Master Boyd bowed. “Your Grace—”
“Unless of course there is anyone else present with evidence relevant to this matter?”
Lachlan held his breath, not daring to look at his mistress. And then he heard the sweetest words in history. Bold and clear for everyone in the hall to hear.
“I have such evidence, Your Grace. If I may humbly approach.”
James nodded. “You may, Lady Janet.”
Lachlan could only gaze in awe as she marched toward the dais, a beautiful, wise termagant about to unleash hell. The room erupted again when she reached into the bodice of her gown to retrieve a folded piece of parchment and handed it to the king, and Lachlan pressed a fist to his lips so he did not laugh at the horror on the lawyer’s face, the anger on Queen Margaret’s, or how perfectly Janet Fraser it was to conceal an important document in such a place.
God’s blood, how he loved her.
“Hmm,” said James eventually. “I hold in my hand a document that I have examined and find to be proper and legal. It is a marriage promise between Lady Marjorie Hepburn and Sir Lachlan Ross, signed and witnessed. I declare it valid. However…”
The hall went so quiet they could have heard a mouse breathe, and Lachlan gripped his thighs. What now?
“However,” the king continued, “it is not right or proper that Her Grace the queen’s orders were disobeyed. The queen’s command is as my command; therefore punishment is required for the wrongdoing. Sir Lachlan Ross, Lady Marjorie Ross, stand together and be sentenced.”
Silently Lachlan rose to his feet before walking to Marjorie. She took his arm, and he covered her hand with his and squeezed it because she was his cherished wedded wife, and woe betide anyone who attempted to come between them. Whatever the punishment, they would face it together. “Your Grace?”
James had never looked sterner. “I am imposing a substantial fine. Sir Lachlan and Lady Marjorie, you shall both forfeit all property and coin. It is only my love for you that you do not forfeit your freedom. Be wed but destitute from this day…unless offered shelter, of course.”
“I do so offer,” announced Lady Janet. “If Your Grace will permit.”
“Granted. Now this matter is concluded; the legal minds shall depart. Lady Janet, you will offer Highland hospitality for the evening to your king, queen, and the court, yes?”
She curtsied. “As Your Grace wishes.”
Still reeling at the verdict, unable to say a word, Lachlan curved an arm around Marjorie’s shoulders. With a choked cry, she flung herself against him, and he held her tightly before leaning down and kissing her thoroughly. Saying with his lips what his mouth could not.
All that they needed now was Lady Janet with them to be complete, and when he glanced up and met his mistress’s soft gaze, she smiled.
“Take your wife to the solar, Sir Lachlan. I shall join you there presently.”
His breath caught.
At last, it seemed, paradise might just be possible.
Chapter Thirteen
“Now, Jannie. You do understand it would be a treasonous act to hurl that goblet at my head?”
Janet took a long swallow of wine, then saluted James with her weapon of choice. “While the thought of a goblet-shaped imprint on your forehead brings me great satisfaction, it would be a shameful waste of good wine, Your Grace.”
The king’s lips twitched as he leaned against the chapel’s inner wall. “With your aim, I must declare you a low threat to my royal person.”
“Maybe my aim has improved,” she replied archly.
“Unwary guards shall rejoice to hear it.”
Janet didn’t laugh. “How could you, James?” she asked softly. “How could you do that to Lachlan? To me? What you put us and dear Marjorie through is quite unforgivable.”
He rubbed a hand over his face, and just for a moment she saw a man weighed down with a thousand cares. “In the morning I leave for the border. There are strong rumors of an uprising, and I must quell it. Another noble English and Scottish alliance by marriage would have been helpful… I did not want this trial, Jannie. But if Margaret had complained to her father, to diplomats and dignitaries, that she had been slighted, the English would have seized upon the excuse to make trouble. I do not wish for war with them or border raids; I have enough cares already in trying to hold this realm together. To stop my own clans and nobles warring and raiding. To replenish the treasury.”
“You walk along a cliff edge,” she admitted.
“Every hour of every day. However, trust that I always knew how the play would end. Because you are a clever lass, you had two copies of the promise made and argued those guards away from use of a dungeon. Now that is legal cunning. But I do know where Master Shaw and his clerk are, and if that document wasn’t stuffed in your bodice, then they would have appeared as witnesses. Queen Margaret will learn in time she resides in Scotland, and her bullish, arrogant Tudor ways are unwelcome here. But for better or worse, she is my wife and must be given all due respect.”
Janet nodded reluctantly. “I understand your decision. I like it not, for it hurt me and those I love, but I do understand.”
“Oh, you love them, do you?” said James softly, his lips curling into a self-satisfied smirk.
She froze. And yet the astonishing words had come out of her mouth. “I…er…”
“Oh-ho! No retreating now, my fiery lass. In truth I gifted you Lachlan because I thought you might do well together. He needs a strong lady, and there is none more so than you. Never did I think you would open your heart to him and Lady Marjorie. But you have always been a woman who forged her own path.”
“Who says I have opened my heart to anyone?” she bit out, boldly dissembling to her king when that was exactly
