“What really happened?” asked Skye, intrigued. She was beginning to see her daughter in a somewhat new light.
“The heat disagreed with Pansy to the point where her legs grew swollen, and she couldn’t walk. She was unconscious, and the caravan master wanted to leave her behind. I couldn’t understand his language, and he didn’t understand me, but his meaning was very plain. I bribed him with my gold mirror, the one on the chain that Papa gave me for my tenth birthday. In return, he allowed Pansy to ride in one of the baggage carts, and I was able to care for her until we reached Fatehpur-Sikri where my lord Akbar’s physician took over.”
“How on earth did you ever get the caravan master to understand you?” Skye questioned.
“I drew a map in the dirt with a road that ended in a city. I placed the mirror by my drawing of the city. The chain I gave him immediately to show my good faith,” replied Velvet.
Skye shook her head. “That, my darling, was very, very clever! You did indeed save Pansy’s life and that of her little son. I am so proud of you, my daughter. Now use that same brave spirit to heal the breach in your marriage with Alexander Gordon.”
Velvet sighed and pushed her tray aside. She had eaten every crumb of food and felt enormously better. Now, however, all she wanted was to sleep. “Let me go home toQueen’s Malvern, Mama, and catch my breath for a little bit. You have said yourself that Alex will not be there for at least two weeks.”
Skye stood up and, taking the tray, bent for a moment to kiss her daughter’s cheek. “Good night, my love. I am so glad that you are home again!” Then she left the room.
Raising herself up, Velvet blew out the bedside candle, leaving only the light from the dying fire to brighten the room.Home, she thought, leaning back upon the pillows. Where is my home? Certainly not with my parents any longer. Nor with my beloved Akbar in my dear little white palace in Lahore or my beautiful, airy marble palace in Kashmir. Is my home atDun Brocwith Alex? Dear God, the very name sounds so harsh.Dun Broc.Is my place there? She sighed. I don’t have to think about it for at least two weeks, and, she decided, I won’t.
By midmorning the following day, Greenwood had been closed, and the de Marisco family was on their way to their estate near Worcester. Joan O’Flaherty was already there with her children waiting to greet her husband, Murrough, and the returning Velvet. Willow and James along with their family, Deirdre, John, and their children, and Padraic would all be atQueen’s Malvern, Skye told Velvet.
“What of Robin and Angel? Gracious! I have not even asked about Angel’s baby! Was it a boy?”
“Angel has borne Robin two sons.” Skye laughed. “The first was born on the fourteenth of May two years ago. In accordance with the queen’s wish he was christened Geoffrey. Their second son, John, was born just two weeks ago, which is why they cannot come toQueen’s Malvernright now. Angel is still recovering from the birth, and the baby is over young to travel. Deirdre had another son last year. His name is Peter. The biggest surprise of all, however, is Willow. She and James had a daughter last year. Little Johanna.”
“Willow had another baby?” Velvet was astounded. “She always said five was quite enough.”
Skye chuckled. “It was very much a surprise to her. In the beginning she showed none of the usual signs of a woman with child, and when she finally realized what her ‘illness’ was, she didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. Johanna, however, is a lovely child.”
“How fortunate my sisters and sisters-in-law are,” Velvet said softly.
Adam reached out and patted his daughter’s hand. “Don’t grieve, poppet. You will have other children.” Skye had told him the previous night of Velvet’s little daughter, Yasaman.
For the first time in months Velvet spoke of her child. Looking directly at her father, she said, “It was such an easy birth, Papa. She was so eager to come into the world that she was born almost before I realized what was happening. Most of my lord’s wives were jealous of me but for Jodh Bai, the mother of the heir, and my lord’s first wife and cousin, Rugaiya Begum. They were my friends, and it was they who aided me.
“There was a golden cradle, all bejeweled, ready for Yasaman, and after her birth she was placed in it. My lord came, praised me, and acknowledged the baby as his own true child. Then the others were sent away, and when we were alone my lord Akbar presented me with this.” Velvet held out her hand to display a large pigeon’s-blood ruby carved into a heart shape and set into a gold ring.
“She is the most beautiful child, Papa. She was never scrawny like some newly born babies are. She was plump and dimpled. Her eyes are turquoise blue, and her hair as black as night, yet in the sun it has reddish lights in it. She will be very smart, I could tell. She always turned her head at the sound of my voice, or of her father’s, and she could laugh. She was just learning how when they took me from her.
“Oh, Papa! I shall never see my child again, and I do not think that I can bear it!”
Adam de Marisco thought that his heart was going to break. Whenever things had gone awry for Velvet in her youth he had been there to make it right. Now he could not. There was absolutely nothing he could do to spare his only child this terrible pain. Reaching out, he lifted her from her seat in their coach and cradled her in his lap. “I am so sorry, my poppet,” he whispered, his usually strong voice ragged and torn with his own emotions. “I am so very sorry! I would do anything in my power, Velvet, to spare you this anguish, but I cannot. God help me, I cannot!” And then he began to sob, great, wracking sobs that shook his whole body, and Velvet, stunned by her father’s grief, was, after six months, finally able to cry herself.
Skye felt her own tears slipping silently down her cheeks, and she impatiently brushed them away. It was enough that Velvet was now purging some of the bitterness from her soul.
After a time, Velvet’s weeping dissolved into little hiccoughs, then finally ceased altogether as she fell asleep in her father’s protective arms. Adam raised his head and looked across the coach at his wife.
“I feel as if I have failed her,” he said quietly.
Skye shook her head. “No. You have helped her greatly. Neither of us can change what has happened to Velvet, but we can see that she is happy from now on, and that means that Alex Gordon must honestly want her back. It would be a tragic mistake to allow him to take Velvet back to Scotland if he does not love her.”
Adam nodded. “I agree, my love, but she is legally his wife. There is little we can do to stop him, whatever his attitude. I am sure, however, that he would have demanded an annulment before this had he not wanted her back. Angus Gordon, his father, was a strong but gentle and good man. He raised his son to manhood before his untimely death. I am certain Alex will show his father’s ways once he sees Velvet again.”
“I hope you’re right,” said Skye, but in her heart she fretted, for from what she had seen of her Scots son-in-law he was a proud, stubborn man. Still, he had not demanded an annulment. She closed her eyes and allowed the rocking motion of the coach to lull her into sleep.
As she slept the de Marisco messenger galloped north, stopping only to change horses, to eat, and to relieve himself. It took him five days to reachDun Broc, where he was immediately ushered into the earl’s presence. Kneeling, he handed Alexander Gordon his packet.
“My wife is safe in England?” Alex questioned the messenger before even opening the packet.
“Aye, my lord. She landed in London on the ninth of August. The family left forQueen’s Malvernthe following morning. Lady de Marisco asks that you join them there.”
“Alanna!” The earl’s voice was sharp. “Take this man to the kitchens and see that he is first fed then sheltered for the night.” He turned back to the messenger. “Ye will carry my message back to Lord and Lady de Marisco tomorrow.”
