Charles Frederick Stuart, the duke of Lundy, reached up with a small hand and brushed a tear from Prince Charles’s cheek. “No cry,” he said in his baby voice. “No cry, Unca.”
The king pulled out a silk handkerchief and blew his own nose, while those nearest the throne who had heard the full exchange sniffled audibly. The queen struggled to hold back her own tears.
“Play ball?” The child looked hopefully up again at his uncle.
Then to the amazement of those in the hall, Prince Charles smiled, a rare occurrence indeed and, lifting the child from his father’s lap, took him by the hand. “Aye, I like to play ball,” he said. “Let’s go out into the court, my lord duke.” He looked to the nearest footman. “Fetch us a ball, man,” he said, and then hand in hand the two Charles Stuarts walked from the hall, chatting as if they had always known each other quite well.
“He’s a braw little laddie, madame,” the king said to Jasmine. “All yer bairns are fine laddies and lassies.”
“I thank Your Majesty for your kindness to my children, and in particular for the favor you have shown the duke of Lundy,” Jasmine said genuinely. Then she curtsied to the royal couple and, with her three older children, withdrew from the royal presence.
“Nicely done, my dearie,” George Villiers said, coming up to them shortly thereafter. “You’ve raised some fine kits for such a wily vixen,” he said with a mischievous grin.
Jasmine laughed and introduced her children to Villiers. “The gentleman will soon reign as the king’s sole favorite,” she told them afterward. “It cannot hurt to have his friendship, but he warned he is not as sweetly simple as he would like you to believe.”
“He has no title,” her eldest son noted.
“He will eventually,” Jasmine said. “The king will reward him lavishly, and young Villiers has his eyes on an heiress of excellent family. He will have to be of equal rank with her father, or even higher before she is allowed to marry him, but he will be, I have not a doubt.”
“He is very beautiful,” Lady India Lindley said.
“Handsome,” her mother corrected. “A man is handsome, a woman beautiful, my poppet.”
India shook her head. “He is past handsome, Mama.He is beautiful!I am an heiress, and I would marry him without a title if he would but ask me.” She looked admiringly after George Villiers.
“I do not like his eyes,” Lady Fortune Lindley said.
“Why not?” Jasmine asked her younger daughter, curious. It was, she thought, a rather interesting observation for a little girl.
“They are like your black pearls, Mama. They reflect the light, but I can see nothing in them,” Fortune remarked.
“You are such a fool, Fortune!” India mocked her. “I think his dark eyes, like a velvet night, filled with stars.”
“Gracious!” Jasmine note. “You are a very romantic child, India. I think I am going to have to keep a sharp eye on you from now on, miss!” She found her two young daughters’ observations on George Villiers interesting. While she found him amusing, and certainly useful, she tended to agree with her younger daughter, but then Rowan’s posthumous daughter had always been sensible from her birth, she considered thoughtfully. India, on the other hand, had a streak of willful wildness very much like Jasmine’s brother, who was now the Grand Mughal of India. It was to be hoped that she would outgrow such tendencies.
Prince Charles asked that his small nephew be allowed to stay in his apartments at court with him for a few days. It would have been ungracious of Jasmine to refuse, and Charlie-boy was most anxious to remain with this newfound uncle of his. Adali personally delivered a trunk of the child’s clothing to the royal apartments. The prince, serious in his religious devotions, began teaching his nephew his prayers and his letters. The little child, who had a quick mind, was an excellent student, much to his royal uncle’s great pleasure.
“It is like your father’s court in that the courtiers scramble for the king’s attention and favor,” Adali wisely observed. “I suppose all royal courts are alike, my lady. Our littlest child fits in quite well, and is very much at ease with his princely uncle.”
“Both of his grandfathers are kings,” Jasmine observed, “and both of his uncles are or will be kings. If my not-so-royal Stuart had been born his father’s heir, he would have been a king one day.”
“He will have far less grief in his life being a duke,” Adali said with a small smile, and his mistress laughed.
“How can you be so happy when I have been away?” James Leslie said, entering the room and surprising them both.
“Jemmie!”Jasmine squealed, and flung herself into his arms. “You’re back! Ohh, now we can leave London, and go home to Queen’s Malvern! Hooray! Hooray!” Then she kissed him hard, molding her body against his. “Did you miss me, my lord?” she murmured softly, nuzzling against the side of his neck. It was damp, and he had the aroma of horses about him, but beneath it she could scent James Leslie, her Jemmie.
She felt wonderful in his arms. God, he had missed her! He tipped her face up to his, saying, “Another kiss, madame. I am weary with longing for you.” Then his mouth descended on hers, tasting the softness of her lips, her perfume, the night-blooming jasmine, enveloping him in its seductive scent. She yielded so sweetly in his arms, and, when he finally released her, his head faintly spinning, he grinned happily. “May I take it then that you have missed me, madame?”
She nodded. “And I have sent the marquis of Hartsfield packing, Jemmie! Most publicly, too. He will not come near me again, I vow.”
“The king?”His tone was just slightly concerned.
“Ohh, the king understood perfectly once I explained it to him,” Jasmine replied breezily. “And the children are all here! Charlie-boy has been at court with Prince Charles, who has taken a great liking to our little laddie; and Henry, India, and Fortune have made very good impressions on everyone. Why I’ve had a number of very serious inquiries regarding marriage for them; but now we can go home!”
The earl of Glenkirk turned to Adali. “What should I know?” he asked the household steward. “Or rather, what hasn’t she told me?”
“Jemmie!” Jasmine looked somewhat aggrieved.
