Abbess was waiting to welcome her. Here she stayed for the night with her women, chief among whom were Lady Lyle, Lady Stanley, Lady Guildford and the Countess of Surrey; the men of the party could not, of course, stay at the convent so they were conducted to the Gray Friars.
The people of Haddington came out to watch the procession leave, and now there was an added excitement in the Queen's suite; the meeting with the King must be close at hand and, although Margaret did not believe for one moment that he would be displeased with her, she was eager to look her best for the meeting.
They were to reach the Castle of Dalkeith by midday and as this was only seven miles from Edinburgh it seemed certain that on this day the meeting of the royal bride and groom would take place.
They were within half a mile of Dalkeith Palace when Margaret suddenly felt displeased with her appearance. She brought her palfrey close to that of Lady Guildford, who was known as her ladymistress, and said: “How do I look?”
Lady Guildford answered that she must have been aware of the admiration which she had aroused; it was well deserved.
“But I think I should look my very best, and I am not pleased with this gown. Who knows what will be waiting for us at Dalkeith?”
Lady Guildford saw the point of this. The first meeting was a great occasion, and it was just possible that the King would haveridden the seven miles from Edinburgh to meet his bride informally before he must do so in public.
“What does Your Grace propose to do?” Lady Guildford asked. “Change here into my best gown and ride the rest of the way in the litter.”
“Change here on the road!”
“Why not?”
“Whoever heard of a queen changing her gown in her litter by the roadside!”
“They will after today,” said Margaret, “for that is what I propose to do, and I'll have no interference.”
Lady Guildford pressed her lips firmly together. She had seen signs of obstinacy in her young mistress since they had begun this journey. Margaret resembled her brother Henry more than ever. Like him, she had a will of her own and had only been waiting until authority was hers to use it.
There was no gainsaying her; the procession was halted; the gown was brought from her baggage and her ladies surrounded her litter while she changed her traveling gown for one of dazzling magnificence.
Thus she rode into Dalkeith in velvet and tinsel, her eyes sparkling with anticipation, the flush of health and excitement on her rounded cheeks.
The Earl and Countess of Morton, castellan and castellaine of Dalkeith, were waiting for her and, as she passed through the gateway the Earl bowed low and presented her with the keys of the castle.
Lady Morton led her to her apartments and, when Margaret had expressed her pleasure in them and the loyalty of the Countess and her husband, she was left with her ladies to prepare herself for the banquet which was to follow.
While Lady Morton was receiving Margaret's thanks there was a commotion in the courtyard below. Lady Morton turned pale and, forgetting she was in the presence of the Queen, ran to the window. Then she turned to Margaret and said: “The King is here.”
“The King…my husband!”
Margaret's eyes were wide and she trembled a little. Then she thought of the magnificent sight she must present in her dazzling gown, and she could not resist throwing a look of triumph at Lady Guildford. There! Was I not right! she seemed to be saying.
She ran to the window, but he had already entered the castle.
“He will come straight to Your Grace,” murmured Lady Morton.
Margaret smoothed the folds of her gown; she put up a hand to touch her shining hair. There was no time to ask for reassurance that she looked her best, but she did not need it because she knew she did.
The door of the apartment was opened and there he stood. Her heart began to beat fast and a sudden joy came to her, for he was so handsome in his velvet hunting clothes,
The people of Haddington came out to watch the procession leave, and now there was an added excitement in the Queen's suite; the meeting with the King must be close at hand and, although Margaret did not believe for one moment that he would be displeased with her, she was eager to look her best for the meeting.
They were to reach the Castle of Dalkeith by midday and as this was only seven miles from Edinburgh it seemed certain that on this day the meeting of the royal bride and groom would take place.
They were within half a mile of Dalkeith Palace when Margaret suddenly felt displeased with her appearance. She brought her palfrey close to that of Lady Guildford, who was known as her ladymistress, and said: “How do I look?”
Lady Guildford answered that she must have been aware of the admiration which she had aroused; it was well deserved.
“But I think I should look my very best, and I am not pleased with this gown. Who knows what will be waiting for us at Dalkeith?”
Lady Guildford saw the point of this. The first meeting was a great occasion, and it was just possible that the King would haveridden the seven miles from Edinburgh to meet his bride informally before he must do so in public.
“What does Your Grace propose to do?” Lady Guildford asked. “Change here into my best gown and ride the rest of the way in the litter.”
“Change here on the road!”
“Why not?”
“Whoever heard of a queen changing her gown in her litter by the roadside!”
“They will after today,” said Margaret, “for that is what I propose to do, and I'll have no interference.”
Lady Guildford pressed her lips firmly together. She had seen signs of obstinacy in her young mistress since they had begun this journey. Margaret resembled her brother Henry more than ever. Like him, she had a will of her own and had only been waiting until authority was hers to use it.
There was no gainsaying her; the procession was halted; the gown was brought from her baggage and her ladies surrounded her litter while she changed her traveling gown for one of dazzling magnificence.
Thus she rode into Dalkeith in velvet and tinsel, her eyes sparkling with anticipation, the flush of health and excitement on her rounded cheeks.
The Earl and Countess of Morton, castellan and castellaine of Dalkeith, were waiting for her and, as she passed through the gateway the Earl bowed low and presented her with the keys of the castle.
Lady Morton led her to her apartments and, when Margaret had expressed her pleasure in them and the loyalty of the Countess and her husband, she was left with her ladies to prepare herself for the banquet which was to follow.
While Lady Morton was receiving Margaret's thanks there was a commotion in the courtyard below. Lady Morton turned pale and, forgetting she was in the presence of the Queen, ran to the window. Then she turned to Margaret and said: “The King is here.”
“The King…my husband!”
Margaret's eyes were wide and she trembled a little. Then she thought of the magnificent sight she must present in her dazzling gown, and she could not resist throwing a look of triumph at Lady Guildford. There! Was I not right! she seemed to be saying.
She ran to the window, but he had already entered the castle.
“He will come straight to Your Grace,” murmured Lady Morton.
Margaret smoothed the folds of her gown; she put up a hand to touch her shining hair. There was no time to ask for reassurance that she looked her best, but she did not need it because she knew she did.
The door of the apartment was opened and there he stood. Her heart began to beat fast and a sudden joy came to her, for he was so handsome in his velvet hunting clothes,
Similar Books
