride.”

A small spasm passed briefly over Jasmine’s face. “My father taught me to ride,” she said. “I remember him saying that it was not the custom for Indian ladies of high birth to ride horses, but that as Candra had been a most excellent rider, he thought perhaps that I should enjoy learning. I did, and was so glad he taught me. It meant that I could go hunting with him, and with my brothers, unlike my elder sisters.”

“How old were you when he taught you?” Velvet asked.

“I was just three,” Jasmine replied.

“Well,” Skye said briskly, “it is settled then! You will go to court with your mother. As for your clothing, Velvet is correct. You will need a new wardrobe. Fashions are finally changing. Though the necklines are still square and low in front, they have become high in the back. Necklines are wider, too, on the shoulders, and large collars of linen or lace are now quite de trop. Skirts are shorter as well, and not quite as full. I shall send Bonnie to you. She is such a clever seamstress.”

“Well,” Jasmine considered, “perhaps I could go to court for a little while, Grandmama, I know the children are safe with you, but you must promise me that you will not be too harsh with them. They do miss their papa so very much. I know I spoil them, but I cannot help it.”

“They would not even remember their papa if you were not constantly reminding them of Rowan,” Skye replied tartly. “Your idealized picture of him gives him the burnish of saintliness that he most certainly did not possess. It is good that
you do not allow your children to forget their father, my darling girl, but do not make him so perfect that your son will be unable to live up to his memory, and your daughters forever comparing him to their suitors, who will also be unable to measure up. That would be a great tragedy.” Skye patted her favorite grandchild’s hand lovingly. “You have not forgotten how sweet love can be, my darling girl. Do not deny your daughters the experience when the time is right for them.”

Bonnie was sent for, and arrived from Queen’s Malvern with her assistant Mary. Together the two women set about in the waning days of summer to sew Jasmine’s new wardrobe. A traveling jeweler and his apprentice arrived at Cadby and fashioned a number of beautiful buttons for the new clothing, using the gemstones that Jasmine supplied. While the jeweler set the stones within their frames of silver and gold, his apprentice dexterously carved additional buttons from ivory, bone, and polished wood.

“I am positively green with envy,” Sybilla declared as she examined her stepsister’s new clothes before Rohana and Toramalli packed them carefully for the journey to London. Sybilla had grown plumper with the birth of each of her four children, the youngest of whom had been born in late winter of that year.

“I have much too much,” Jasmine declared. “Take whatever you fancy, Sibby. I haven’t had time to grow attached to anything yet.”

Sybilla sighed, and then she laughed. “I couldn’t possibly fit into anything of yours, Jasmine. You remain impossibly willow-slim, while I am as plump as a partridge ready for the table. Tom, however, doesn’t seem to mind. He says he likes having more of me to love, and swears I keep him quite toasty on cold winter nights.”

“Tom has put on a bit of weight too,” Jasmine noted. “ ’Tis all your love, and the good food you see he has. He is disgracefully content for a man who was such an old bachelor.”

Sybilla laughed again. There was a new softness about her. All the sharp edges seemed to have gone. “I fear that I am content too,” she admitted. “Tom is the best husband in the world.”

“I am glad you are happy,” Jasmine replied softly.

“Ohh!” Sibby cried. “I did not mean to sadden you, Jasmine.”

“You did not,” Jasmine hastened to assure her stepsister, and
then she cleverly changed the subject. “Are you looking forward to the court, Sibby? I am not certain it is the place for a respectable woman without a husband in attendance. What do you think?”

“I think you fret too much,” Sibby said. “Court is really quite exciting. We went last autumn before I was too uncomfortable with Elizabeth. Oh, Jasmine, ’tis so nice to have a little daughter. She is so much easier than the boys. Girls are, aren’t they?”

Jasmine chuckled. “I had not noticed. Neither India nor Fortune strike me as easy. In my family ’tis Henry who is the easiest.”

In early October Jasmine, in the company of the Gordons of BrocCairn and the Earl and Countess of Kempe, traveled up to London to join the court. After settling themselves into Greenwood, they went to Whitehall to pay their respects to their majesties.

The king, Jasmine thought, seemed to show his age more now. His skin had become coarse-looking, and he was a trifle jowly, but he greeted the young dowager Marchioness of Westleigh in kindly fashion.

Jasmine was looking particularly lovely this evening. Her gown was of heavy burgundy-colored silk with a large collar of ecru lace that extended low on her shoulders. The simple underskirt was of deep rose brocade. The same brocade showed through the small slashes upon her sleeves. The ankle-length, bell-shaped skirt of her gown revealed elaborate silk-covered shoes decorated with pearls, and when she turned suddenly, a glimpse of rose-colored silk stockings decorated with delicate gold-thread vines could be seen sheathing her slender legs. She wore a long necklace of large pearls held in front by a brooch of diamonds and rubies. From her ears hung long, pear-shaped pearls, and upon her arms were several bejeweled gold bangles.

The young widow curtsied low to the king, allowing both him and his handsome young favorite, Robert Carr, an unrestricted view of her beautiful bosom. “Your Majesty is most kind to receive me once again,” Jasmine said softly as her skirts blossomed about her.

“We are pleased to see ye returned safely from Ireland,” James Stuart replied, motioning her to arise, which she did. “We hope ye will bide wi us a wee while, Lady Lindley. Yer
beauty can but enhance our court, is that nae so, Robbie luv?” The king looked up at the young man lounging against his throne. His eyes were misty with his affection.