"You are a wicked man," she said afterwards, but she was smiling.
He laughed at her admonishment. "You enjoyed it every bit as much as I did," he teased her wickedly, pulling a bit of straw from her hair.
In early autumn a rider came to Dunglais wearing the badge of Queen Marie. The directive he bore commanded the Laird of Dunglais to come to her castle of Ravenscraig in Fife as soon as possible. The laird send the queen's man back with a message saying he would be honored to wait upon her and would bring his little daughter to meet Queen Marie. "You will come with us," he told Alix as they lay abed that same night.
"You would bring your mistress to meet the queen?" she asked him, slightly shocked. "I am not certain that is right, my lord."
"You are my daughter's companion and a former member of Margaret of Anjou's household," the laird said. "I would hardly introduce you as my mistress. But Fiona will need you, and it is an excellent opportunity for her to see how she needs to behave among her own kind. And meeting Queen Marie may be of benefit to you, lambkin."
"Then it is fortunate that I have just made two new gowns from the material you gave me at Michaelmas," Alix responded. She had to admit it. She was excited about going to court, but of course there would not necessarily be a court such as the one she had grown up in around the Scot's queen mother, her young son, the king, and his siblings. And they were going to Marie of Gueldres's own castle, not Stirling or Edinburgh, or even Falklands.
"How long are we to be gone?" Alix asked the earl.
"I cannot say, but I doubt it will be long. There is no reason for the queen to desire my company unless it has something to do with guns," Malcolm Scott said. "And we will want to be back again before the weather turns."
"I must have a few days to prepare," Alix said. "I am not certain Fiona has the proper garments. She's a country lass. Her clothing is reflective of her simple life."
"This won't be the court as you know it," the laird responded. "Ravenscraig is the queen's private home. Jamie bought it for her the year he died, and set his royal stone mason, Henry Martzioun, to make the repairs needed and fortify it."
"Nonetheless you can hardly allow your daughter to meet the king's mother looking like a tinker's brat," Alix told him. "You do not know who will be with the queen, or who will see your child. Remember you will eventually have to make a match for Fiona. As your heiress she will be considered to have a certain value. But if she displays well, her value will increase, my lord."
"God's foot, lass!" the laird exclaimed. "Your years at court have taught you well. Three days, and no more."
Fiona was beside herself with excitement. "I am going to meet the queen!" she singsonged over and over again as she danced about her father's hall. "Will I meet the king too, Alix? Will I?" she asked, twirling about the older girl.
"Stand still, you little minx!" Fenella said irritably. "How am I to take your measurements if you persist in prancing about? You can't meet Queen Marie in your chemise, lass."
"Fiona! Do what you are told," Alix said sharply.
The little girl suddenly stood quiet. "I'm sorry, Alix, Fenella. I am just so excited to be going to court."
"It isn't really court," Alix explained. "We are going to visit the queen in her own home. She wishes to speak with your father on some unknown matter. He is taking us so you may meet the king's mother. And aye. You may meet the young king."
"Does he have brothers and sisters?" Fiona wanted to know. "I've always wanted brothers and sisters, but unless Da will take another wife I don't suppose I'll ever have them," she said with a sigh.
"But if your da remarried and had a son, you would no longer be the heiress to Dunglais," Alix said to the little girl.
Fiona looked up at the older woman with wise eyes. "Alix, whether I am the heiress to Dunglais or no matters not a whit. I will be matched and married one day. And if I am the heiress my husband will take over Dunglais when Da dies. It isn't really mine, and never will be. Either way I will have a good dower portion. I'd just as soon Dunglais remain in the Scott family, and in order for that to happen Da must wed again."
Alix was astounded that her young charge had such a firm grasp of the situation. Her eyes met Fenella's, and the housekeeper shrugged, but a small smile played about her lips. It told Alix that Fenella was Fiona's font of information.
"Maybe the queen will have a nice lady for your father to wed," Fenella said wickedly, and her eyes danced with mischief.
"Nay," Fiona said. "I want Da to marry Alix."
"Fiona!" Alix turned scarlet. "Your father has been quite clear that he doesn't want another wife."
Fiona sighed dramatically. "I know my da loved my mother, but my mother is dead, and my da is still young enough to have a nice wife. And I like you. Da wouldn't marry anyone I did not like, Alix. Wouldn't you like to marry my da?"
Alix could feel her face burning. What was she going to say to the child? She couldn't say she hadn't liked being married. Fiona should not be swayed from the path chosen for her. But the truth was in the few months since she and the laird had become lovers she had begun to consider that a life with Malcolm Scott by her side would not be a bad thing. Fiona was looking at her expectantly, and so Alix finally said, "It isn't up to a lady to decide whom she will wed, little one. It is the gentleman who must want to marry, and your da does not."
"But would you marry my da if he asked you?" Fiona wanted to know.
Oh yes! Alix thought to herself. But then she said to the little girl, "A lady never reveals her heart until the gentleman has, Fiona. Remember that when you are grown." And Alix was shocked by what she had suddenly come to learn about herself. She had fallen in love with Malcolm Scott! "Le bon Dieu aidez moi," she whispered to herself. It was impossible! From what Fenella had said, the laird no longer trusted women because of his wife's betrayal. He had been willing to take a mistress who could be cast off if necessary, but he wanted no wife. And Alix found herself surprised to realize she wanted no other man but Malcolm Scott.
Two new gowns were quickly made for Fiona. One was a bright scarlet red that complemented the child's coloring. The other a medium blue that was particularly flattering with Fiona's lovely blue eyes. The gowns were carefully packed. Alix saw to her own wardrobe. When she had first come to Dunglais almost a year ago the laird had immediately noticed the paucity of her wardrobe. He had instructed Fenella to let Alix choose some material for two more gowns. She had chosen some velvet for a more elegant gown, and a practical jersey. And then just a few weeks ago at Michaelmas he had given her her wages for the year, and she had been invited to choose materials for two more gowns from the peddler who came each early autumn with his wares. She had been unable to resist a lovely deep green velvet and another velvet brocade in a dusky orange.
And Alix had quickly set about fashioning her new gowns. The peddler had told her that the fashions were changing. Sleeves were now more closely fitted and necklines were much lower. Alix made her new garments to reflect what the peddler had told her. And among her clothing she packed the small chamois pouch with her few bits of jewelry. She might not be a great lady, but she had learned from Margaret of Anjou and her own mother that less, especially if it was of the best quality, was far more impressive to the eye of the beholder.
"Such a great fuss over such a brief visit," the laird grumbled as they finally departed on a clear autumn morning.
"But, Da, we must look our best before Queen Marie and the king. Perhaps when he sees me he will decide a good Scots lass is more suitable than that foreign princess he is to wed," Fiona said with great confidence.
"I think the king will honor the commitment his good father, God assoil his soul, made for him, Fiona," Alix said. "Kings must always keep their word. But the king has three brothers. One is a duke and the other two are earls. Perhaps one of them will suit you." And she smiled over the child's head at Malcolm Scott, who smiled back at her.