The Thistle and the Rose(43)
“They were all upset about him marrying a Scottish woman. His haughty York family saw it as a union that was beneath them because it was with a Scot, however noble, and Henry saw it as a threat to his control of Muir's loyalties. They all wanted to be sure that they could control the heir...and the fortune.
“But your father fought them all. He married your mother, and he never forgot the way they snubbed her.
“And he loved her. Legend has it that before they married, he went to the Sultan of the Ottomans and bought the largest sapphires in the world for her. They say she wore them in a pendant around her neck.
“Later, when Edmund brought us together, John Muir was in control of his own destiny. He was powerful enough to ignore Henry's directions when it suited him—he felt no loyalties to either his king or his own family. Your mother had passed away by then, but your father still trusted none of them. I suppose that's why he kept you with him for all those years. I'm sure he feared for your life, and how they would use you for their own purposes if they ever got their hands on you.
“And you should know this, Celia. Your father was an honorable man. We met and divided the Irish Sea because he felt that fighting the Scottish was like fighting the only kin that he still cared for. Henry had been right. Your father's loyalties were divided because of his love for your mother...and for you.
“Your father and I liked each other immediately and kept track of each other until his death. He was an honest man, and he never broke our agreement, even though his power on the west coast grew with every passing year.”
Lord Hugh looked at Celia with affection in his eyes. He knew that if John were alive today, he would be very proud of his daughter and the woman she had become.
“Your father died in England,” Hugh said. “How is it you came to be a member of the Scottish court?”
“Things were too quiet for her in England,” a voice growled from the other side of the fountain.
Colin had come up from the village where he'd been directing preparations for defending the town. When Runt had approached him in the South Hall with word of Lord Hugh's whereabouts, Colin's eyes had widened in disbelief. This was a sight he'd never imagined he'd see again in his lifetime, and something warmed in him at the thought of it.
Entering the garden, Colin had walked past Ellen and Kit to where Celia and Hugh sat talking as comfortably as old friends. His father seemed so at ease there that Colin was hesitant to interrupt.
Lord Hugh started at the sound of Colin's voice. Celia had seen him come into the garden and sit quietly as his father spoke. She had a feeling that Colin knew all that Hugh had related.
“After my father died,” Celia answered, loud enough for Colin to hear. “The English king claimed me as ward of the court so that he could seize my father's ships and lands to use to his own profit until I married. When I went to that dreary court, I had nobody.”
“Where was Edmund?” Colin asked.
“He went to King James for me because he knew, before I did, that my fate had been decided.”
Celia gazed into the empty fountain.
“That court was a dismal place. Everyone knew that the old king was dying. He had spent years trying to secure his crown and build up his treasury. By the time I got there, he was a sick old miser, and the court reflected it.
“I had grown up in the fresh air, with men of action for my companions. Now, I was stuck in drawing rooms with women who treated me like a freak. They tortured me with empty-headed tasks that they said I needed to learn to be a good wife. They were intent on teaching me things I had no interest in learning.
“Then, one day, I was introduced to my intended husband, a soldier that the king intended to reward with a wife and her fortune.”
Celia looked across the fountain at Colin.
“Lord Danvers,” she said distinctly. “He was a cruel, rude, repulsive man even then. I hated him from the moment I met him. I knew I had to get away, so I went to the only people I had at court. The Yorks.
“I still remember their harshness. They told me that I had to return and marry Danvers. That I was lucky the king was giving me to someone as highly placed as Danvers was. That I should feel privileged that he would even want a tomboy who was `half Scotch' besides. They sent me back to my keepers, but at least I finally knew for myself why my father hated them.
“I returned to court, but I was miserable, and I made life miserable for everyone I came in contact with. For six long months I was at that court.
“Then, Edmund came back. He had asked King James to make some kind of a deal for me. King Henry's daughter, Margaret, had been the Queen of Scotland for five years, and I was to join her entourage for a year before my marriage to Danvers.”
Celia smiled grimly at the memory. “They were so glad to get rid of me. I suppose they thought a year in a `wild' place like Scotland would make me appreciate the English court more. Edmund said that King Henry agreed only because he got to keep reaping the rewards of my father's wealth for another year.”
“Weren't they afraid that you wouldn't return?” Hugh asked.
“Danvers was. But he was the only one. They were sure that I would return, since everything I owned was in King Henry’s hands until I married Danvers.
“During that first year that I was with Queen Margaret in Scotland, King Henry died and his son, the new King Henry, succeeded. And as you know, he and King James never agreed on anything till the day James died at Flodden. So I never went back.
“Even though Queen Margaret's ready to send me to England to be married now, my understanding is that her brother, King Henry, doesn't really care if I go back or not. He has everything my father intended for me, and is in no great hurry to part with any of it. Danvers, however, has been pursuing my fortune for six years. He even came to Edinburgh two years ago as a special envoy for his king, but he was really there for me.”
Celia turned to Colin.
“That ferret-faced Englishman at Argyll's castle. He was Danvers's right hand man when he came to the Stewart court.”
Celia looked back at Lord Hugh.
“I never found out, though, why King James went out of his way to take me in. He had nothing to gain by it.”
Hugh smiled knowingly at her. “Take my word for it, lass. James had a reason for everything. And I'm sure that when the time is right, Edmund will tell you.”
Hugh stood and took in once more the neglected sight around him.
“Colin,” he thundered “is this what you call a garden? You need a woman's hand in your life, my boy.”
“Celia thinks a woman's hand belongs on the hilt of a sword,” Colin answered. “Can you imagine the damage she'd do?”
“Anything she would do would be an improvement, I'd say,” Hugh responded, putting his arm around her.
“Well, I'm trying to hire her on as a full-time gardener, but we're just now working out the terms.”
“The terms?” Hugh said, laughing. “By God, man, give her what she wants.”
Colin turned to Celia. “Well, what do you say to that?”
“I do not have any idea what you two are talking about...as usual.”
“The garden,” the two Campbells responded simultaneously.
Celia looked from one smiling face to the other, knowing full well that Lord Hugh was matchmaking. It was Colin's true meaning that she was unsure of. Better not to acknowledge the double-meanings, she thought.
“If you're serious, I'd love to begin putting this garden in order...for as long as we're able to stay.”
“Colin, you'll have to work that into the terms,” Hugh said. “And as an added enticement, Celia, I think I might even volunteer my services for the heavy work.”
“That means he'll sit on one of these benches and order you about,” Colin said with a smile at Celia.
“I haven't heard too many complaints about the orders I've been giving around here for the last forty some odd years.”
“Of course you haven't. Anyone who's complained has been put out to sea in a rudderless boat.”
“Aye,” Hugh scolded. “And I should have put you out there while I still had the chance.”
“If you had, no woman as beautiful as this one would be coming around here.”
“You think I came to Kildalton to see you?” Celia asked accusingly, looking up into Colin's laughing eyes.
“Tell him, Celia. You came to Kildalton to see me,” Hugh said, drawing Celia protectively toward him.
But Colin's reaction was quick and sure, pulling Celia from his father's protective grip. “One morning in a garden, and you think you can charm my woman away from me.”
Something in Celia responded to Colin's words. He was joking with his father, but he'd called her `his woman.' That didn't sound like part of the joke. Celia looked up at the younger warrior who was watching her every expression.
“Aren't you my woman?” Colin asked, pulling her affectionately to his side.
“I thought I was the gardener,” she said, trying to lighten the suddenly serious turn in the conversation, and turning to Lord Hugh. “Didn't he just say I'm the gardener?”
“The way I remember it, the two jobs have always gone together,” Hugh answered, smiling. “But I think it's time I took Ellen and Kit in, so that you two can work out the details of `employment.’”