Before Mistress Marjory might answer, a man-at-arms strode into the chamber. “What’s going on here?” he asked. “Did you hurt this woman?”
Orva slowly stood up. “I am Mistress Orva, tiring woman to Lady Cicely Bowen, Queen Joan’s companion. I left my mistress here earlier to choose some lace and ribbons for the expected heir’s christening gown that Her Highness now sews upon. I returned to find a crowd outside the shop, and the apprentice howling about Mistress Marjory being grievously harmed. I entered to find the poor woman as you see her, and my mistress gone. Something wicked has happened here. Where is your captain? I need to return to the palace immediately and inform the queen that my mistress is missing.”
“Perhaps your mistress had a disagreement with this lady,” the man-at-arms suggested. “Mayhap she hit her, and then fled in a fright.”
“Lady Cicely would never have done such a thing,” Orva said indignantly. “And if she fled this place for whatever reason she would have taken her horse. It is still tethered outside. Find your captain! I must have an escort to the palace immediately.”
The man-at-arms looked at Orva. She was very well dressed, and he had seen the two horses outside of the shop. They were excellent beasts. He turned and looked at the young apprentice. “Are this woman and her mistress known to Mistress Marjory, lad?”
“Aye, sir. They come for the queen, and have been here before,” he answered.
“Kidnapped,”Mistress Marjory’s voice said weakly. “They kidnapped the lady.”
Orva gave a scream of distress.
“Who kidnapped the lady?” the man-at-arms wanted to know. This was becoming complicated. “Go and fetch the captain, lad,” he instructed the apprentice.
The boy ran off.
“Who kidnapped my mistress?” Orva demanded of the wounded woman.“Who?”
“I do not know,” Mistress Marjory replied. Reaching up with one hand, she rubbed her head, wincing. That damned borderer didn’t have to hit her so hard, she thought to herself. Her head ached like merry hell. She was suddenly beginning to think better of her part in all of this. Best to claim ignorance. No one could prove anything. She struggled to get to her feet, but her head was swimming.
“Easy now, mistress,” the man-at-arms said, and he moved to aid her, guiding her slowly from the storage room.
“Help her into the main chamber of the shop,” Orva said. She was suddenly suspicious of Mistress Marjory, and wanted to hear more of what she had to say. Why would two strange bandits enter a lace-and-ribbon shop and kidnap a woman unknown to them who had come to purchase lace? There was more to this than met the eye. She came over to where the shopkeeper now sat and, leaning down, said softly, “I think you know exactly what happened to my mistress. I shall tell the queen what I believe as soon as I return to the palace. You had best tell the truth when you are brought before her, for you will be sent for, and soon.”
The captain of the watch strode into the shop. “What has happened here?” he asked.
Orva quickly explained the simple facts of the situation, and then said, “I will need an escort back to the palace, for the queen will want word of this incident immediately, Captain.”
“Your mistress is the English lass who traveled with the queen? The one the Gordons are seeking for one of their own?” the captain asked.
“Aye, the same,” Orva replied. Gracious, did all of Perth know everything?
“Perhaps her suitor grew impatient and took her off. Bride stealing is an old custom here in Scotland, lady,” the captain suggested.
“Nay,” Orva said. “Lord Huntley was brokering the match between his kinsman and the king, who speaks for my mistress. They had decided to wait until Twelfth Night before announcing any betrothal that was agreed upon. And nothing had yet been agreed upon.”
“Even more reason for the Gordon lad to steal your mistress. Winter will soon be upon us, and there’s nothing better than snuggling with a loving woman when the snows fly.” He gave Orva a grin and a wink. “Women like a bold man, eh, m’dear?”
She sighed, exasperated. “Nay, that did not happen. Now escort me to the palace. The queen will be most distressed to learn what has happened, and better I tell her than some fool hears of this incident and rushes to inform her first. Her Highness is great with Scotland’s heir, man. Would you cause her to miscarry?”
The captain said no more. Going outside, he helped Orva onto her mare and, leading Cicely’s horse behind him, he personally escorted the woman to the palace. Once there Orva thanked him for his courtesy, and hurried to the queen’s apartments.
Entering, she encountered the queen’s old tiring woman, Bess.
“Orva, what is it? You look most distressed,” Bess greeted her. She was a woman older than younger, and had been with Joan Beaufort since her birth.
“There has been an incident in town . . .” Orva began. She paused, and then said, “Och, there is nothing for it but to say it. My mistress has been kidnapped.”
“Oh, dear!” Bess’s hand went to her heart. She paled and her eyesgrew troubled. “The queen! Oh, Orva! The queen will be most distressed by such news.”
“Aye,” Orva agreed, “but we cannot keep it from her. How could we explain my mistress’s absence from her, and especially at this time?”
“And she’s been asking if Lady Cicely is back with the lace yet,” Bess said. Then she straightened her spine. “We’ll send for the king, and while we are waiting we shall tell the queen together of this incident.” She spoke to a young page who had been dozing in a nearby chair, shaking him awake gently. “Here, lad, go and find the king. Tell him the queen needs himnow! Do not dally. The king must come immediately.”
The page scrambled up and dashed from the queen’s apartments.
