Adali grinned, then chuckled. “Actually, my lord, it is just as she has said. You were scarcely gone when the marquis was on our doorstep. He came to take my mistress on an outing. Naturally I accompanied them. Then my good lady caught a chill out on the river that turned into an ague, and could not see the marquis for several days.”
Glenkirk snickered. What a clever wench Jasmine was.
“Then the queen had a masque,” Jasmine took up the tale, “and the marquis aroused my ire by luring me into an alcove, and putting his hands all over me as if he owned me! I was forced to take drastic action, Jemmie.”
The earl of Glenkirk winced, imagining the action she had taken to disengage her unwanted suitor. “Did you geld him forever?”
“Only temporarily,” Jasmine replied. “I went immediately to the king and asked him to release me from St.Denis’s unwanted attentions.”
“She knelt,” Adali told the earl. “She prostrated herself before Their Majesties, her skirts spread all about her. It was quite dramatic, my lord, and the king was very moved. Even I could see it from my place at the back of the hall.”
“Jasmine!”James Leslie didn’t know whether to be angry or not.
“Well, it wasn’t fair!” Jasmine declared. “I’m in love with one man, and planning to wed him in just another two weeks, and I’m saddled with an unwanted suitor, Jemmie, who leers at me constantly and paws at me like a stableboy with a dairymaid. I’ve had enough of everyone telling me what to do! When I leave London I’m never coming back again! I hate the court with all its pretentions! And I don’t enjoy most of the people who inhabit the court either. I didn’t like my father’s court, and I like this one little better, Jemmie. I just want to be your wife and a mother to my children. And, of course, I want to involve myself inGrandma’s trading company. We must bring tea to England, and make it popular as the Spanish have done with chocolate, which I think a nasty drink. And there are the horses being raised at MacGuire’s Ford to consider. And there is your own Glenkirk Castle to be looked after, too. We have so much to do together, Jemmie, and there can be no time for court and all its attendant silliness. And somewhere along the way we must have several bairns of our own,” she finished.
“Aye,” he agreed with her. “We must indeed have several bairns, madame. I am glad you have remembered that wifely duty amid all your wonderful plans for importing tea and raising horses,” he chuckled.
“Ohh, Jemmie, the bairns come first, I swear it!” she promised.
“Good!” he replied. “Now, Adali, I want a hot bath and a good dinner, and I want to see the children. Then, madame, it will be an early night for us,” he finished meaningfully.
“The children first, my lord,” Adali said wisely. He knew that once the bath and the dinner came, there would be no time for anything but passion between Jasmine and James Leslie. Bowing, he hurried off to gather up Henry, India, and Fortune, who were delighted to learn that the earl of Glenkirk had returned from his trip to Scotland.
Racing ahead of Adali, they dashed into the library, where their mother and the earl were awaiting them. “Papa! Papa!” they squealed, flinging themselves at him simultaneously. Laughing, the earl bent down, and gathered them into his embrace. “So, my wee trio of rascals, you are glad to see me, are you?” he said with a broad smile. “Well, I’ve missed you, too!”
“We’ve been to court, Papa!” Henry said. “Charlie-boy led us in, and the king greeted us personally. He looks so sad, but I like him. And I bowed, just like you taught me!”
“And the girls curtsied beautifully,” Jasmine said, making certain that her daughters did not feel left out.
“Did you bring us a present from Scotland, Papa?” India asked.
“Papa was on the king’s business, greedy one,” Henry said. “There is no time for presents when a man is on king’s business.”
“Oh?” The earl feigned surprise. “Then you do not want the gift I have brought you, Henry?”
“You really brought us gifts?” Henry Lindley’s face was all boyish excitement. “What did you bring us?”
“A fine dirk for you, Henry, and silver thistle necklaces for my lasses,” the earl said, producing the items from his pocket.
“Nothing for me?” Jasmine teased him.
“I will give you your gift in private later,” James Leslie said, his green-gold eyes meeting her turquoise ones. Then he carefully fastened a thistle necklace first about India’s neck, and then Fortune’s. “See, lassies, each thistle has a tiny amethyst for a flower head.”
“I will keep my necklace always,” Fortune said adoringly as she looked up at the man who was to be her father.
He gave her a little hug and kissed her cheek gently.
“You chose well,” India noted. “I like jewelry, Papa.”
“Most ladies do, I have found,” he replied, giving her a hug and a kiss, too. His eye then went to Henry Lindley, who was delightedly examining the small silver dagger with the carved bone handle.
The boy looked up. “‘Tis a fine weapon, sir,” he said slowly. “Will you show me how to use it? And you won’t forget my fencing lessons?”
“We shall begin them when we reach Queen’s Malvern,” the earl said. “And this winter, when we are at Glenkirk, you shall have lessons every day except Sunday, Henry.”
“Come along now, children,” Adali said. “Your papa has ridden far and is tired. He wants a bath, his supper, and his bed. Bid your parents a good evening.” He shepherded them from the library.
“How good you are to them,” Jasmine said. “It makes me love you all the more, Jemmie Leslie. I shall give you fine sons, for you are a man who obviously loves children.”
