fail to return in time, perhaps Master Eildor?’
‘I will do so gladly, sir.’
Will smiled his thanks. ‘Meanwhile I will escort you, my dear, to the queen’s apartments.’ And taking Tansy’s hand, he turned again to Tam. ‘May I ask you, sir, in my absence from Falkland to watch well over my lady?’
As Tam bowed his assent, Tansy’s eyes raised heavenward and her lips tightened perceptibly, indicating that she felt she needed no man to guard her and that she was well able to take care of herself.
Preparing to depart, Will looked out of the window. ‘It rains again, I see. You will need your cloak.’
Tansy avoided his eyes. ‘Oh, I left it in the queen’s chamber .’
As Will shook his head and said, ‘Have mine, then,’ Tansy’s swift glance in Tam’s direction held mute appeal. It warned him not to mention that Mistress Agnew had been wearing it when she was murdered.
Taking their leave of Tam, as they walked across the courtyard , Will said, ‘I am not convinced.’
‘Convinced about what?’ asked Tansy, knowing perfectly well.
‘About Master Eildor. I am certain that we have met before.’
‘That you cannot be, love. You were just a child.’ Even though she said the words, Tansy knew what Will had an exceptional memory. Conscious of his intent gaze, she asked, ‘What is amiss, love?’
He laughed. ‘Do you ever look in your mirror, my Tansy?’
She frowned. ‘Indeed I do.’
‘Then has it not occurred to you that there is a very close resemblance between you and Master Eildor. You could be siblings.’
Tansy shook her head. ‘Alas, I had neither brother nor sister ,’ she said sadly.
Will smiled. ‘Distant kin, you said.’
‘Remote cousins,’ said Tansy abruptly, not wishing to continue this conversation. Unhappy to deceive Will she had nevertheless sworn to Janet Beaton never to reveal Tam’s origins and she was determined to remain true to her word.
Will’s arm tightened about her. He looked down into her lovely face for a moment. ‘Distant kin, eh?’ and stroking his chin thoughtfully, he smiled wryly. ‘And we are not unaware of what goes on in those wild Border strongholds.’
Tansy smiled, relieved that Will had found his own solution to her likeness to Tam.
‘The Tam Eildor I met had some connection with your granddam, Lady Beaton. Perhaps that is the link. She was a very strange woman.’
Pausing he looked at Tansy, hopeful for an explanation.
He waited in vain. Tansy remained silent and he asked, ‘What do you know of his early life?’
‘Only what Granddam told me before she died. And that was very little. But she told me I could trust him.’
‘And do you – trust him?’
‘With my life, Will,’ said Tansy firmly.
‘Then let it be so.’ And kissing her fondly at the entrance to the queen’s apartments, he held her close for a moment.
‘I will not be long, love,’ she whispered. ‘You will stay?’
‘I will, but I must be on my way by early morn.’
She stroked his cheek gently. ‘There is a whole night before that.’
Leaving her, he realised that this had always been the story of their lives together. From the very first, only a few stolen days and nights together. Even for that, they must be grateful, he thought.
Returning to her lodging, Will was already framing some searching questions for Master Eildor about what circumstances had brought him to Falkland Palace to visit a remote cousin. And in particular, how long he intended to stay.
Chapter Five
Anticipating Will’s return and doubtless some probing questions about his background, Tam conveniently absented himself . He had no wish to be interrogated or have to deal out unnecessary lies to Tansy’s lover.
Avoiding direct lies for the complications they caused, one lie begetting others, to tell the truth would be incredulous to those living in the sixteenth century. As well as an invitation to disaster in an age dominated by a king whose obsession was with witchcraft
‘I will do so gladly, sir.’
Will smiled his thanks. ‘Meanwhile I will escort you, my dear, to the queen’s apartments.’ And taking Tansy’s hand, he turned again to Tam. ‘May I ask you, sir, in my absence from Falkland to watch well over my lady?’
As Tam bowed his assent, Tansy’s eyes raised heavenward and her lips tightened perceptibly, indicating that she felt she needed no man to guard her and that she was well able to take care of herself.
Preparing to depart, Will looked out of the window. ‘It rains again, I see. You will need your cloak.’
Tansy avoided his eyes. ‘Oh, I left it in the queen’s chamber .’
As Will shook his head and said, ‘Have mine, then,’ Tansy’s swift glance in Tam’s direction held mute appeal. It warned him not to mention that Mistress Agnew had been wearing it when she was murdered.
Taking their leave of Tam, as they walked across the courtyard , Will said, ‘I am not convinced.’
‘Convinced about what?’ asked Tansy, knowing perfectly well.
‘About Master Eildor. I am certain that we have met before.’
‘That you cannot be, love. You were just a child.’ Even though she said the words, Tansy knew what Will had an exceptional memory. Conscious of his intent gaze, she asked, ‘What is amiss, love?’
He laughed. ‘Do you ever look in your mirror, my Tansy?’
She frowned. ‘Indeed I do.’
‘Then has it not occurred to you that there is a very close resemblance between you and Master Eildor. You could be siblings.’
Tansy shook her head. ‘Alas, I had neither brother nor sister ,’ she said sadly.
Will smiled. ‘Distant kin, you said.’
‘Remote cousins,’ said Tansy abruptly, not wishing to continue this conversation. Unhappy to deceive Will she had nevertheless sworn to Janet Beaton never to reveal Tam’s origins and she was determined to remain true to her word.
Will’s arm tightened about her. He looked down into her lovely face for a moment. ‘Distant kin, eh?’ and stroking his chin thoughtfully, he smiled wryly. ‘And we are not unaware of what goes on in those wild Border strongholds.’
Tansy smiled, relieved that Will had found his own solution to her likeness to Tam.
‘The Tam Eildor I met had some connection with your granddam, Lady Beaton. Perhaps that is the link. She was a very strange woman.’
Pausing he looked at Tansy, hopeful for an explanation.
He waited in vain. Tansy remained silent and he asked, ‘What do you know of his early life?’
‘Only what Granddam told me before she died. And that was very little. But she told me I could trust him.’
‘And do you – trust him?’
‘With my life, Will,’ said Tansy firmly.
‘Then let it be so.’ And kissing her fondly at the entrance to the queen’s apartments, he held her close for a moment.
‘I will not be long, love,’ she whispered. ‘You will stay?’
‘I will, but I must be on my way by early morn.’
She stroked his cheek gently. ‘There is a whole night before that.’
Leaving her, he realised that this had always been the story of their lives together. From the very first, only a few stolen days and nights together. Even for that, they must be grateful, he thought.
Returning to her lodging, Will was already framing some searching questions for Master Eildor about what circumstances had brought him to Falkland Palace to visit a remote cousin. And in particular, how long he intended to stay.
Chapter Five
Anticipating Will’s return and doubtless some probing questions about his background, Tam conveniently absented himself . He had no wish to be interrogated or have to deal out unnecessary lies to Tansy’s lover.
Avoiding direct lies for the complications they caused, one lie begetting others, to tell the truth would be incredulous to those living in the sixteenth century. As well as an invitation to disaster in an age dominated by a king whose obsession was with witchcraft
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