Bedazzled

when they would return to Villa Mia. Lord Bothwell had loved the warmth and the sunshine of Naples. He had been buried there, except for his heart which was taken from his chest upon his death and placed in a carved oak box which was then placed into a decorated silver reliquary, and rested on a table by his wife's bed. It traveled with her. It would be buried with her when she died.

The gates to the villa were opened by a smiling gatekeeper. The door to the house was opened by a craggy-faced Scot in a kilt.

'Aye?' the grizzled fellow growled.

'I am Captain Thomas Southwood, of the O'Malley-Small trading ship, the Royal Charles. I should like to see Lady Stewart-Hepburn.'

'And what is yer business, Captain?' the doorkeeper demanded.

'My business is private, fellow, and not to be discussed with servants,' Thomas Southwood replied stiffly.

'Now dinna get yer breeches in a twist, Captain,' the Scot said, 'but nae one gets into this house wiout my knowing their business. I promised my lord on his deathbed that I would watch over her ladyship, and 'twas nae a promise made lightly.'

'I am a son of the earl of Lynmouth, uncle to the duchess of Glenkirk,' Thomas Southwood answered. ' 'Tis family business I have come about. Now, are you satisfied, and will you let me in?'

'Aye, come in then, and I'll take ye to her ladyship,' the Scot said calmly. He turned, and led the way into a bright salon overlooking the colorful gardens of the villa, now a riot of bloom. 'Captain Thomas Southwood, m'lady,' he announced.

Catriona Stewart-Hepburn had been sitting at an embroidery frame by the open windows. She arose now, and he saw she had the same elegance that his late grandmother had possessed.

'My lady,' he said, bowing over the outstretched hand.

'Southwood. Are you related to the earl of Lynmouth, sir?' she asked him.

'Robert Southwood is my father,' he replied.

'How kind of you to visit me,' she told him. 'I do not often have visitors from the north. Do you bring messages from my family?'

'I've brought your granddaughter, Lady India Lindley,' he announced, smiling at the look of astonishment that crossed her face.

'India! Oh, thank God! Jemmie and Jasmine have been so worried! Where did you find her? Is she all right? Where did she disappear to?' She sat down heavily, waving him into a chair.

'India will tell you everything you need to know in detail, my lady, but I will tell you briefly. Almost a year ago, Adrian Leigh, Viscount Twyford, convinced India to elope with him. Neither my cousin, Jasmine, nor her husband, approved of this young man. With great foresight India had him book them passage out of England upon one of our ships, and she came aboard disguised. Her masquerade was fortunately discovered, and I took her in my charge immediately, putting her rash young swain into custody. Shortly afterward we were taken into captivity by a Barbary corsair. I advised my crew to accept Islam, which most of them did, thus avoiding service in the galleys. We were brought to El Sinut, and led before its dey, Caynan Reis.

'Because ours was the first round ship they had ever captured, and because I had accepted Islam, I was first sent back out to sea with the janissary agha of El Sinut as his navigator. When it was at last decided that I could be trusted, I was assigned the task of teaching the dey's seamen how to sail my ship. I planned our escape for months, and at last three nights ago I accomplished our flight, rescuing India so she might go with me, along with the little Scots lass who is her servant.'

Catriona Stewart-Hepburn knew the answer to the question she now asked. 'What happened to India when you arrived in El Sinut?'

'The dey fancied her, and she was taken into his harem,' was the answer, as she had expected.

'Ahhh, the poor child,' Lady Stewart-Hepburn said, remembering her own sensual captivity, and the trauma she suffered for several years after her husband rescued her. 'How is she, sir? When may I see her?'

'She's mad as hell, madame, for she fancies herself in love with the dey. I had to knock her unconscious to get her to safety. As to seeing her, I would very much appreciate it if you would take the troublesome wench off my hands, and see to the task of getting her back to Scotland or England, and into her parents' charge again.'

'She is aboard your vessel?'

'Aye, madame, she is,' he answered.

'I shall send my Conall down to the harbor to fetch them,' Lady Stewart-Hepburn said. 'Does she have much luggage?'

'Madame, I carried her unconscious over a fifteen-foot-high wall in the clothing she wore,' Thomas Southwood said.

'Where was the dey?'

'Hunting in the mountains with the janissary agha, or I should have never attempted such an escape,' he replied honestly.

'Stay with me for a few days,' the older woman said. 'Both you and your men could surely use the rest after your great adventure.'

'I thank you, madame, but we must put to sea again as soon as possible, and direct our efforts to getting home to England.'

'If you sail west, Captain, you certainly risk being recaptured again,' she said in very practical tones. 'I think if I were planning to foil my enemy, I should remain in Naples for a few days, take on a cargo, and sail east to Istanbul. By the time you return west again, the dey and his minions will have tired of the chase, and you will have a profit for your trouble.' She smiled at him, and her leaf-green eyes twinkled.

'Your legend, madame, does not do you justice,' he said.

'Please,' she said, 'would you go to the door, and tell Conall to fetch Lady India and her servant from your ship. He is standing on the other side of the panel attempting to hear what is being said, but his hearing is not as good as it once was, I fear.'

The door snapped open, and the Scotsman said in glowering tones, 'I hear well enough, my lady. Ye need nae insult me, and me so faithful to ye. What is yer ship called, Captain?'

'The Royal Charles, but right now it's got itself a Turkish name on her sides and stern in those wiggly scroll-like lines they call letters. The harbormaster can tell you where we're moored, and arrange for my longboat to take you out to fetch my cousin. I thank you, Conall.'

The kilted Scotsman stamped from the room even as his mistress was pouring two exquisite crystal goblets of deep red wine. She handed Thomas Southwood one of the goblets. 'Wine, sir?'

The captain took the liquid gratefully, eyed its beautiful ruby color, and sniffed its fragrant bouquet. A look of delight passed over his face. ' 'Tis Archambault wine, madame! From my grandmother's family estates in France. God! I have dreamed of this wine all those long months in captivity while I quenched my thirst with water, mint tea, sweet sherbets, and that damnably thick Turkish coffee.' He took a sip, and then another, and then drank the entire goblet down before her eyes. 'Ahhhh, that was good! Do you know, when they captured my ship, they threw an entire cargo of sherry overboard?'

She refilled his glass, laughing.

'All those barrels floating in the sea,' he said mournfully, and began to sip at his goblet once again.

Conall More-Leslie fetched his mistress's carriage and driver. Then, mounting his horse, he led the way to the harbor, instructing old Giovanni to wait for him. 'I hae two ladies to bring