Free Bond of Passion by Bertrice Small Page A

said. “He and Angus have been friends since they were lads. His da, the fair earl, fell in love with Marie de Guise and divorced his wife so he might woo her. Of course, it was useless, for Marie’s sole reason for living was her daughter. Eventually Patrick Hepburn betrayed Scotland. I think that is why his son is so loyal to it. It’s as if James Hepburn is attempting to make up for his father’s treason. His sister, Janet, is married to John Stewart, another bastard son of King James V. He controls and has the income from the priory of Coldingham.”
    They walked down a hallway lined in windows on one side. They had reached their destination. Jean flung open one side of a double door and ushered her mistress into her new apartment. Annabella was enchanted. The dayroom was paneled in warm wood. There was a stone fireplace flanked by stone greyhounds that was blazing with a bright fire. The leaded windows overlooked the sea and were hung with burgundy-colored velvet draperies. The furniture was warm golden oak, the settle and straight-backed chairs cushioned. There was a red-and-blue carpet upon the wood floor. Her mother did not have a dayroom, although they had heard of such chambers, and she had always believed a dayroom was for the rich. Then she recalled that her husband was a wealthy man. And as his wife, she now had a dayroom. She could not help but think that Myrna would be very jealous.
    An older woman resembling Jean came forward. She curtsied politely to Annabella. “I am Jeanne, my lady. I served the earl’s mama until her death several years ago. If I may be of service to ye at any time, ye have but to ask. I live in a cottage in the village, tending to my two grandchildren.”
    “Thank ye, Jeanne,” Annabella said. “I didn’t realize Matthew was wed and had two bairns of his own.”
    Jeanne chortled. “I doubt I shall ever live to see my son wed. The bairns I care for are Jeannie’s. Both she and her man are in service to the earl.”
    “But I should not take ye from yer bairns,” Annabella said to Jean.
    “Aye,” Jean replied, “ye should! Mama is much better with them than I am.”
    “All here is as it should be, my lady,” Jeanne told Annabella. “I have served my time with my mistress, Madame Adrienne. We were girls together in Brittany. I chose to come to Scotland when she married the laird. Now it is my daughter’s time to serve ye. My grandsons are my joy. Now, having met ye, I will leave ye, for it is past time for ye to prepare for yer wedding to the earl.” She curtsied and departed.
    “Ye have a special chamber for bathing,” Jean said to her. “I can pump cold water into it, but we must send for hot water.” She reached for the bellpull near the fireplace and yanked on it. A maidservant immediately appeared, and Jean gave her instructions. The girl hurried off. “Let’s choose yer gown,” Jean suggested. She led Annabella to a small windowless room off the dayroom. There were two large wooden wardrobes against a wall inside the chamber. Jean flung open the doors to the tall chests. “Here are the gowns the earl had made for ye. There is a burgundy velvet I particularly like, but ye must pick yerself.”
    Annabella caught her breath as she looked at the beautiful gowns hanging from pieces of carved wood within the cabinets. What luxury! At home, their gowns had been packed in their trunks until needed and set out the day before wearing to air and lose their wrinkles. The colors were wonderful. Bright and clear. Scarlet. Rich deep green without a hint of yellow or blue. Sea blue. A sunny gold, tawny orange, deep bright pink, lavender, violet, apple green. But it was a cheerful yellow velvet skirt that caught her eye. She looked about for a bodice to go with it and found a cream velvet one embroidered with copper silk butterflies and fat bumblebees.
    She took it out. “This one with the yellow skirt,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything so lovely in all my