A Rough Wooing by Virginia Henley Page A

Jock’s beautiful young sister. “It’s unsafe for ye
to be out here with all these men.” He dismounted. “I’ll escort ye
to him.” He handed his reins to a Graham moss-trooper.
    “Stand back, and give His Majesty room to
move!” a deep male voice ordered.
    Douglas stared at a group of men crowding
together, and saw a burly red-headed man who was doing his best to
make way for King James to enter Langley Castle. That must be
Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. I’d best give my dearest uncle
a wide berth!
    She slipped her hand into Will’s and tried to
keep up with him as he strode into the stables. Every stall now had
a horse in it, but a large box stall had been reserved for the
king’s royal mount. She saw her brother Jock giving it a rub
down.
    Jock Elliot almost dropped the brush when he
saw his sister. “Douglas, I didn’t expect to see ye in England.
What are ye doing at Langley Castle?”
    “I was on my way to Alnwick to find you,
Jock. It was just luck that I found out you were coming to
Langley.” She took a deep breath before she plunged into her tale.
Suddenly, she was strangely loathe to blame her family’s trouble on
Lancelot Greystoke. “The Earl of Cumberland’s men came to Castle
Elliot and arrested Gavin and Rob for stealing horses. They are
imprisoned in Carlisle Castle. You must do something, Jock. I fear
they may be hanged!”
    “They didn’t find stolen horses at our
castle, surely?”
    “Of course not!” Douglas was indignant.
“Thoroughbred horses were found at Langholm, and Sim Armstrong told
Cumberland’s men that he bought them from the Elliot brothers. They
had arrest warrants not only for Gavin and Rob, they had one for
you too.”
    “Me? Didn’t Gavin tell them I was with the
king?”
    “Of course, but the English devils didn’t
believe him. They searched the castle for you. They had an arrest
warrant for Douglas Elliot too, and when I told them I was Douglas,
they didn’t believe me. It made no difference—they arrested all
three of us.”
    “Arrested you ? The callous English
bastards! Gavin and Rob are still imprisoned in Carlisle Castle?
How the devil did you manage to escape?”
    “I...I had help. After dark, Sir Lance
Greystoke led me to a back door of the castle and set me free. I
warrant he was acting chivalrously toward a woman.”
    “Carlisle Castle is the next stop on the
king’s journey south. I’ll have a word with His Majesty about our
brothers being falsely accused and arrested. Once we get to
Carlisle, I’ll see to their release. King James doesn’t have much
use for the Earl of Cumberland. George Clifford spent his time
kissing Queen Elizabeth’s arse, instead of taking care of his
estates in the English Borders.”
    Jock closed the box stall door securely.
“Stay beside me while I gather up my men. If we don’t go inside
soon, we won’t get fed.” He winked at Douglas. “Henry Percy is
sparing no expense to entertain King James and his entourage. Ye’ve
no idea how pleasurable it is to enjoy English hospitality.”
    Douglas glanced down at her fine gown. “Yes,
I believe I have a very good idea.”
    ~~~
    The following day was taken up with people
being presented to King James. Not only were the English who lived
in the Borders flocking to meet him, but the Scots who could afford
to accompany the king to London were arriving at Langley Castle
every hour.
    “Jock, I’m grievously worried about Gavin and
Rob. Do you think you can persuade the king to set out for Carlisle
tomorrow?” Douglas asked.
    “Why don’t I present ye to him and ye can
have a try at persuading him yerself? No doubt he’ll remember when
he met ye at Edinburgh Castle last year.”
    “I warrant he’s not the type of man who
succumbs easily to feminine wiles, Jock.”
    “Don’t underestimate yer assets, sweetheart.
He’d have to be a corpse not to appreciate yer half-exposed
breasts.”
    Douglas heard the disapproval in his voice.
“The gown is borrowed.