"Even if ye both gain yer freedom," said Lord Home quietly, "James Stewart will never let ye wed. Damn me, Francis! Ye grew up a bit wi the royal bairn. Ye know how vindictive he can be, and ye can hardly keep it a secret that yer divorcing Angus' daughter. And what of Glenkirk? When he learns his wife seeks her freedom and where she is, hell come roaring out of the north like a storm. He may hae lost his head in a moment of anger, but I’ll wager he still loves his wife and wants her back."

"She'll nae go," said Bothwell firmly, "and I'd nae let her. Look, Sandy. Ye know they call me the uncrowned King of Scotland. I dinna seek my cousin's throne, but ye canna convince Jamie of that. When Cat and I are safely wed we intend spending most of our time in Italy. I will only retain Hermitage for the son she will someday gie me. That is the price Cat and I will pay to the king for our happiness-exile from our beloved land. As to the Earl of Glenkirk, he'll cooperate or Cat will threaten to tell the whole story. Jamie will nae allow that. He has his position as king, and as head of the kirk. Ah, Sandy! I've waited all my life for happiness, and at last I have it! I never thought it possible."

Lord Home shook his head. It was all too simple. Much, much too simple. He hoped for Francis' sake that it could be made to work. Bothwell had always been restless. A great mind, educated far beyond his time, he was constantly defending his actions to lesser men. Love had calmed him. He was quieter, less formidable.

Alexander Home did not know Catriona Leslie beyond court gossip, but any woman who could exert such a strong emotional influence over the Earl of Bothwell had to be quite a woman. He chuckled. And damned if Hepburn dinna have all the luck. She was a beauty to boot! Home decided to stay at Hermitage and learn more about the Countess of Glenkirk.

He remained during the late part of the spring-a rare spring of unparalleled good weather continuing into the summer. He rode with them on border raids, and felt the same pride in the lovely highland countess as did Bothwell and his men. Home was touched by the charming ritual the lovers performed before each venture. Bothwell would turn to Cat and say, "A Bothwell!" To which she would reply softly, "A Leslie!" They dared not utter clan warcries aloud on the English side of the border.

Returning safely over the border to their own land, Francis Hepburn would more often than not take Cat from the back of her own horse and place her in front of him on Valentine. One strong hand holding the reins and the other arm wrapped about his mistress's slim waist, they rode together talking intimately.

Lord Home's boyhood nanny had spoken of true love, but as he had grown and matured, Home had learned that in matters between men and women of rank there were only two paths. There was the dynastic path in which marriages were arranged to the best possible advantage of both families with no real consideration for the people involved. And there was lust Neither of these cases explained what had happened between the Earl of Bothwell and the Countess of Glenkirk. Alexander Home realized that he was witnessing true love at first hand.

Satisfied that Cat Leslie was no adventuress, out to take advantage of his friend, Sandy Home finally took his leave of the couple and returned to his home at Hirsel.

Chapter 26

DAVID Douglas, the Earl of Angus, was a quiet man. He avoided trouble. He disliked scenes. He was at present in his daughter's house at Crichton, and had just finished reading the letter sent her by her estranged husband.

"Well, father? What shall I do?"

David Douglas winced slightly. Margaret's voice was harsh. It annoyed him andLalways had. "What do ye wish to do, my dear? I dinna believe ye hae not already made up yer mind. Do ye love him, Margaret?"

"Nay," she answered.

"Then what is it? He has asked ye for a divorce offering ye everything he owns except Hermitage. Do ye want Hermitage too?"

"Nay! I hate the place!"

"Then gie him what he wants, daughter."

"But why does he ask me for a divorce now? He's always been happy enough living apart from me. Divorce was not mentioned before."

"Surely ye've heard the rumors, Margaret? 'Tis said a woman rides wi him now when he raids into England. It may be he wishes to wed this mysterious amazon."

"A fit mate for him!" sneered Margaret.

"Come, daughter," said Angus, "be quit of Bothwell. Sooner or later he will clash openly wi the king. He and James have always rubbed against each other. I dinna want ye and yer bairns caught in that fight."


"Ye are right, father," said the Countess of Bothwell. "And it is better that I take all I can get now. Will ye see to the arrangements?"

"Of course, my dear." David Douglas patted her hand. He was pleased. He could always count on Margaret to be cool and sensible.

At Glenkirk Abbey, Abbot Charles Leslie pondered a letter from his niece, the Countess of Glenkirk, in which she requested that he obtain her a divorce from Patrick Leslie. Divorce was not unusual in Scotland among the nobility of either church, but Charles was shocked that Catriona wanted her release. That it should come to this, after all the fuss to wed them! And they had seemed so happy all these years! He knew his nephew was in residence at the castle, and he sent one of the monks to fetch him.

The first thing Charles Leslie noticed when his nephew arrived was that Glenkirk looked tired and worn. Something was very wrong, and Charles Leslie wondered why he had not been told sooner. Without saying a word he handed the earl the letter, and while pretending to busy himself pouring the elderberry wine, he covertly watched Patrick's face.

Intense pain and sorrow creased Glenkirk's face. "She has not told ye why she seeks to divorce me. She is justified in her actions, ye know. But God help me, uncle, I dinna want to lose her!"

"Come, come, Patrick," said the abbot, further startled to see this breakdown in his usually assured nephew. "It canna be so bad. Is it that little Danish girl ye lay wi? Surely Cat doesna hold that against ye?"

"Nay, uncle. She forgave me that, and that is why what I did to Cat is doubly terrible."

Charles Leslie demanded an explanation. Upon hearing it he roared a string of oaths at his nephew. 'Tool! Stupid, arrogant fool! How could ye? Tell me no more. I’ll nae let my sister's only daughter return to ye!"


The earl protested nervously. "I will nae gie my consent until I have spoken wi her. Who delivered the letter?"

"A Kira servant"

"Then I shall go to Edinburgh to see the Kiras," said Patrick Leslie, "and I shall find Cat. If, after she has spoken wi me, she would still divorce me… then I'll gie my consent."

The Earl of Glenkirk rode secretly into Edinburgh. He did not want the king to learn of his visit. James had been very wary of the Leslies of Glenkirk since that fatal night in February. The earl explained to his Edinburgh housekeeper that his visit must not be public knowledge. Used to dealing with the eccentricities of the Leslies, Mrs. Kerr smiled cheerfully and nodded.

Patrick's next stop was the house of the Kiras in Goldsmith's Lane. Both brothers greeted him, and he could tell from the wary look of sympathy in Benjamin's eyes that the elder Kira guessed the reason for his visit. The amenities over, and Abner Kira gone, Benjamin and the earl sat before the fire.

"Well, Benjamin," asked Glenkirk, "where has she hidden herself now?"

"My lord," replied Kira, "my house has served yours since the days of your great-grandmother, but I cannot divulge that information. I cannot even tell you if I know where her ladyship is. I could no more break faith with her than I would with you."

Patrick had expected such an answer. "Then can ye get a message to her ladyship, Benjamin?"

"I think so, my lord. Shall I have parchment and ink brought?"

"Thank ye, my friend."

The writing materials were brought and Benjamin Kira left the earl alone. Patrick sat thinking for several minutes. Finally, he composed the following message. "Cat-I will nae gie ye yer freedom until ye hae spoken wi me face to face. If ye still wish to divorce me afterwards, I will nae stand in yer way. I hae wronged ye, but I beg of ye to hear me out. I still love ye. Glenkirk."

He sanded the parchment, rolled it, dripped wax on it, and sealed it with his signet. Leaving the room, he handed the roll to the waiting servant. "Gie it to yer master, lad. He'll know what to do wi it. Tell him I will be at my house here in town."

A few minutes later, Benjamin Kira handed the parchment to a messenger. "Take this to Lady Leslie at Hermitage Castle," he said. "And be sure you are not followed."

Cat did not want to see her husband, but Bothwell insisted. "Ye carina be certain in yer own mind that ye no longer love him unless ye can look him in the eye and tell him so. Ye can meet him at Kira's house. Stay wi yer cousin. Fiona. I shall go to Edinburgh too. I hae been meaning to do something about these stupid charges that I practice witchcraft against the king. Now is a good time. Too, since Margaret has agreed to gie me a divorce, there must be papers to sign."

"Do ye think Jamie knows about us?" she asked him.

"Nay. No one does except Home. We will ride to town secretly. Hercules can go wi us, and when we reach Edinburgh he will escort ye as far as yer cousin's house."

"What if I need ye, Francis?"

"I'll know if ye do, my darling. Dinna fear. We will complete our separate business quickly, and be safe back at Hermitage before ye know it."

So they rode to Edinburgh and parted. Fiona Leslie was delighted to see her cousin, and consumed with curiosity.