They sat in silence for a few minutes. Then Bothwell spoke again. 'It wasn't until ye and Jamie had at her, Patrick. Ye know that, don't ye? Even when the king forced her, she was faithful to ye in her heart.'
'I know that now,' said Patrick Leslie. 'But tell me, Francis, why did she go to ye if there was nothing between ye?'
Bothwell smiled softly with remembrance. 'We were friends, Patrick. I know that is a hard thing to understand, but when the first excitement of court wore off she found she was bored. She really was the Virtuous Countess. Sexual games were not for her. Neither was gossip. She's far too educated for a woman, and for our times. I understand that because I am also too educated for the times. God! How we talked! And how she listened! All the questions she asked! So, when she was hurt and frightened, she wanted to go where no one would find her. Since I was her only friend she came to me.'
Again the silence, and then Patrick Leslie asked quietly, 'When did she become yer mistress, Francis?'
'Not for a while,' Bothwell answered in an equally quiet voice. He did not think that Patrick Leslie was entitled to detail. 'It happened, cousin. It simply happened. Christ! What a coil.' He leaned forward and spoke urgently. 'Take her back to Glenkirk as quickly as ye can. She is nae going to be easy in this, but perhaps being wi her bairns will help.'
The two men sat in silence for some time. Patrick rose quietly and added wood to the fire. Going to the cabinet, he took out another crystal glass and poured himself and Bothwell a good dram each of the potent whisky.
The pistol now lay in Hepburn's lap. Leaning forward once more, the whisky in his two hands, Francis said, 'I love her, Patrick. I want ye to understand that. She wanted to go to France for her divorce, and I promised her we would if I failed to see Jamie this time. Now I wish to heaven I had not seen him! I return Cat to ye because I would nae have the destruction of yer family on my conscience. But if I ever hear that ye hae been cruel to her, I'll come. If it be from darkest hell, I'll come and take her back!'
It was with great shock that Patrick Leslie saw the naked pain in the deep-blue eyes of his cousin, the Earl of Bothwell. He, the husband, wanted to sympathize with his wife's lover. But he intuitively understood that if he so much as touched his cousin, the big man would lose control.
'Francis,' said Glenkirk in a kindly voice. 'I hae always loved her, from the time we were betrothed when she was a wee lass of four. I think she loved me because she was expected to love me, and she nae knew any others. I had known many women, and I appreciated the jewel that Mam had ordained would be mine. Had I not lost my temper two and a half years ago she would hae gone on loving me, but I did, and ye were wise enough to see her worth. Ye took what I so carelessly threw away. James has ordained that we be unhappy because he is unhappy. If he really loved Cat he would want her happy wi ye, as I do. Instead he forces her back on me. I swear to ye, man, that I will cherish her this time. She may never love me again, but this time I will keep her safe!'
Bothwell closed his eyes for a moment as if forcing back tears. When he spoke his voice was low and husky. 'Ye must make love to her, Patrick. Dinna be polite wi her, and wait for her to recover her hurt. If ye do, ye'll never get her in yer bed again. We are so tied together, Cat and I-but ye can ease her pain if ye love her a bit. But, for pity's sake, man! Be gentle wi her. She is nae a castle wall to be breached. Treat her tenderly, and ye'll find she responds better.' Glenkirk flushed, but Bothwell did not notice, and stood up. 'One more thing, Patrick. Before I leave Scotland I will want to see her.'
'Leave?' said Glenkirk, puzzled. 'Is Jamie going to banish ye?'
'Nay. He is too subtle for that, but we canna seem to live in the same country, the kingly bairn and I. Besides… he is not given to keeping his word. Before long he will start to haggle over the terms made today, and our good John Maitland will egg him on to new follies. James is determined to be king, Patrick. Make no mistake about that. The old way of life is done here in Scotland. Lennox, Angus, and the others use me to fight Jamie. Dinna think I don't know that. After the next round I will have to go, and I know it. 'Tis only a matter of time for me. But before I go I would bid my Cat a final farewell if she'll see me. Promise me ye'll forbid her not.'
'God, Francis! Ye ask a lot of me!'
Bothwell's blue eyes became hard. 'Hear me, Patrick Leslie. I could leave this room now, ride to Hermitage, tell Cat I couldna see Jamie, and be on a ship for France by week's end. By the time any news got to her she'd hae her divorce from the obliging French, be safely wed to me, and we'd hae a bairn started. Yer family would lose everything. Who is asking a lot of whom?'
Glenkirk cocked an eyebrow. 'If, Francis, I actually thought ye'd do that I'd kill ye now,' he said pleasantly. 'However, like me, yer a man of honor. When ye go, Cat will see ye if she wishes.' He stood, and held out his hand to his cousin.
Bothwell grasped it. For a moment their eyes locked. Then Francis Hepburn exited the room the same way he had entered it, through the casement windows. Patrick Leslie was inexplicably saddened.
Chapter 33
BOTHWELL rode through the night and into the following morning, arriving at Hermitage towards midday. One look at his face told Cat the news was bad, but she asked nothing of him. Instead she led him to their apartments, pulled off his boots, and put him to bed. When Bothwell awoke that evening, she had a good supper ready for him. It wasn't until he had eaten that he spoke to her.
'The king has ordered yer return to Glenkirk by September first.'
She whirled to face him, her eyes mirroring shock.
'If ye do not,' he continued, 'Jamie will reclaim the lands and goods of the Leslies of both Glenkirk and Sithean, as well as the Hays of Greyhaven.'
'Let him!'
'Cat!'
'Let him, Bothwell! Wi'out ye I am a dead woman!'
He held her tightly in his arms. 'Cat! Cat! Think, lass. Think! How many children hae ye?'
'Six.'
'And among yer cousins, how many bairns are there now?'
'At least thirty,' she said.
'And ye hae twenty cousins, and yer brothers, and yer parents' generation, and the More-Leslies. My God, Cat! Close to a hundred people! And then, my darling, we have my children to consider too. All these innocent people destroyed-the children and the old people. Nay, love. Neither ye nor I could build a life on the wreckage of both our families.'
'Dinna send me away, Bothwell,' she whispered piteously. 'I would sooner be dead.'
'If we run, if we attempt to escape Jamie in any manner, he will destroy our people. He was quite firm wi me. He wants us punished, and he has found the most exquiste torture to inflict upon us and on Patrick Leslie as well. He still loves ye, Cat. Dinna be afraid to return to him.'
She looked up at him. 'How can ye talk to me like this, Francis?'
'Because I must! Christ, Cat! I canna bear it!' His voice was breaking. 'Yer my life, lass!'
They wept. The border lord and his love clung to one another and wept until they could weep no more. Then they stood together, holding onto each other until Francis Hepburn swept her up in his arms and carried Catriona Leslie to bed.
In the night she awoke to find him gone from their bed. For a moment she was frightened until she saw him standing by the windows looking out on the moonlit landscape. He turned and she could see his face was wet with tears. She pretended sleep, realizing it would only add to his agony if he knew she had seen him. A dull pain throbbed in her chest, and she stuffed her fist into her mouth to stifle the cry that rose in her throat.
For the next few days neither Bothwell nor Cat could bear to be out of each other's sight for more than a few minutes. Knowing that only a month remained to them was, as the king had anticipated, a terrible torment. It was finally Cat who made the decision that was to ease them through their last weeks.
'I want to go to the lodge,' she told him. 'I came to ye there. If I must leave ye, 'twill be from there.'
He had already told her that the king had forbidden him to come within ten miles of Edinburgh, and he was expressly forbidden to accompany the Countess of Glenkirk from the borders. She would be escorted by Lord
