Quest of the Highlander (Crowns & Kilts #5) - Cynthia Wright Page 0,28

too big after all.”

Grant jumped to his feet and began to pace back and forth in front of the bench. “I will not let you suffer dishonor at the hands of that scoundrel!” he shouted. “I will marry you myself!”

His voice rose, echoing against the stone walls of the lion’s den, and Nora reached for his hand and brought him back to her side. “Please, do not shout. People will hear you!”

“Marry me.” Shaking with emotion, he framed her face with the big hands he’d yet to grow into.

“Grant, please stop. You are only making this worse. I am years older than you, and I would never steal your future away like that.” Nora managed to smile at him tenderly. “Besides, you have dreams of your own to chase before you marry.”

He looked deflated. “But ye must wed someone. It’s the only way.”

“Why must a man be the solution to every problem in life?” she demanded. “I will think of something, all by myself. And meanwhile, perhaps this terrible fear will prove unfounded.”

Looking thoughtful, Grant tore off another chunk of bread. “When we lived in Edinburgh, Ma had a friend with a problem just like yours. Her name was Bess.” He paused to chew slowly. “Bess was telling Ma about it one night and I overheard from my bed. The man she had lain with had disappeared, much like Sir Raymond Slater, but Bess found a solution.”

Now that Nora had brought her dark secret out into the light, she found that she felt better. “What did Bess do?”

“As I understood it, she lay with another man, a craftsman who owned property. She then told him she was with child, and they were wed.”

As he spoke, Grant offered her another piece of bread, but Nora could only stare at it, aghast. “That is deceitful!”

He shrugged. “I thought so, too, but Bess declared that it was no worse that the tricks men play on women every single day.”

“I could never do such a thing.”

“Of course not.” Grant patted her hand. “I wouldn’t even suggest it.”

“I must go. Father is waiting for me.” Rising from the bench, it came to Nora that perhaps her own father had tricked her with empty promises. Her heart hurt. Impulsively, she turned back to embrace Grant. “Thank you for your friendship.”

His arms tightened around her for an instant. “It is my honor.”

Nora left him then, lifting her skirts as she hurried out of the lion’s den. She felt an urge to run faster, faster, as if her slippered feet might know a secret route that would carry her to freedom from her problems.

Chapter 8

The weather was fine in the orchards behind Falkland Palace, where a small table and two stools had been placed among the trees. Plum blossoms swirled down like snowflakes, a few of them landing on the gold-and-silver royal chessboard.

Lennox bit back a yawn as he watched his opponent, King James V, stare at the board. After a moment, the monarch lifted first a rook then the queen. Another long pause followed as he frowned.

“I fear ye have trapped me,” the young king lamented, stroking his reddish beard with white, bejeweled fingers. He was so fair that even his lashes were pale.

“Nay, sire.” Lennox managed a casual smile. It was a dull business, playing chess with someone you were not permitted to best. “Ye are a much finer player than I.”

“Hmm.” The king returned his attention to the royal chess pieces, made for him of jasper and rock crystal.

It seemed impossible that a full fortnight could have passed since Lennox had arrived at Falkland Palace, intending to speak to his aunt immediately so that he might carry on with his quest. Instead, Queen Mary had begun laboring that very night, surrounded by all her ladies, all of whom were French except for Tess. His aunt had been needed to communicate with the Scots castle staff, and Lennox had been forgotten.

Soon enough, King James had arrived from Stirling, overcome with joy by the birth of his second son, Arthur. Two more weeks had followed. The queen had her “upsitting” when the baby was three days old, but she was not permitted to leave her chamber for the christening. Lennox had attended, hoping to see Aunt Tess there, but she merely lifted a hand to him at the end, on her way back to the queen’s bedside.

To Lennox’s surprise, it was the king himself who sought him out each day. His Majesty’s favorite companion, Sir James Hamilton