scandals?’
‘Only a new murder.’
‘A murder!’ Martin whispered, waiting for details.
‘The day I arrived, Tansy was very upset. There had been a serious accident – the queen’s midwife and constant attendant had been killed. She lodged with Tansy.’
‘Where was her cousin when all this happened?’ Martin demanded suspiciously, his mind racing ahead.
Tam smiled. ‘He was with Tansy. They discovered the woman dying – of a stab wound – on the turnpike stair. Mistress Agnew was a friend of Tansy. Similar backgrounds. As you know, Tansy was orphaned early and brought up by her granddam, Lady Beaton.’
Martin suppressed a grimace. This was another connection he would have preferred William’s chosen partner to be without . Janet Beaton, Lady Buccleuch, had been a powerful and remarkable woman suspected of witchcraft.
‘Mistress Agnew had also been orphaned and brought up by her granddam, who, like Lady Beaton, was also in attendance at James’s birth.’ Pausing, he added, ‘I expect you remember that, cousin.’
Martin nodded. ‘I remember hearing about it. It was a bad time for Scotland and there were ugly rumours concerning his birth. As he grew older rough townsfolk used to shout after him; ‘Ye son of Davy Riccio.’
‘Was it true, do you think?’
Martin shook his head. ‘Who knows what murky deeds the past conceals. Certainly on the rare occasions when I have observed King James riding past in Edinburgh, he has notinherited the outstanding good looks of either his father or mother. But I cannot imagine the lovely young queen with her ugly little secretary who I saw only once.’ With a sigh, he continued, ‘She preferred stronger men – ’
‘Like my father,’ said Will bitterly.
‘Indeed. That was the tragedy of both their lives.’ Martin frowned, stroking his beard. ‘Rumour whispered another explanation concerning James’s birth. Concerning a document – ’
‘Tell me,’ Will insisted.
At Falkland, the minister hurrying past on his way to church observed Tam leaving David Rose’s house accompanied by a beggar’s child.
He stopped, blinking in astonishment as this ragged apparition was introduced as David Rose’s niece. ‘Come to visit him, minister. Should he return imminently, tell him Jane awaits him at Mistress Scott’s lodging, by the queen’s apartments.’
And bowing, Tam marched the small girl firmly across the road before any further questions could be raised, leaving the minister staring open-mouthed after them.
Tansy Scott’s reactions were identical at the sight of Tam with a ragged small girl clinging to his hand.
Quickly he explained, while Jane, wide-eyed, clutched his arm like the lifeline to a drowning mariner.
Taken aback, Tansy surveying the terrified child and hoping that a benevolent smile was assurance of a warm welcome , rang the bell that summoned Martha, her serving-woman , who was instructed to bathe, feed and provide the child with some suitable garment.
The latter suggested a problem, then, with a moment of inspiration, Tansy scooped up a small gown of satin and lace from the sewing-table.
‘The very thing,’ she said to Tam. ‘This is a court dress for one of Her Grace’s female dwarfs.’ And holding it up againstJane, she smiled. ‘A little inappropriate, but adequate.’
Warm-hearted, kindly Martha, quite unfazed, put a protective arm around Jane who, even in the presence of such friendly people, continued to tremble and look apprehensive.
Martha had encountered and endured great poverty in her time and the child before her was not the most advanced example of suffering and neglect.
Examining the elaborate garment with its low cut neckline, she frowned.
‘This will have to do for the moment, Mistress Scott.’ And smiling down at Jane she went on, ‘My lassie has a bairn about your age, my pet. She will find you something more comfortable, never fear.’
But only the promise of good things to eat in Martha’s
‘Only a new murder.’
‘A murder!’ Martin whispered, waiting for details.
‘The day I arrived, Tansy was very upset. There had been a serious accident – the queen’s midwife and constant attendant had been killed. She lodged with Tansy.’
‘Where was her cousin when all this happened?’ Martin demanded suspiciously, his mind racing ahead.
Tam smiled. ‘He was with Tansy. They discovered the woman dying – of a stab wound – on the turnpike stair. Mistress Agnew was a friend of Tansy. Similar backgrounds. As you know, Tansy was orphaned early and brought up by her granddam, Lady Beaton.’
Martin suppressed a grimace. This was another connection he would have preferred William’s chosen partner to be without . Janet Beaton, Lady Buccleuch, had been a powerful and remarkable woman suspected of witchcraft.
‘Mistress Agnew had also been orphaned and brought up by her granddam, who, like Lady Beaton, was also in attendance at James’s birth.’ Pausing, he added, ‘I expect you remember that, cousin.’
Martin nodded. ‘I remember hearing about it. It was a bad time for Scotland and there were ugly rumours concerning his birth. As he grew older rough townsfolk used to shout after him; ‘Ye son of Davy Riccio.’
‘Was it true, do you think?’
Martin shook his head. ‘Who knows what murky deeds the past conceals. Certainly on the rare occasions when I have observed King James riding past in Edinburgh, he has notinherited the outstanding good looks of either his father or mother. But I cannot imagine the lovely young queen with her ugly little secretary who I saw only once.’ With a sigh, he continued, ‘She preferred stronger men – ’
‘Like my father,’ said Will bitterly.
‘Indeed. That was the tragedy of both their lives.’ Martin frowned, stroking his beard. ‘Rumour whispered another explanation concerning James’s birth. Concerning a document – ’
‘Tell me,’ Will insisted.
At Falkland, the minister hurrying past on his way to church observed Tam leaving David Rose’s house accompanied by a beggar’s child.
He stopped, blinking in astonishment as this ragged apparition was introduced as David Rose’s niece. ‘Come to visit him, minister. Should he return imminently, tell him Jane awaits him at Mistress Scott’s lodging, by the queen’s apartments.’
And bowing, Tam marched the small girl firmly across the road before any further questions could be raised, leaving the minister staring open-mouthed after them.
Tansy Scott’s reactions were identical at the sight of Tam with a ragged small girl clinging to his hand.
Quickly he explained, while Jane, wide-eyed, clutched his arm like the lifeline to a drowning mariner.
Taken aback, Tansy surveying the terrified child and hoping that a benevolent smile was assurance of a warm welcome , rang the bell that summoned Martha, her serving-woman , who was instructed to bathe, feed and provide the child with some suitable garment.
The latter suggested a problem, then, with a moment of inspiration, Tansy scooped up a small gown of satin and lace from the sewing-table.
‘The very thing,’ she said to Tam. ‘This is a court dress for one of Her Grace’s female dwarfs.’ And holding it up againstJane, she smiled. ‘A little inappropriate, but adequate.’
Warm-hearted, kindly Martha, quite unfazed, put a protective arm around Jane who, even in the presence of such friendly people, continued to tremble and look apprehensive.
Martha had encountered and endured great poverty in her time and the child before her was not the most advanced example of suffering and neglect.
Examining the elaborate garment with its low cut neckline, she frowned.
‘This will have to do for the moment, Mistress Scott.’ And smiling down at Jane she went on, ‘My lassie has a bairn about your age, my pet. She will find you something more comfortable, never fear.’
But only the promise of good things to eat in Martha’s
Similar Books
