The Thistle and the Rose(11)

Going through the doorway into the Great Hall, Agnes exchanged courtesies with Edmund, who was just coming toward the South Hall from outside. She couldn't help but blush at this man's presence. Even at his age, he was an extremely handsome man and extremely polite. They do not make them like this anymore, she thought to herself. But each morning since the visitors arrived, the knight had walked down to the village pier. He seems to be waiting for something, Agnes thought.



As Edmund walked into the South Hall, he thought about how fine the improvements were that Lord Hugh and his late wife had made. This room was a wonderful place for the meals. As the sun rose higher in the sky, the room warmed very comfortably, and the natural light displayed the three huge, brightly colored tapestries that hung above the two fireplaces at either end and on the long wall across from the line of windows.

Lady Campbell had been French, Edmund remembered, a noble lady of ancient royal blood, and she had been a real civilizing influence in the life of Hugh Campbell. Edmund had been given what had been the master's bedroom in the old section of the castle, an honor befitting an old comrade at arms.

But he had been quite surprised at the amount of comfort that the new section provided. The sheer number of bedrooms was incredible. When he had been the Campbell's guest thirty years before, guests had all slept in the Great Hall, as was still the custom in most of the great castles to this day. But Edmund had really enjoyed the luxury of the great feather bed he'd been given.

Once the bairn's safety is assured, Edmund thought, maybe it will be time to settle down and make some improvements to my own holding. Celia, as well, would really enjoy a project like that over the decadence of court life. But by then, with any luck, maybe she'll have projects of her own.

Colin Campbell was everything Edmund had expected him to be, and more. His knowledge of modern warfare was impressive, but his strong opinions about the Stewart kings' role in Scotland's future surprised him. Traditionally the clan leaders in the west had taken every opportunity to oppose the Stewart kings. The Highlander’s independence was legendary. But this difference of loyalty to a unified Scotland certainly made Colin a standout among the Western and Highland leaders. Edmund wondered whether the earl of Huntly knew of this ally in the Stewart cause.

As Edmund listened, he was pleased to see how much of the father had been passed on to the son.



For over an hour, Celia had been studying the panel that she was sure Colin and Alec had used to enter her room. After dragging the chest away from the wall, she had inspected every seam in the wooden panel, but to no avail.

The panel had been latched when she pushed the chest up against it, so Colin must have accomplished that when she'd crossed the room for her cloak. It must be very simple to do, she thought.

A knock at the door interrupted her search.

“It's Agnes,” came the answer to Celia's response. “May I come in?”

Although Celia had only spoken with Agnes briefly in the few times she'd visited, Celia knew that this woman had been running the household for a long time. Each time they'd spoken, Agnes had been pleasant and hospitable.

But this time Agnes was not alone.

In fact, Celia was hardly prepared for the sight that awaited her. Agnes and an army of helpers appeared ready to lay siege to Celia's bedroom. Agnes, two burly men carrying a wooden tub, twelve boys carrying buckets of steaming water, and a legion of women carrying piles of carefully folded linens and clothing, jammed the hallway. Celia stepped back in surprise, and the invaders took full advantage, streaming into the bedchamber behind their assault commander.

The chaos that ensued was not the result of wartime pillaging, but rather peacetime furnishing.

Although Agnes was clearly in charge, it was only because her voice was pitched higher than anyone else's in the room.

“We've brought you a few things, dear,” Agnes shouted, after searching through her rampaging army for her guest.

The bath was set up where the sun cast its beams by the fireplace, and the women laid out the linens and clothing on the huge bed. When those tasks were complete, Agnes unceremoniously dismissed her troops, closing the door firmly behind them. She turned and cast a firm yet affectionate eye on Celia.

Celia was nearly hidden behind the great oak bed. Agnes walked to her and took hold of her guest's hands, coaxing Celia from her sanctuary to the middle of the room.

“Lady Caithness, it's time you felt at home here,” Agnes said softly. She could sense a shadowy anxiety in this innocent looking child.

“Please call me Celia,” she responded with warmth. This display of motherly attention touched a tender chord in Celia.

“But what is all this?” she continued, nodding at the clothing laid out on the bed. Celia realized she had been clutching Agnes's hands, so she now gently released them.

“Don't you be concerned about that right now. First things first. Into the bath with you.”

Agnes's tone left no room for discussion. And Celia had no intention of arguing.

The warm luxurious feel of the jasmine-scented water soothed away the aching tension that Celia had not even been aware of in her body. As the tightness melted away, she felt relaxed for the first time in ages.

While Agnes washed Celia's hair, the woman talked about her world at Kildalton Castle, but Celia found her attention drifting as the sleepless night began to take its toll.

Celia's mind drifted in an unexpected direction as she lay back in the warm water. Colin Campbell had been standing exactly here the night before. In her mind she felt his strong arms around her. Her smooth body rose ever so slightly to his caress, and her lips waited for the touch of his.

Suddenly Celia was conscious of the compliment that Agnes was giving her.

“You certainly do not have the body of a woman who's had a baby in the last year. You know, Lady Campbell was very much like that. After Colin was born, she was back to her regular size in no time at all, but she fed her own baby. That was not customary, of course, but Colin's mother had a mind of her own.”

Celia desperately wanted to change the subject. Kit was seven months old now. She wondered what a woman’s body should look like after seven months.

Celia looked over at the bed.

“Where did these things come from? I appreciate the thought, Agnes, but my travel clothes will meet my needs for the remainder of my stay here.”

“You'll want to dress up a bit for dinner,” Agnes coaxed. “Especially since this is Colin's first night back.”

Recalling her momentary lapse into sensuality, Celia blushed at the thought of meeting Colin. But that was a fantasy, thought Celia, this is reality.

“If it's not a great inconvenience, I will continue taking my meals with Ellen and the baby here in my room, Agnes. I really will not be needing those things, but thank you,” Celia said politely, not wanting to sound ungrateful in the wake of Agnes's kindness.

“But it is an inconvenience, my dear. If you do not begin joining us at least for dinner, I'll have to put up with Lord Hugh's sulking. It is not very often we get such attractive company, you know.”

“I know you're being a good hostess, but I'm sure that with Lord Hugh's son and Alec Macpherson here, there will be plenty of discussion at dinner.”

“Aye. But without a young woman at the head table, think of how boring the conversation will be for me. Wars, battles, weapons, armies, and politics. How dreadful! And do not think your uncle improves things at all. He is as bad as the rest.”

“I do not mean to be a nuisance about this, Agnes, but there is also Kit to consider. He is not completely well and—.”

“Nuisance? Nonsense!” Agnes said affectionately. “But I've already seen Ellen and the baby, and they can do very well without you for an hour or two a day. It'll do you good to get out of this room.”

Celia could not think of another excuse, and she knew that Agnes would have an answer for anything she could come up with anyway. Agnes was a master strategist. Celia liked that.

Besides, Celia thought, I can keep dinner short and be back here in no time.

Agnes was awaiting an answer.

“Aye,” Celia said, surrendering. “I'll join you for dinner.”

“Fine, my dear,” Agnes said cheerfully. She turned to the clothing on the bed like a general to his maps. “Then hop out of that tub. We've a great deal to do.”



The battle was far from over.

The silver brocade dress with the square-cut neckline that Agnes laid out was far, far too revealing for Celia. She would dine in her travel outfit before wearing that dress in front of those men.

There were so many beautiful dresses. Agnes explained that all this clothing had once belonged to Lady Campbell. After her marriage to Lord Hugh, Lady Campbell's family in France had continued sending trunk after trunk full of the finest fashion accessories. Lady Campbell gave much away, as Agnes had after her death, but there were so many things that Agnes felt should be kept. Now she was very glad she had kept them.

They finally compromised on a burgundy-colored velvet gown.

The gown's thin fur trim at the round neckline accentuated Celia's auburn hair. And Celia liked the simple lines of the dress. It had a tight-fitting, long-waisted bodice, and a long skirt that flared at the hip and draped gracefully to the ground. The furred sleeves were wide and turned back to form a cuff. A loose belt encircled its low waistline and from it pendants of braided gold cording hung to the floor.