“She said your servant was made for birthing, and that both mother and son are in excellent shape and should live to be a hundred. She wishes your Pansy many more such fine sons,” Adali translated.
“But not too soon,” Pansy said wryly, and then she turned to get the first good look at her son. The sight brought quick tears to her eyes. “Lord, don’t he look just like his father,” she said, her voice somewhat quavery. “I only wish Dugald was here to see him, m’lady.”
“So do I, Pansy!” replied Velvet. “Oh, Pansy, I will try to get you home! I will!”
“Don’t break your heart, m’lady. Your family don’t know where we are. If I was allowed to return home I would tell them, and then they would want you back, and there would be all kinds of an unholy trouble. Be honest with yourself. Do you think the lord Akbar would really release me?”
Velvet didn’t even need to consider the matter seriously. She knew the answer and it was no. Akbar would certainly never let Pansy or her go, and frankly, after the passion she herself had experienced in his arms last night, she did not believe she wanted to leave. Eventually after she had had children she would get him to allow her to communicate with her family. If they knew that she was well, and loved, and happy with a husband and babes there would be no problems. That, however, would not be for at least several years. It pained her to think of their agony and heartbreak over her disappearance in the meantime, but what else could she do? Someday she would be able to explain it to them, and they would understand. Till then there was nothing she could do to relieve their unhappiness, and it was up to her to see that she, Pansy, and Pansy’s son survived.
“What are you going to call the lad?” she asked Pansy, who was beginning to nod upon her pillows.
“Dugald, after his pa,” came her friend’s sleepy reply. “Maybe someday he’ll be able to go home even if we cannot.” Pansy’s eyes closed.
Velvet bent down and kissed the girl’s forehead and that of the baby’s. With his fuzzy crown of carroty hair and very pronounced little nose, he did look very much like his father, she thought as she quietly left the room.
“It is a fine boy,” Adali noted. “She is a good strong girl, your Pansy.”
“Yes,” Velvet said. “She is very strong.”
“What did you talk about?” he asked her. “You both looked as if you would cry at one point.”
“We just thought it sad that Pansy’s husband could not know that he had such a beautiful son. She did not realize she was with child until we were several weeks into our voyage. Dugald did not even know he was to become a father.”
“Then he will feel no loss,” replied Adali wisely.
“No,” said Velvet sadly. “He will feel no loss.”
“Then all will be well with you.” Adali beamed with his approval.
Velvet could not resist a small smile, for she could not stay unhappy long. “Yes, Adali, all will be well with us from now on!”
Murrough O’Flaherty made the passage from India back to England in record time. Thus it was that he anchored his ship in the London pool on a snowy day in late January, 1590, slightly less than a year after he had left. Putting ashore at the O’Malley warehouses, he learned that his mother and stepfather were in residence at Greenwood, having arrived back in England some three months earlier. A horse was immediately put at his disposal, and Murrough rode as quickly as he could to his mother’s house. The blustery weather gave him one small advantage in that the streets were fairly empty as late-afternoon darkness began to claim London town. The bitter cold had sent even the hardiest beggar seeking shelter. He galloped through the gates of the mansion’s grounds and up the sweeping driveway. Immediately the door was opened, and a groom ran to take his horse as he leaped from it.
“Welcome home, Captain O’Flaherty!” said the elderly majordomo as Murrough strode into the main entry.
“Where is my mother?” Murrough demanded.
“At this time of day she would be in her apartments resting with Lord de Marisco,” came the servant’s reply.
Murrough took the stairs two at a time, moving from the main level of Greenwood to the third floor where the family’s private apartments were located. His knock brought Daisy to the door of Skye’s chambers.
“Captain O’Flaherty!”Daisy fell back, and then she flung herself forward to hug him mightily. “Come in, Captain! Oh, I just knew that you’d get home safe. Where is Mistress Velvet and my Pansy? Have you come on ahead?”
“So many questions, Daisy,” he chided her gently. “Tell my mother that I am here, please.”
“There is no need, Murrough,” said Skye O’Malley de Marisco as she came through the door of her bedchamber into the dayroom. Taking him in her arms, she kissed him. “My dearest son, I am so thankful to have you back. Where is Velvet? Will she be coming along shortly? We’ve been so worried. It has been all I could do to prevent Adam from taking one of my ships and sailing back out to sea to find her.” She held him away from her, looking at him closely, and then her marvelous Kerry-blue eyes clouded. “What has happened, Murrough?”
“How could you escape, Mother, and not leave us some word, some sign? I arrived back in Bombay in less than six months!”
“What has happened, Murrough? Tell me this instant!”
“Tell us both,” came Adam de Marisco’s terse words as he came out of the bedchamber. “Where is my daughter, Murrough? Where is Velvet?”
Murrough took a deep breath. ’Twas best, he knew, to get the worst over with first. There would be time later for the full explanation. “Velvet is at the court of the Grand Mughal, Akbar. In his harem, to be precise.”
Daisy gave a little shriek of dismay even as her mistress cried out, “Dear God!” Skye’s eyes closed, and she swayed where she stood as a thousand memories came flooding back to her. She was too strong a woman, however, to faint, and Adam’s arms about her steadied her enough to open her eyes. She could feel him trembling against her, and immediately her total concern was for her husband. Turning, she took his face in her hands. “I’m sure ’tis not as bad as Murrough has made it sound, my darling, but nonetheless I think I need to sit down. Sit by me, Adam.Please.”She looked at her son as she settled herself next to her husband. “What happened?” was all she could say.
“We reached Bombay in good time, Mother. I had not delayed a moment in gathering the ransom and returning with it. The Jesuit was awaiting us. He attempted to elicit the gold from me, but I reminded him that our bargain had been that you and Adam would be waiting for us on the dock so that we might be certain that you were both safe. He was finally forced to admit that you had escaped. He demanded the gold, nevertheless, and I told him that I had nothing to pay for. Naturally Father Ourique was not particularly pleased. He had come well prepared, Mother, with a goodly troop of soldiers who lay hidden on the docks. The Jesuit took Velvet and Pansy from the ship to the residence of the Portuguese governor, agreeing to return them when we delivered your ransom. I had no reason to believe that he would not keep his promise, and I could not endanger my sister by haggling. We put back to sea immediately, and the following day I returned with our fleet and the Jesuit saw to the unloading of the gold.
