With a mumbled “Yes, ma’am!,” Pansy scrambled from her pony and hurried around the side of the house, out of sight.
“Take your animals to the stable,” Dame Cecily commanded the waiting horsemen. “Then come into the house. It will be crowded, but there’s ale and meat for all.” Then she led Velvet and the gentlemen intoQueen’s Malvern.
Inside, the house was toasty and fragrant with the smell of applewood fires. From the small family hall came a tall man, and Velvet ran toward him, her arms outstretched. “Uncle Conn!”
Lord Bliss hugged his wayward niece, muttering, “You get more like your mother in temperament every day!”
“Have you come for my wedding?”
“Aye, and your aunt Aiden, too,andall your little cousins.”
“Allmy cousins? How lovely,” Velvet replied, but her tone of voice lacked sincerity. “ ’Tis only to be small ceremony! Alex and I have already been wed twice.”
“Surely you don’t consider what happened in Scotland as a true marriage, Velvet?” Conn asked.
“I will not be happy until I have been wed in my own church, Uncle Conn, but perhaps we had best consider the Scots ceremonies, should I already be carrying a child.” Her eyes danced merrily.
“Velvet!”He was shocked. She was far too young to be saying such things, wasn’t she? Then he realized that she was quite shamelessly teasing him. “You’re impossible!” he grumbled.
Velvet laughed while Conn St. Michael looked at her closely. The half-grown girl who had leftQueen’s Malvernsix months ago was gone. This was an incredibly beautiful and headstrong woman. He looked at the Earl of BrocCairn and was startled to see in the amber eyes of that craggy-faced Scot a look of pure love and devotion directed toward his niece. God help Alex Gordon, Conn St. Michael thought to himself. Velvet has her mother’s magical allure.
“Come along, come along!” Dame Cecily fussed at them all. “If there is to be a wedding here tonight, then we must all work together. Robin, my lad, take your Scots friend to the Tapestry Room, and I’ll send his man and a bath along.” She fixed Alex with a sharp gaze. “You’ve something respectable to wear, I trust?”
“My kilt, madame,” he replied soberly.
For a moment they all thought that she would argue with him, but Dame Cecily finally nodded, saying, “ ’Twill serve quite nicely, my boy. Get along with Robin now.”
Alex’s eyes were dancing with delight. It was plain that he liked the tart-tongued Dame Cecily mightily. He bowed elegantly and then, turning, followed Robin upstairs.
“Now as for you, Velvet de Marisco, go directly to your room. Pansy should be there by now. Daisy and I have a surprise for you,” Dame Cecily said.
“Aren’t you coming?”
“Nay, child. I have a great deal to do before Father Jean-Paul weds you and your Alex in the chapel.”
“Will you give me away, Uncle Conn?” Velvet asked.
“Aye, sweetheart,” came his heartfelt reply. “If Adam cannot be here to do it, then I’ll be proud to stand in his place.”
Velvet felt tears start, and Dame Cecily snapped at Conn, “You’ve no sense, Conn St. Michael! No sense whatsoever!” Then she gathered Velvet to her bosom. “There, child. I know you wish your parents were here, but your wild Scot has taken that choice away from us. Don’t cry. There, there!” She held Velvet close as she waved Lord Bliss away with her other hand.
“I’m all right.” Velvet sniffed. “Just for a moment I had the most terrible longing for Mama and Papa. Oh, Dame Cecily, what would I do without you?”
“A pity you didn’t think about that before you went running off to court, Mistress Willful! Go along now and get ready for your wedding!”
The old lady released Velvet and hurried off down the hall toward the kitchens. With a little sigh, Velvet climbed the stairs and followed the familiar route to her bedchamber. As she drew near she could smell the lovely fragrance of her gillyflower bath oil and knew that Pansy was awaiting her. Entering the room, she found both Daisy and her daughter bustling about.
“Welcome home, Mistress Velvet,” said Daisy, coming forward to give her a hug. “I have a lovely bath ready for you, but before you bathe come and see our surprise.” Taking Velvet’s hand, she led her into the dressing room. There spread out in magnificent array on a pair of chairs were two of the most exquisite dresses Velvet had ever seen.
One was an apple-green silk, with a low bodice embroidered with gold thread and tiny pearls that matched the panel of the slightly darker underskirt. The leg-of-mutton sleeves were held by a profusion of tiny gold ribbons, the wristbands turned back to form cuffs with gold lace ruffs. The bodice of the gown had a long, wasp waist that ended in a pronounced peak, and the bell-shaped skirt separated in front to reveal the elegant undergown.
The second gown was of a rich, heavy, candlelight satin that was mellowed with age. Its simple bodice was cut low and embroidered with seed pearls. The puffed sleeves, which ended just below the elbows, were slashed and the openings filled with delicate cream-colored lace. Below the elbows the sleeves hugged the arms in alternating bands of satin and lace, and the wrists were ruffled with wide bands of lace. The underskirt was embroidered with delicate seed pearls and tiny diamond flowers. The dress had a small, starched, heart-shaped lace collar edged in tiny diamonds that rose up behind the neck, and the skirt shape was that of a bell.
“Daisy! Where did you find such marvelous gowns?” Velvet demanded.
“The green was your mother’s wedding dress when she married your father. I thought perhaps you’d like to wear it tonight. There’s gold roses for your lovely hair. As for the cream, your mother wore it when she wed Lord Southwood at Greenwich Palace twenty-five years ago! Dame Cecily and I hoped that you would take it with you to London when you marry before the queen.”
“Oh, Daisy!” Velvet was astounded. “My sisters never wore mother’s dresses. Do you think she’d mind if I did?”
