The Magnificent Rogue (45 page)

“Perhaps I did not make myself clear: I have no intention of doing so.”

Kate ignored the caustic retort. “But you will send a letter to James. In it you will admit that I’m your daughter, but state that as long as James does nothing to harm Robert, myself, or Craighdhu, you will promise to designate James your heir upon your death.”

Elizabeth frowned. “I’ll do nothing of the sort. I’ve not yet made that decision.”

“No, you prefer to keep James dangling.” Kate continued, “You will also tell him that, should he take any overt action against Craighdhu, he will never have the throne of England.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “I must have a weapon to bestir James, when Philip sends his armada.”

“Then find another,” Kate said. “This is
my
weapon.”

Elizabeth’s lips curled. “You have no weapons against me.”

“But I do,” Kate paused. “I have my father.”

“Robin?”

“Deny me and I will go direct to the Netherlands and rob you of him.” Her voice vibrated with intensity. “By God, I’ll show you that I’m no pawn. I’ll study how to use him, and then I’ll tempt him, stir those ambitions you tell me you understand. He’ll join with me to overthrow you, and you’ll lose your lover and old friend you value so much. In the end you’ll have to destroy us both, or we will destroy you.”

Elizabeth’s lips parted in stunned surprise. “You could not do it.”

“Look at me,” Kate challenged, passion ringing in every syllable. “I’m your daughter. I can move the world if I choose to do so.”

Elizabeth whispered, “I believe you could.” She suddenly chuckled. “But not my world.”

“We shall see.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “It may not be necessary that we have a confrontation. It’s possible I can handle James as you suggest and still wrest what I need from him.”

Kate was careful not to show either relief or triumph. “I have the utmost confidence you will do so.”

“And what assurance do I have that you won’t go to Robin, even after I give you these guarantees?”

“The assurance that I have no desire for the throne,” Kate said. “I, too, know what I value most in the world, and it’s not what you possess.”

“Craighdhu and that outrageous scamp in the antechamber? You have no vision.”

“That outrageous scamp could rule this kingdom better than you. As for vision, I see a life at Craighdhu with challenges aplenty and a circumstance where I will
not have to give my child away to strangers.” She moved toward the door. “Send the letter at once. I wish to go home to Craighdhu.”

“Are you quite certain that’s all you want?” Elizabeth asked silkily.

Kate glanced over her shoulder.

Elizabeth was smiling, and her expression held a mixture of cynicism, sadness, and a touch of malice. “I think not. I see a hunger in you too,” she said softly. “After all, you are my daughter.”

Robert came to Kate and took her hand as she closed the door of the chamber behind her. “All is well?”

Comfort flowed over her at his touch. She nodded curtly. “Fine.”

His gaze searched her features. “You don’t look fine.”

Because Elizabeth’s last remark had shaken her. Her mother had seen something in Kate that she would rather remained buried. “What do you expect when you shock me with—” She stopped as she remembered the guard beside the door. “Let’s go back to the ship.”

Robert didn’t speak again until they were in the barge gliding away from the palace.

“Well, do we go buccaneering?”

She shook her head. “We go back to Craighdhu. It will be safe there as long as my father is alive. My father,” she repeated. “Strange. When I believed Shrewsbury was my father, I never really thought about him. And now it’s the same with Leicester. They stand in the shadows.”

“Understandable. Both Mary and Elizabeth cast a brilliant light.”

“I was very angry with her. I told her if she didn’t do what I wished, I’d go to my father and together we’d destroy her.” She shrugged. “Naturally, I was bluffing.”

Robert smiled faintly. “Were you?”

He knew her too well. “No, I meant it. When I was
standing there talking to her, the blood was pounding in my veins. I felt exhilarated, as if I could do anything. And I knew she felt the same way. It was if we were feeding on each other.”

“It doesn’t surprise me. You’re very much alike.”

“I don’t want to be like her, Robert,” she whispered.

“Choose the good and leave the bad.”

“You said that about Mary.”

“The advice is still sound. Wouldn’t you rather be Elizabeth’s daughter than Mary’s?”

Elizabeth could be devious and selfish, but she was also strong and bold, and something about her struck an answering chord in Kate. “I think … I could have loved her.” Kate grimaced. “But it would have been like loving myself.”

“There’s nothing wrong with loving, Kate,” Robert said. “I make a habit of it.”

She shook her head, still remembering that disturbing exhilaration. “I shall not see her again.”

“The lure is too strong?”

“I did not say that,” she said quickly.

“Would you like to be queen of England? We could do it, you know,” he said quietly. “Shall we go to the Netherlands, love?”

She stared at him in shock. “But we’re going home.”

“Only if that’s what you wish. I knew when I brought you to Elizabeth, you might have a decision to make.”

“And you brought me anyway?”

“You’ve been cheated enough in your life. I will not have you cheated again.”

He would cheat himself instead. She swallowed to ease the aching tightness in her throat. “You’re much too arrogant to be a royal consort.”

He lifted her hand to his lips. “I could adapt to the
role as long as you promise to ‘consort.’ And I would definitely keep Your Majesty entertained.”

“I believe you.” She laid her head on his shoulder. “But you’ll have more time for such activities if we go home to Craighdhu.”

“You’re sure?”

Suddenly, she was very certain. Elizabeth’s path might be challenging, the adulation and power intoxicating, but Kate had no wish to end her life as Elizabeth was going to … alone, with only the trappings of glory around her.

“I do not want it,” she said firmly as she nestled closer. “And she would not either, if she knew what she was missing. I only want you and Craighdhu.”

She could feel the tension he had not let her see ebb out of him. He drew her closer and said lightly, “I’m very gratified you’d give up a throne for me, lass. It’s a fine and rare compliment.”

“Well, it’s not only for you. I did have one other consideration.” Her spirits were suddenly lifting as hope soared through her. Why worry that this was only a reprieve? They were going home, and together they would find a way to stay there. She smiled luminously. “Our child should be born by the time the seals return to Craighdhu next year.”

“There’s Tim MacDougal on the dock.” Robert turned to Jock. “Care for Kate. I’ll go down to see if there’s anything amiss.”

Kate watched him hurry down the gangplank and over to the agent. The frown on Robert’s face instantly cleared as he spoke to him, she noticed with relief. She had thought Elizabeth would move swiftly to protect Craighdhu, but there was always the possibility that James had instigated trouble.

“All seems to be well,” Jock said. “However, I wonder he trusts me to care for you. The last time I handed you over to Alec.”

“I handed myself over,” Kate said. She turned to look at him. Since they had boarded the
Irish Princess
in Scotland, he had offered her courtesy but had distanced himself. This was the first time she could remember him speaking directly to her. “It was no fault of yours, and Robert knows it.”

“I could have prevented it. I chose not to do so.” He met her gaze. “I would not make the same decision now.”

She tensed. “No?”

A sudden smile lit his face. “You’ve caused us a great deal of trouble. It would not be sensible to allow you to do so again. I told Robert we would be safer to have you here than on the throne of Scotland, and now that we know you’re the heiress to an even greater throne, we must see that you have plenty to do here to keep you out of mischief.”

She relaxed. “You know I’m with child?”

“I believe we can keep one small bairn safe—if he’s not as self-willed as his mother,” he qualified.

“He probably will be.”

“Then we’ll deal with that problem when it happens.” He took her arm. “Robert is hailing us.”

“I’ll never endanger Craighdhu or Robert,” she said in a low voice as he led her toward the gangplank. “You needn’t worry about that, Jock.”

“I’m not worrying.” He didn’t look at her as they left the ship. “I knew you’d never allow harm to come to anyone or anything you cared about when we went to Kilgranne, Kate.”

Kate
. She had a memory of that moment in the courtyard when she had told him never to call her Kate because Kathryn was the name by which she was known to her enemies. She smiled. “I’m glad you’ve found I know how to do my duty to Craighdhu too, Jock.” They had stopped beside Robert and MacDougal, and she looked inquiringly at Robert.

“There’s no problem,” Robert assured her. “Tim
just wanted to tell me he’d taken care of a matter for me.”

“I’m greatly relieved. We’ve had enough trouble.” She smiled at the agent. “I’m very happy to see you, Tim.”

MacDougal flushed. “We missed you. You’re looking well, my lady.”

Robert took Kate’s arm and began to walk down the dock. “He also says Gavin is much better and the most foul-tempered invalid on the face of the earth.”

“Thank God,” she said fervently. “And Jean?”

“She’s turned the castle upside down with her demands for Gavin. She and Deirdre are about to come to blows. They both think they know best for him.”

Jock and Tim MacDougal fell into step behind them, and Kate was vaguely aware of their voices in low conversation. The sun was shining brightly as they turned into the street that led to the castle, and the entire village seemed to gleam. She could feel tears sting her eyes, and a poignant pang went through her as she realized how close she had come to losing all this. Craighdhu was still in danger, but at least she would have another chance to win this place she loved so dearly.

They had reached the marketplace, and Kate and Robert were suddenly surrounded by men, women, and children.

“It’s about time you came back.”

She turned to see Deirdre standing in the doorway of the weavers’ cottage a few yards down the street.

“Deirdre!” She broke free of the crowd and ran across the street. “How have things been with you?”

“Well enough,” the Irishwoman said gruffly. “I’m not the one who ran away after embroiling me with these women and then neglecting her—”

“Hush.” Kate dared give her a quick hug. “Say you’re glad I returned.”

The smallest smile curved Deirdre’s lips. “Of
course I’m glad.” She added quickly, “I need help with these ninnies who don’t know a warp from a shuttle.”

Kate grinned. “You’ll get it. I hear you and Jean have Gavin almost well.”

“He would get well quicker if she would listen to me. She’s a willful bit of baggage. But maybe a better woman than I first thought,” she conceded grudgingly.

“Kate.” Robert had extracted himself from the crowd and was determinedly drawing her away from Deirdre. “We’ll see you later, Deirdre,” he told the woman as he whisked Kate away. “We have something to do now.”

He was leading her toward the church, she realized with bewilderment. “Why are we going there?”

“Because, as I said, we have a task to perform.” Robert took her hand and started up the long flight of steps. “I sent word ahead that the dominie was to be here when we arrived.”

“The dominie? Why should …?” She stopped as she realized the significance of his words. “You wish to wed me?”

“We are already wed. I merely wish to tighten the bond a bit.”

“It would not only tighten it. A wedding in the church would make it irrevocable.”

“It’s been irrevocable since the moment I saw you, covered with mud, lying on that trail.”

She stopped short as they reached the door. “But this is different.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “You’re going to have my bairn, you defied Elizabeth of England, and you’re balking at saying a few words before the dominie?”

“It seems reckless.”

His laughter vanished. “It seems reckless to me to risk losing you again. Alec said I was a fool not to wed you before God and man, and I’ll not repeat that mistake.”

“It means you wouldn’t be able to repudiate me, should it become necessary.”

“Nor you me,” he said. “So if you should change your mind and decide Craighdhu is not enough for you, it would necessitate you taking me with you.”

She swallowed. “A hard burden to bear.”

“I’ll try to make it lighter.” He held out his hand. “Will you wed me, Kate?”

She looked down at his outstretched hand. On the night of Gavin and Jean’s wedding, almost in this very spot, she had held out her hand to him, asking for trust and commitment. He had given it to her. Now, he was asking her for an even stronger commitment, from which there would be no retreat for either of them. They would rise to triumph or sink to defeat together.

A rare smile lit his face. “Kate?”

She couldn’t smile in return. The moment was too solemn, and the joy and fear too overwhelming. That evening of the wedding had been bathed in a haze of mist and magic, but now they were standing in the bold sunlight of reality.

“Come, lass, where is your boldness?”

He was right—their love was great, but they would never survive the challenges ahead unless they faced life with endurance and courage. She reached out and took his hand. “It would be my great honor to wed you, Robert of Craighdhu.”

E
lizabeth successfully crushed Philip’s
mighty armada. The victory was attributed to both the strength of the English Navy and Elizabeth’s own diplomatic brilliance, as exemplified by her skill in keeping James of Scotland from offering aid to the battered Spanish ships off his coast. Though the earl of Leicester’s role in the victory was less than glorious, Elizabeth still showed her esteem for him by making him commander of her army.