The Border Vixen by Bertrice Small

Author:Bertrice Small
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi

“He spoke to me himself, my lord!” Iver said excitedly. “I but told a castle servant that I carried a message for the king from his kinsman, Lord Stewart. The next thing I knew, I was ushered into the king’s presence. I could hardly speak at first, but then he said, ‘Why, here is a message from my cousin, Fingal Stewart of Torra.’ Those around him pretended they knew who ye were, my lord, and I almost laughed aloud, so eager were they al to please King James. He knew them to be false, and he laughed.

Then he asked what the message I carried was, and I told him. ‘Tel Fingal, my cousin, that I wil expect to see him, and his bonnie Maggie, here tonight,’ he told me. I nodded, bowed, and hurried right back to the inn to bring you his message.”

Maggie, freshly bathed, and now in the bedchamber, heard Iver’s words. “Grizel!” she hissed. “Do ye hear him? What am I to wear?”

“The peach velvet with the gold lace,” Grizel said. “ ’Twil make a grand first impression on al those fine lords and ladies.

Tomorrow al eyes wil be on the bride. Tonight is the night to show yerself to yer best advantage, m’lady. I’l tel Archie so my lord’s garments match with yers.”

“Fin in peach velvet, Grizel? I think not,” Maggie teased.

Grizel laughed, and quickly seeking out their master’s servant, whispered hurriedly in his ear. Archie whispered back, nodding vigorously. Grizel returned to her mistress and began helping her to prepare for the evening. While she dressed Maggie in the bedchamber, Archie was busily garbing his master in the dayroom. When Grizel had finished, Maggie was wearing a gown of peach-colored velvet with a square neckline edged with gold embroidery. The underskirt of the gown was brocade with gold reembroidery. Her slashed sleeves were tied with gold cords. On her head she wore a gold silk French hood with lace-edged trimming behind which flowed a sheer pale silk veil shot through with gold threads. Beneath her gown her legs were encased in white silk stockings embroidered with gold threads in a vine pattern. Her feet were shod in square-toed flat shoes covered in gold silk and studded with gold beading. She had several rings on her fingers, and her clan badge was fastened to a thick gold chain about her neck.

“Stay here,” Grizel said to her lady, “while I see if his lordship is ready.”

In the dayroom Archie had just finished dressing his master in light brown velvet. Fin wore slashed breeches, and parti-colored hose of brown and gold. His sleeveless doublet was a brown and gold brocade over which Archie fitted his master into a fine short coat of brown velvet with large padded sleeves. He had brown leather square-toed shoes on his big feet, and a fine gold chain about his neck with the greyhound pendant badge of his family. The hat his serving man gave him had a gold silk-taffeta crown and a stiff flat brim.

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