“Then ye’ll wed me in yer shift, madame, but wed me ye will, for I’ll hae no more shilly-shallying about it!” he told her furiously.
“Wed ye in my shift?”Arabella’s voice rose to a shriek. “Never!”
“Then, by God, ye’ll wed me wi’ out, Arabella Grey!” the earl raged at her, and before any of them might stop him, Tavis Stewart had torn the clothing from Arabella’s slender form, leaving her naked for all to see.
Meg’s hand flew to her mouth in shock and she gasped.
“Holy Mother!” Gavin half whispered, though both Donald and Colin were struck dumb by their elder brother’s actions.
For a moment Arabella was stunned, unable to believe what had happened. Her instinct was to run and hide, but then it occurred to her that to do so would indicate weakness on her part. She would not let Tavis Stewart defeat her. A slow, proud smile lit her features and she stood straight. Then lifting her arms up, she undid her pale golden hair from its braids, handing the tortoiseshell pins to Meg. Arabella’s hair swirled about her like a silken veil as she said, “Since I am yet a virgin, my lord, it is my right to wear my hair unbound to my wedding.” Her voice was clear and firm.
He nodded, her elegant actions having returned him to his senses. He was more than surprised by his own behavior, but there was no help for it now. To apologize or back down would be to show a lack of strength on his part, and he would be master in his own house. “It is yer right, indeed, as ye are a virgin, Arabella Grey,” he answered her gravely. Then he turned to the priest. “I believe we are ready to begin, Colin.”
To his credit, Colin Fleming did not falter as he spoke the words of the marriage ceremony. He had never wed a couple before where the bride was naked, but he knew of no clerical impediment against it. His beautiful, well-modulated voice, intoning in perfect church Latin, never wavered in its recitation. It was not easy. He remembered the teasing Donald had given him only recently regarding women, and although he had done his share of coupling with the lasses before he had taken God’s path, he had never before seen a woman totally naked. Arabella Grey was undeniably beautiful, and the priest suddenly understood for the very first time the true nature of Adam’s temptation.
Gavin and Donald Fleming spent the ceremony looking everywhere in the hall but at the bridal couple. Gavin felt quite guilty that his glimpse of Arabella had set his own pulses raging, particularly as his own sweet Meg was even now by his side, holding his hand so trustingly. Donald considered that perhaps his elder brother’s marriage was not quite the mistake he believed after all.
Most marriages were between strangers, and the best one could hope for was a pretty woman with a ripe body. Arabella Grey certainly qualified, and he could almost feel her firm, cone-shaped breasts nestling in the palms of his hands right now. The plump pink mont between her slender, rounded thighs was a most tempting sight. He could but imagine delving between those thighs, and thanked heaven that his kilt covered his rising lust, for he would not have offended Tavis for the world. He should never have coveted his new sister-in-law for even the briefest moment had not her lovely charms been so generously displayed.
Next to Donald stood Robert Hamilton, who was suffering the effects of too much wine last night. He had spent the early morning retching his guts out and now, his legs weak, his skin pale and clammy, he was in no mood to appreciate the sight before him. He wished for only one of three things. A clear head, a settled belly, or a quick and merciful death.
“Ye will both kneel for the blessing,” Colin Fleming finally instructed the bridal couple, and they knelt. Colin made the sign of the cross over the pair, saying as he did,“In nomine Patris, et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.”There was a pause and Colin said, “Yer wed now, Tavis.”
“My lord earl!”
They all turned to see Margery Fleming striding into the hall. Her hair was disheveled from an obviously hasty ride, and none of her four sons could ever remember seeing her so angry. Reaching the wedding party, Lady Fleming removed her cloak and put it around Arabella’s shoulders. Then she turned to Tavis Stewart.
“Good morrow, Mother,” he said calmly, experience having taught him the folly of arguing with her.
“When,”Lady Fleming demanded of her oldest son, “did I ever teach ye to abuse women, or perhaps ye think yer rank entitles ye to such behavior? I am appalled that ye would mistreat this poor child in such a fashion.”
“Thispoorchild, as ye mistakenly refer to her, Mother, has twice taken a knife to me. This morning, knowing full well that I intended marrying her, she attempted to escape Dunmor, and when I brought her back, she attempted to hit me. I would hardly call making this virago the Countess of Dunmor mistreating her. I hae given her a better name than her own king would have.”
Lady Fleming was secretly delighted that her son had finally taken a wife, but there was much she did not understand about the situation. Before his mother might consider further, the earl enlightened her as to the events that had led up to his wedding. She listened quietly, but when he had finished, she looked between her son and Arabella and said, “Tavis, I dinna know if I can forgie ye yer behavior here today, and I wonder if yer wife can. I am taking Arabella home wi’ me to Glen Ailean, and I will hear no talk of any danger she might be in, for Sir Jasper Keane is too busy consolidating his own position at Greyfaire to be bothered wi’ this wee lassie. And if he were of a mind to come after her, who will tell him where she is? If I take her now before the rest of the castle is awake and stirring, few will even know where she has gone.”
“Arabella is my wife, Mother, and I will nae hae her living anywhere but Dunmor,” the earl replied.
“Indeed, my lord?” Margery Fleming drew herself up to her full height. She was a most formidable sight. “I would remind ye, my son, that I know all yer weaknesses as well as yer strengths. I gave ye life, and there are but two people upon the face of this earth whom ye must respect and obey wi’ out question. Yer brother, the king, andme!Yer countess comes wi’ me. You are welcome to visit us at Glen Ailean once Arabella’s anger cools. Ye might consider courting yer wife, my son. If I am to hae grandchildren of ye, she should see that ye hae a softer, kinder side to ye than ye hae shown her. Now step aside, Tavis Stewart, or as God is my witness, I’ll knock ye down!” Lady Fleming put a protective arm about her daughter-in-law.
“Mother!”The earl was chagrined.
“Stand aside, Tavis!” she repeated.
“Arabella!”
“She’ll nae speak wi’ ye, my lord,” his mother said. “Come, Margaret Hamilton, ye canna remain here wi’ these rough men. If ye’ve clothing ye might share wi’ poor Arabella, we can be on our way. I’m taking Flora too, Tavis.” And she walked regally from the hall with her two charges.
Chapter Six
Richard, king of England, fell in battle on August 22, 1485, hacked to death by Welsh pikemen who butchered him in a muddy mire after his horse became stuck. Within two hours the battle that had been fought between the Yorkists and the Lancastarians for England’s throne was over, and Henry Tudor, to be called Henry VII, was acclaimed king of England by his jubilant troops. It was the last serious battle in the long and tortuous conflict that had been called the War of the Roses. The white rose of York and the red rose of Lancaster would unite to become the Tudor rose. The new king entered London on September third, welcomed and feted by all.
At Glen Ailean, Arabella wept for the cousin whom she would always remember with fondness. The news had been delivered to her by Tavis Stewart, who brought a copy of the parchment sent Scotland’s king.
“Henry by the grace of God, King of England and of France, Prince of Wales and Lord of Ireland…”
announced to all who would listen that:
“Richard, Duke of Gloucester, lately called King Richard, was slain at a place called Sandeford.”
