Read Just Beyond Tomorrow Online
Authors: Bertrice Small
Just Beyond Tomorrow (10 page)
“Well, Sultan,” he said, “what think ye of yer new mistress? I think, wi'out meaning to, I hae found me a verra fine wife.”
A day.
He had known her only a day. He had learned she was brave and practical. She seemed to enjoy his lovemaking. She appeared honest and loyal. It was as good a basis as any to begin a marriage. Still, there was much, much more he had to learn about this young woman. He had done a very rash thing by marrying her, he knew.
A day.
He had known her only a day. He had learned she was brave and practical. She seemed to enjoy his lovemaking. She appeared honest and loyal. It was as good a basis as any to begin a marriage. Still, there was much, much more he had to learn about this young woman. He had done a very rash thing by marrying her, he knew.
Patrick Leslie smiled to himself. What would his mother think of this outspoken Highland girl of not particularly distinguished background? What would his siblings think? He numbered a duke and a marquis among his four brothers. Charlie and Henry led different lives than he led, although now with the difficulties in England, their lives must certainly be disrupted to some extent. Henry would know how to bend without breaking. He would survive with barely a wrinkle in his silken breeches, and his family as well. Henry was seven years his senior, and while he had been a kindly elder brother, he had had little time for Patrick Leslie.
His brother Charlie, however, was a different matter. The not-so-royal Stuart was only three and a half years older than Patrick Leslie. He had always had time for his little brother and, consequently, was closer to Patrick than even his two younger Leslie brothers, Adam and Duncan. What was happening to Charlie amid all the strife? He had always been devoted to his father's family. Had Prince Henry been permitted to wed with the widowed Marchioness of Westleigh as his mother was then titled, Charlie would have been England's king when old James had died. But Charlie didn't care if he was king or not. He had been as loyal to the royal Stuarts as any legitimately born son would have been. News filtered slowly into the eastern Highlands. They hadn't even known of the king's execution until late spring. Where was Charlie now? “God keep ye safe, brother,” the duke whispered to himself.
“My lord.” Angus was by his side. “The cook will hae the supper ready shortly. I hae spoken wi' him. Meals will be served on time in the future. Nae one was certain when ye would return, and hence the delay.” He gave the duke a faint bow. “Shall I tell her ladyship, or will ye?”
Patrick Leslie stood up, placing Sultan on the floor as he did so. “I will tell her,” he replied. “I am happy to hae my house in such safe hands now. Thank ye.” He walked from the hall.
Angus now took a moment to look about him. Flanna had done well despite her best efforts to avoid the responsibility accorded her sex. She was wild like her mother that way, although only he could remember Meg Gordon's stubborn nature. Lachlann Brodie had been entranced with her and found her willfulness amusing. But the old Brodie had kept his promise to his dying wife, although how he would have done it but that the Duke of Glenkirk had fallen into their laps, Angus didn't know. Still, it was done now. Flanna was both a duchess and a countess with this marriage.
Angus knew a great deal more about the duke and his family than Patrick Leslie would have imagined. His own grandfather had been the duke's grandfather, the fourth Earl of Glenkirk, also a Patrick. This Patrick had spawned any number of bastards throughout the region. Angus's maternal grandmother, Bride Forbes, had caught the earl's eye and birthed a daughter, Jessie, in March of 1578. Jessie Forbes in her turn had caught the eye of Andrew Gordon, the Earl of Brae. She had died two days after giving birth to a son, named Angus after an ancestor, and who was recognized by his father as a Gordon and raised at Brae Castle. The young Countess of Brae, Anne Keith, had married her husband when Angus was three and given birth to her only child, a daughter, Margaret, when Angus was seven. She had treated her husband's bastard as her own child, the only difference being that he would not inherit either his father's title or his father's lands. Those would go to his legitimately born sister, Margaret.
When the Earl of Brae had died shortly after his daughter's twelfth birthday, it was Angus who had taken over management of Brae, protecting the widowed countess and her child from any and all who would make an attempt on either the heiress, her mother, or Brae. It was Angus who had seen Lachlann Brodie's interest Meg Gordon one summer at the games at Inverness; but Meg Gordon would not leave her mother, who was then ill and failing. Only two years later, when Anne had died and was buried, did Meg, at her half brother's urging, accept the suit of the Brodie of Killiecairn.
“Our blood is better,” he told his half sister honestly, “but ye're far past yer prime, Meg. He doesna care if ye hae bairns, for he's got half a dozen lads by his first wife, God assoil her. He's old enough to be yer da, but he's in love wi' ye, any fool can see. Ye'll do nae better, for all ye hae is Brae and its lands. Ye hae nae cattle or coin. This is as good a match as ye'll get, and he'll be kind.”
“What will happen to ye, Angus? I'll nae leave ye,” Meg Gordon had told her half brother.
“Few away from Brae know I am our father's bastard,” Angus replied. “I'll come wi' ye as yer personal servant. Brodie will nae deny ye yer servant, and anyone wi' eyes can see I'm useful.”
So Meg had accepted the offer of marriage from Lachlann Brodie, a man thirty-three years her senior, and to her surprise her husband had, despite his years, proved a vigorous lover. He had also adored her and done everything he could to make her happy. And Angus Gordon had entered the household at Killiecairn, silently watching over his younger sibling and eventually her child, making himself as useful as possible so that none would complain that he didn't earn his keep. When Flanna's mother had been on her deathbed, she had confided to her only child that Angus was her half brother and Flanna's uncle. Flanna had continued to keep the secret.
Angus Gordon noted the portraits hanging over the two fireplaces. He saw the well-made furniture, the fine tapestries, the beautiful silk banners hanging from the rafters, the silver on the sideboard, the porcelain bowls, and the beeswax tapers in the candlesticks. The lamps burned pure, fragrant oil, and there was both wine and whiskey on the table. The place needed a good cleaning, but it had not been left for too long a time, it was obvious. This was the great hall of a wealthy man, and his niece was now that man's wife.
She had a great deal to learn, Angus thought to himself. Meg had loved her only child, but she hadn't taken the time to teach her how to manage a great house. His sister had probably never thought Flanna would do so well. When Meg had died, Una Brodie had done her best to teach Flanna the rudiments of housekeeping; but Flanna had never been very interested, and besides, Killiecairn wasn't an impressive establishment. His niece preferred the out-of-doors, riding and hunting from dawn to dusk. Meg had taught her daughter to sign her name; but other than that, Flanna could not write, nor could she read. The only language she knew was her own. Angus shook his head wearily. His niece was very badly prepared for her new high station. He wondered what the duke would think when he learned it. He shook his great head a third time. There was so much to do. The household, he could manage, but Flanna had to be educated enough so that she didn't shame her husband. Had he not heard Patrick Leslie tell his wife that his own mother was a princess? Certainly a princess knew how to read, and to write, and to converse in foreign tongues. Flanna spoke a brand of Highland English, and Scots Gaelic only a Highland Scot could understand.
He heard the servants begin entering the hall to set the high board and bring the food. He turned quickly and began directing them in an authoritative voice. The duke and Flanna entered the hall, and he escorted them to the high board, seating his niece at her husband's right hand. Then, with a flick of an eyebrow, he signaled the servants to bring the meal to the table. “ 'Tis a simple meal, my lord, for the cook was ill-prepared, I fear. It will be better tomorrow.”
“I prefer a simple meal,” Patrick Leslie replied, his eye taking in the broiled trout, the roast of beef, the game pie, the steamed artichokes, the bread, the butter, and the cheese. “ 'Tis an amazing repast for one so ill-prepared,” he noted dryly.
“If ye are pleased, my lord, then I shall certainly tell Cook,” Angus said, pouring the wine with a deft hand and then stepping back. “I regret, however, we hae only pear tartlet for a sweet. Wine or ale, my lady?” He bent by Flanna's side.
“Oh, wine!” she told him, turning to her husband. “We only had wine on special occasions at Killiecairn. Will we hae it at every meal, my lord?” She sipped at her cup greedily.
“If it pleases ye, madame,” he replied.
She nodded vigorously. “I hae never tasted a wine so good,” she enthused. “Where does it come from?”
“France,” he said, half amused. “My mother hae family there.”
“Is yer mam French?” Flanna asked him.
“Nay. My grandmother, who is the Countess of BrocCairn, and whom ye will meet, was English born. My mother's father was the ruler of a great empire in the East. The English call it India.”
She nodded, and to Angus's relief asked no more questions of the duke. It would have only shown her appalling ignorance. Flanna knew only that England was to the south and there was a place called Ireland just across the sea off the western coast of Scotland. She knew France was across the water from England, but other than that, she was woefully ill informed.
The late Earl of Brae had educated his only son, and Angus had even spent two years at the university in Aberdeen. He had never thought to use his education again, but now he could see he was going to have to recall all he had been taught if he was to save his niece from eventual disaster. Once the Duke of Glenkirk had gotten an heir on his wifeâonce her charms wore off and his eye strayed to other women, which it surely wouldâFlanna would need her wits to survive. A man could only be held so long by a lush body.
Chapter
5
5
F
lanna looked about the bedchamber that was now hers. It was the most beautiful room she had ever seen, and she wasn't certain she would ever be comfortable in it. Everything was so elegant, so rich. The walls were panels of warm golden wood. Every other panel had a colorful floral design upon it. The alternating panels were plain but for an edging of design. The ceiling was painted. Flanna had never seen such a ceiling as the one above her. It looked like a sky on one of those perfect September days, blue and filled with bright white clouds edged in apricot and pale gold. Little winged babies, voluptuous women, and beautiful men, some with their nakedness discreetly draped with diaphanous lengths of fabric, and others plainly nude, floated in that ceilinged sky. It was all quite amazing to her eye, and she blushed at the sensuousness of it. She hadn't seen this room earlier when old Mary had brought them upstairs. She had been too busy gawking at the equally magnificent dayroom that she would share with her husband, whose bedroom was next to hers, connected by a small door in the paneled wall.
lanna looked about the bedchamber that was now hers. It was the most beautiful room she had ever seen, and she wasn't certain she would ever be comfortable in it. Everything was so elegant, so rich. The walls were panels of warm golden wood. Every other panel had a colorful floral design upon it. The alternating panels were plain but for an edging of design. The ceiling was painted. Flanna had never seen such a ceiling as the one above her. It looked like a sky on one of those perfect September days, blue and filled with bright white clouds edged in apricot and pale gold. Little winged babies, voluptuous women, and beautiful men, some with their nakedness discreetly draped with diaphanous lengths of fabric, and others plainly nude, floated in that ceilinged sky. It was all quite amazing to her eye, and she blushed at the sensuousness of it. She hadn't seen this room earlier when old Mary had brought them upstairs. She had been too busy gawking at the equally magnificent dayroom that she would share with her husband, whose bedroom was next to hers, connected by a small door in the paneled wall.
Her eye now carefully scanned the furnishings in the room. The great oak bed had an eight-foot, linenfold paneled headboard. The pillars holding up the canopy were turned and carved with vines and leaves. Even the heavy wooden canopy was carved to match. Looking up, Flanna saw the inside of it was also painted, divided into panels with small designs of stars, moons, flowers, birds, and small animals. The bed was hung with wine-colored velvet and had a wine-and-gold coverlet.
The bed, the chests, the tables, and the chairs were all of warm golden oak. The chairs had rose-and-gold-tapestried backs and seats. Tall stone greyhounds flanked the large fireplace. There was a polished wooden clock upon the stone mantelpiece that chimed the hour. Upon the burnished wood floors were the most marvelous and colorful woolen coverings Flanna had ever seen. Turkey carpets, Mary had said, when they had been in the dayroom. There were silver candlesticks with beeswax tapers, and crystal and silver lamps burning scented oils, for light. The windows were hung with the same velvet wine-colored draperies as the bed. Flanna was openmouthed with wonder at the beauty of the room.
“There's even a special chamber for yer clothing,” Aggie said, equally awed, “and lady, a wee room for me, Mary says. She showed it to me, lady. I never had a place all to myself. This is a verra grand house.”
“Perhaps too grand for me,” Flanna said nervously. “Who lived in these rooms before me? I wonder.”
“Mary says these hae always been the apartments of the master and the mistress of the castle. The duke's mother and father once inhabited these rooms, lady. And before them, his grandparents. Mary says the lady Jasmine was a verra fine lady, and that ye would nae know she came from a wild, foreign place. Mary says ye knew right away that she was of royal blood, and her servants were stately, especially Master Adali. Mary says the castle will nae be the same again now that she's gone.”
“Mary says a great deal, although she is probably correct,” Flanna noted dryly. “She will, I fear, hae to get used to a plain new mistress, and that mistress is me. I am nae royal, and ye are certainly nae stately, although Angus might be called so because of his great height. Now help me get ready for bed, Aggie. I am tired, and ye must be, too. We had a long day. Where is my husband?”
“I dinna know, lady. He was in the hall when we left it. I imagine he is still there, or in his own chamber. Shall I find Donal and ask him, lady?”
“Nay, nae yet. I want a bath. There was nae time before the meal. Go to Angus and see to it now, Aggie. The duke does nae sleep here, does he?
“His chamber is next to yers, lady,” Aggie replied. “ 'Tis like that in fine houses, Mary says. Lord bless me, lady, we hae much to learn in, and about, this new place.” Then she hurried off to find Angus.
Why had she asked Aggie such a foolish question? Had Mary not told them earlier that her husband had his own bedchamber? Flanna began to pace. She was tired. Worse, she was beginning to realize that her father, in his eagerness to catch her a fine husband, had not even begun to consider the consequences of a simple Highland Brodie marrying a duke. Did the old man even know? Probably not. He had never been farther than five miles from Killiecairn in his whole life but for two journeys to the summer games. All of Killiecairn could have fit into the Great Hall of Glenkirk. Her situation was impossible. A husband who didn't want her, and a castle she hadn't the faintest idea of how to manage.
There was a knock upon her chamber door, and she called out, “Come in.” When she saw it was Angus, Flanna actually began to cry.
“What am I to do?”
she wailed, and he knew immediately what she was thinking.
“What am I to do?”
she wailed, and he knew immediately what she was thinking.
“Cease yer greeting, my lady,” he told her quietly, closing the door behind him. “I know how to govern a castle staff. Was I nae raised at Brae? All my instructions will appear to hae come from ye. Ye hae but to watch and learn from me, my lady. Ye must also master how to write more than just yer name, and know how to read. Yer mam could do both. I know ye hae nae patience for it, but ye
must
learn.”
must
learn.”
“I dinna want him to know how ignorant I am,” she agreed nervously.
“I will teach ye myself,” Angus reassured her. “Did nae yer grandfather educate me, though to what purpose I dinna know until now, my lady. Dinna fear. The winter is setting in, and few if any will come to Glenkirk. There is a library here, and once ye hae mastered the pursuit of reading, ye can begin to educate yerself. His mother, and those before her, were well-read women. There is nae shame in yer nae knowing foreign tongues, for yer naught but a Highland lassie; and few, if any, with whom ye will associate will speak in any tongue but our own. However, ye must learn how to speak proper English, lass, and reading and writing ye must know. There may be times when the duke must be away. He will correspond wi' ye, and ye wi' him. We will begin tomorrow, my lady.”
Flanna sniffled and nodded. “Oh, Angus! What would I do wi'out ye? Ye hae always been there for me, uncle.”
He gave her a quick hug, then set her back. “Hush, my lady. We dinna know how yer husband would feel about a Gordon bastard taking over the management of his household.”
“He thinks little harm in bastards,” Flanna replied, and then she told Angus about her husband's half brother, the Duke of Lundy.
“Ah,” said Angus when she had finished, “but his brother is a prince's son, and but for an accident of birth might hae been a king. Remember my mam was plain Jessie Forbes, daughter of Bride Forbes.”
“Who was yer mam's father, Angus?” Flanna asked him. “Did she ever know him? Why didna he wed wi' yer grandmam?”
“Aye, I know who he was, my lady. Like my own father, he was a nobleman. Old Fingal Forbes, my grandmam's father, always said the Forbes lasses could nae refuse a handsome lad who asked nicely.” The big man chuckled. Then, changing the subject entirely, he said, “The water is being heated for yer bath and will be brought to ye shortly, my lady. His lordship says he will nae join ye tonight as he believes ye must be verra tired wi' yer journey today.” Angus then bowed to her and withdrew from the chamber before Flanna might ask him any more questions.
Was she disappointed or relieved? Flanna wondered to herself as Aggie reappeared with several young men who lugged a large oaken tub into her chamber. She watched silently as the tub was filled. When the young men had gone, Aggie fussed at her to hurry and remove her garments. Flanna bathed herself silently as the serving girl pulled several bricks from the fireplace where they had been heating and wrapped them in flannel. Then she placed them in the big bed to warm it before helping her mistress to dry off, get into a nightgown, and into her bed. Finally Aggie hurried off, bidding her lady good night, but obviously very eager to gain the luxury of her own little chamber.
“It even hae its own wee window, lady,” she had told Flanna before leaving her,
“and
a chest for my things!”
“and
a chest for my things!”
Flanna smiled in the dimness of her chamber. Aggie had little but a change of clothing and a pearwood comb for her nut brown hair. She was as lacking in material possessions as was her mistress, Flanna thought with a small chuckle. She snuggled down into her bed, enjoying the first real warmth she had felt all day. The soft light from the fireplace gave the room a faint golden glow. She felt more confident now than she had earlier felt, for she had complete confidence in Angus to help her overcome the deficiencies in her education and manners. Her uncle, for all his apparent lesser status, had been raised a gentleman.
Her thoughts moved on to her husband. She was sorry now that he was not joining her in her bed. She was quite revived after her bath and had enjoyed their coupling last night. If she was to give him an heir quickly, she could not allow him to avoid his husbandry duties again; but perhaps it was he who had really been tired after their daylong trek through the wet weather. He was, after all, some years her senior. Flanna rolled onto her side, pulling her legs up and curling about one of her pillows. This was a good place, and she would survive the challenges before her. She slept.
The snow had ceased by morning, having left at least half a foot of the cold, white stuff upon the ground. By the time Flanna entered the small family hall of the castle, she learned that her husband had gone out again with his huntsmen and would be gone for several days. The castle would need more than one deer to get it through the winter months. The cold larder, she learned as she made her first tour of inspection with Angus, could hang at least six fully dressed deer, and now there was but one. However, there was an abundance of game birds and wild foul hanging in neat rows.
“I would hae liked to hae gone wi' them,” Flanna complained. “I'm as good a hunter as any man is. When did they leave? Mayhap I can catch up wi' them! Their tracks will be plain in the snow.”
“Wi' the duke gone,” Angus said quietly, “'twould be an excellent time for ye to begin yer lessons, my lady. I hae set up yer schoolroom in the duke's library. I will meet ye there shortly.”
“But I want to go hunting!” Flanna protested to him.
“If ye wish, my lady,
but what happens when yer husband learns how ignorant ye are? Ye hae nae really engaged his attention yet. A bridegroom who beds his bride on their wedding night, but nae the next, and then goes off hunting for several days?” Angus shook his big head very disapprovingly. “Tsk, tsk,” he murmured.
but what happens when yer husband learns how ignorant ye are? Ye hae nae really engaged his attention yet. A bridegroom who beds his bride on their wedding night, but nae the next, and then goes off hunting for several days?” Angus shook his big head very disapprovingly. “Tsk, tsk,” he murmured.
“He wed me for the land,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Aye,” Angus agreed. “But now he hae the land,
and ye don't.
He'll need a good reason to keep ye around, and he doesna seem to hae that reason right now,
my lady.
Ye need a bairn or two.”
and ye don't.
He'll need a good reason to keep ye around, and he doesna seem to hae that reason right now,
my lady.
Ye need a bairn or two.”
“I'll hae them!” Flanna said fiercely.
“Nae if ye canna get him back in yer bed,” her uncle said with perfect logic. “What is there about ye, Flanna lass, to interest and intrigue yer husband? Of course a man doesna want a wife far wiser than he, but he does enjoy one who can speak wi' him after the coupling. What will ye talk of to yer husband? Hunting? Housekeeping? What will ye say to him that will fascinate him and make him fall in love wi' ye, for, lassie, ye will find wi'out love the coupling will nae gie ye the pleasure it can wi' love. Lust is a grand emotion, but love is a better one. Shall I hae yer mare saddled, my lady?”
She was silent a moment. Finally she replied, “I will await ye in the duke's library, Angus.” Then, with a swish of her skirts, she left him. His words had very much disturbed her.
Angus Gordon smiled as he watched her hurry off. His niece was an intelligent lass, although she didn't know how intelligent yet. He suspected she would learn quickly, and he was not disappointed in his judgment. Within two days Flanna had mastered the alphabet and was putting together small words, taking down books from the shelves and reading those words aloud, then copying them with a careful hand. To her uncle's surprise, the new Duchess of Glenkirk was also proficient in simple arithmetic.
“Mama taught me. She said I should know how to calculate so the merchants could nae cheat me. Sometimes I helped Una wi' her figures. Ye know how tight my father is wi' a merk,” Flanna said.
“Aye,” Angus replied, pleased his half sister had done something useful for her child.
The duke and his men returned five days later, bringing with them four fine deer to be dressed and hung in the cold larder of the castle's kitchens. Flanna was, by now, fairly familiar with the castle, having spent the time she was not at her lessons in the library exploring her new home with her uncle, the indomitable old Mary, and Aggie. She found the west tower, which had once been the domain of the lady whose picture hung over the fireplace, most interesting.
“Lady Jasmine's old grandmother used to stay there,” Mary informed them. “The west tower were deserted for years until she began to visit. She liked it. Said it felt just right. She be dead and gone many years now, old Lady de Marisco. Killed a man, they say, and saved Lady Jasmine's life when she was an old woman.”
“Here?”
Flanna was fascinated.
Flanna was fascinated.
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