A Rough Wooing by Virginia Henley

shrugged a pretty shoulder.
    ~~~
    It was barely dusk when Greystoke arrived
home from Carlisle Castle. The anticipation of seeing Douglas
spurred him to cover the four miles to Beaumont in record time. He
had even fed and watered his horse before he left Carlisle so that
when he reached home, he could simply stable his mount and go
straight to the house. He hadn’t felt this way about a woman in
years. The beautiful Firebrand heated his blood and made him feel
alive. He couldn’t wait to see her golden eyes light with pleasure
when he entered the hall.
    Greystoke had pictured her before the fire,
her mass of molten hair reflecting its flames. When he saw that the
Great Hall was empty, his heart skipped a beat. Then a smile curved
his mouth. She’s in the library.
    His footsteps quickened and he heard the ring
of his spurs as he entered the book-lined room. He glanced about.
“Douglas?” His heartbeat faltered when he found the chamber empty,
then he heard a noise behind him and turned eagerly to the doorway.
When he saw it was his servant, Ridley, he asked, “Where is
she?”
    “The lady has gone, my lord.”
    “Gone?” Greystoke held his breath. “Gone
where?”
    “I’m afraid I don’t know.”
    “When did she leave?” he demanded.
    “I have no idea, my lord. I served her
breakfast here in the library, but when I returned with lunch, the
room was empty. It was as if she had disappeared.”
    “She didn’t vanish into thin air, man!”
Greystoke felt his anger ignite and he knew he was in danger of
savaging Ridley. With an effort he held his temper. “Thank
you.”
    When Ridley withdrew, a foul oath dropped
from his lips. “Goddam the wench!” It was a severe blow to his
pride that Douglas Elliot was not at Beaumont awaiting his return. The bloody little Firebrand took off the moment my back was
turned. It not only stung him that he was a poor judge of
character, it was also a cudgel blow to his manhood.
    He strode to the window and gazed out with
unseeing eyes, as a feeling of impotence gripped him. He noticed
that the lock was unfastened and realized that this was how she had
made her escape unseen.
    The little bitch is laughing at me.
    “Put not your trust in a Scot!” It was a
maxim all English Borderers lived by, and that went double for a
warden, or should have. He was filled with fury that Douglas
Elliot had made a fool of him. I laid my heart at her feet, and
she stomped on it.
    He turned from the window, walked slowly to
his desk, sat down, and smashed his fist into the polished oak
surface. That was when he saw that the priceless antique pendant
was missing. “The thieving little bitch! She coveted that pendant
from the moment she saw it; damn her avaricious eyes!”
    Douglas Elliot had touched Greystoke’s heart,
but now his feelings for her hardened. She is a thief and she
belongs in prison. He vowed to track her down. She ran away,
so I will stalk her as prey. With cold deliberation he swore he
would take his revenge.

CHAPTER SIX
     
    “His Majesty King James has arrived!” the
Langley Castle steward announced to everyone gathered in the Great
Hall.
    A collective gasp went around the large
chamber, and people started to scurry about, positioning themselves
advantageously for when King James entered the castle.
    Douglas Elliot’s heart began to pound. She
was truly surprised that the king had arrived less than an hour
after she had changed from her leather attire into the elegant
gown. She sent up a prayer of thanks that not only had she chosen
to ride to Langley, but that her timing had been perfect. Please, please, let my brother Jock be here.
    She hurried out to the castle bailey, where
she found an amazing throng of horses, attendants, and
moss-troopers. With her heart in her mouth, Douglas searched among
the riders until she saw her cousin Will Elliot, her brother’s
lieutenant. “Where’s Jock?” she shouted.
    “He’s stabling the king’s mount.” He stared
in amazement at