Free The Gowrie Conspiracy by Alanna Knight Page A

birthmark. But thinking quickly, he had thought better of it. Mention of birthmarks might have aroused thoughts of witchcraft in King James’s mind.
    Tam looked around anxiously. He did not think that any had witnessed the scene but he could not be sure about Lennox who hovered nearby within earshot.
    Although Lennox gave no indication that he had overheard or had been interested in the king’s concern, Tam realised that he must take care to keep his arms covered in future.
    James was gesturing to the courtiers. ‘Go you ahead. Master Eildor will escort us.’ And leaning heavily on Tam’s arm, Tam was very conscious of the angry looks in his direction by both Lennox and Ramsay, united for once in their distaste for the king’s obvious infatuation.
    ‘Still bide wi’ Mistress Scott, d’ye?’ the king asked conversationally .
    ‘I am, sire.’
    James frowned. ‘That will no’ do. We would wish to see you in better lodging.’
    ‘Sire?’
    ‘Aye, Master Eildor. In our royal apartments yonder. There is rom enough.’
    ‘As Your Grace wishes.’ Tam hoped that his bow indicated gratitude and his voice expressed enthusiasm for this honour but he was secretly dismayed.
    To be in close and convenient daily contact with the king and under the watchful jealous eyes of his court was the last thing he desired. As well as unpleasant and embarrassing , it could be extremely dangerous.
    James delighted, beamed on him. ‘We will arrange it forthwith .’
    And that will not add any to my popularity either, thought Tam grimly. Being courted by King James when one thing was certain. In the life that was temporarily lost to him, sodomy had not played a role, since in his quest period he remained true to his nature, a young man who was susceptible to females.
    Especially to Tansy Scott, to whom he was irresistibly drawn, but who, sadly for him had a happy and long-term relationship with Will Hepburn.
    He wished them both well. And he cursed the veil chance that had made him irresistible to the amorous King who stared up into his face with such adoration.

Chapter Six
    King James did not relinquish his grip on Tam’s arm as they reached the entrance to the royal apartments and Tam realised that his hopes for a speedy release were to be thwarted .
    Accompanied by the courtiers a short distance behind them, the king led the way through saluting guards and bowing servants up a handsome staircase and along a corridor into the royal bedchamber, where servants awaited to remove his outer garments and dress him in a less restricting robe.
    Tam, feeling the king’s eyes resting upon him during this procedure, turned his attention to the contents of the ornate furnishing of the vast room, dominated by the king’s bed on a raised dais, ornamented with the royal coat of arms and curtained in crimson velvet.
    The bedchamber was also King James’s informal room of state and this throne-like object of furniture provided the acme of royal comfort. His bed was also the centre of his kingdom ; in whichever royal palace he lived the massive bed accompanied him. And from its depths of floating pillows, James wearing his high hat with its ostrich feathers, held audience and received ambassadors from England, France and Spain.
    Here he planned his days, read and wrote learned works and poems and in moments of leisure commanded entertainment by the court jester whose bawdy jokes and suggestive contortions were very much to James’s taste.
    When the candles of evenings were lit, it became a background for more intimate scenes of carousings and caressings accompanied by considerable amounts of food and wine. Music was provided by a small orchestra of frustrated musicians , whose flutes and fiddlers were seldom audible abovethe raucous sounds of merriment.
    Tam was anxious to be gone, exceedingly embarrassed and out of place under the glaring, resentful eyes of James’s courtiers while trying to remain oblivious to their behindhand whispers