“I am going to steal Lady Stewart away from ye, Mother, for ye hae been monopolizing her since her arrival. I would take her about and introduce her to all here.”
“Of course, Jamie,” his mother agreed, “‘tis a fine idea.” Then she turned to Arabella and said, “Come back to me if ye grow tired of all this hubbub, my dear.”
Arabella could not see any way to escape the prince, and so she curtsied to the queen, saying, “Thank you, madame, for all your kindness.”
The prince took Arabella by the hand and led her across the room, but instead of introducing her to anyone, he drew her into an alcove. “Yer the most beautiful woman I hae ever seen,” he declared.
“My lord, your compliment is overly extravagant,” Arabella said in what she hoped passed for a severe tone.
The prince laughed. “I hae been told ye are a spitfire, my beauty. I like a wee bit of spice in the wooing.’’
“I would hope you would not even attempt to woo me, my lord, for I am content with my husband.’’ Arabella was shocked by the prince’s attitude.
He grinned engagingly at her. “I would make love to ye, my beauty,” he said, and leaning forward, kissed her breast just as it swelled from her bodice.
Arabella started as if she had been scalded.“My lord!How dare ye!”
“I would dare anything in pursuit of passion, my beauty,” came the disconcerting reply.
“How old are you?”Arabella demanded, suddenly deciding the only way to treat this saucy boy was to treat him as a child.
“I bedded my first wench when I was ten, my beauty. I’m a Stewart, and we’re known for our warm natures.”
“Ye’ll soon be known for yer warm bottom, my royal nephew,” came Tavis Stewart’s stern voice, “unless ye behave yerself and dinna attempt to seduce my wee wife.’’
“Uncle!” The prince turned and grinned up at the earl. “Ye canna expect me to ignore this beautiful creature ye’ve wed.”
“I expect ye to behave yerself in her presence, Jamie.’’
“I would try, Uncle, but the amorousculuchwill nae allow it.”
“If ye dinna want to find yerculuchshortened by several inches, laddie, ye’ll keep yer wicked ways away from my wife. Now run along and find a more willing playmate.”
“Madame.” The prince grinned mischievously, and bowing, departed.
“He’s really quite harmless,” Tavis Stewart told his wife.
“He’s a child,” Arabella said, “and far too knowing a child. Why, he told me he bedded a woman when he was ten.”
The earl laughed. “He probably did,” he agreed. “He’s a Stewart, lovey, and Stewarts mature quickly, particularly Stewart princes. Besides, the rumor concerning Jamie’s father makes him more anxious than he might normally be to prove his own manhood.’’
“What rumors?”
“Such things need not concern ye, lovey. The rumors are nae true, and they are but the wicked ravings of jealous men. My brother has nae chosen his friends because of their pedigree, though there are those who think he should. The people he likes best are those who are interested in the arts and in the sciences. They are nae usually found amongst the nobility. Consequently, my brother’s earls and barons believe themselves slighted by their monarch. They are a contentious lot, particularly the wild highland lords. They seek to gie themselves reasons why Jemmie does nae pay them the due they believe is owed them.”
“How easily ye explain it away,” came a soft voice.
They turned and Tavis Stewart said, “Nae only did ye bell the cat, Angus, ye creep like one.”
The Earl of Angus smiled, but it was a cold smile. “I’m nae afraid to speak my mind, even to the king,” he said. “Ye tread a very fine line like a rope dancer, Tavis Stewart, but ye will one day hae to make a choice like the rest of us.”
“I’m a Stewart, Angus. My loyalty will always be to the Stewarts,” the Earl of Dunmor replied.
“But which Stewart, my lord? The father or the son?”
“I canna believe yer fool enough to dabble in treason, Angus, particularly in light of the fact ‘twas ye who hung Cochrane and his ilk.”
“Ye liked that arrogant bastard no better than we did,” the Earl of Angus replied.
