Glenna’s hand went immediately to her curls, rioting from her hastily attached veil. “Good lord,” she breathed, and her cheeks burned at the idea that she had been chastising the servants when she herself likely looked worse for her trip to the cliff.
The girl smiled and with a quick flick of her wrist had whisked the veil away. Several hard tugs and twists from the maid’s deft grip brought tears to Glenna’s eyes, but she held perfectly still. The girl shook out the linen, creased the front with a sharp sound between thumb and forefinger nail, and then whipped it back over Glenna’s head, reaching up once to tent the peak.
“There you are, miss,” the girl said and then gave a quick curtsey before she began to turn away.
“Wait,” Glenna said, reaching out and taking hold of the girl’s arm. “What is your name?”
“Anne, Miss.”
“Thank you, Anne,” Glenna said. “Perhaps…perhaps you would consider work as a lady’s maid?”
“I’ve not been a lady’s maid, miss.”
“And I’ve not had one. So neither of us shall know when the other has a misstep.”
The girl gave a sweet smile before bobbing in a curtsey, and Glenna released her.
Tavish was back at her side in that moment, and Glenna noticed his flushed face, the grim set of his mouth. Even his normally bright eyes were flat and steely. The trumpets blared again, causing Glenna to jump at their nearness. The heavy clomping of horse hooves on the bridge seemed to rap at the door ahead of their riders’ arrival. She looked up at Tavish in the same moment that he turned his face toward hers.
“And so the princess meets the king,” Tavish said. “Are you ready?”
Glenna straightened her backbone even further and lifted her chin, commanded the trembling of her body to cease even as her heartbeat caused her vision to dance in time to the blood pounding in her ears. “Aye.”
Tavish’s mouth quirked into a ghost of a smile and then winked. “May the best laird win.”
Glenna raised an eyebrow as he reached for the door handle to swing the heavy slab of wood inward. “Forgive me, but I didn’t see a laird enter. Is he hiding behind you?”
She saw the edge of his cheek rise in a genuine smile, but then the door was open, and her gaze was only for the somber-looking man commanding the large black horse toward them with apparent ease. The bridge behind James was queued with riders in a line extending onto the road—Glenna guessed at least a score, most of them soldiers by appearance.
Tavish stepped onto the stones just beyond the door and took hold of the reins while the king dismounted. A squire appeared and led the horse through the corridor while Tavish sank to one knee with a bowed head.
“My liege,” he said. “Welcome to Tower Roscraig.”
“Cameron,” James said as Tavish stood. Glenna at last saw the much-rumored red stain covering half the king’s face, his long nose and protruding eyes and chin. “’Tis not often I have such leisure to view the Forth from its opposite bank. I’ve not been to Roscraig since I was very young. I forgot that you were situated on such a promontory—a great military advantage.”
“Aye, my liege,” Tavish acquiesced. “As well as for commerce. The Forth is deep beyond our dock.”
“Is that so?” James said musingly. “I would very much like a tour. Will you accompany me?”
Tavish paused for only half a heartbeat before responding, and Glenna knew he was thinking about the search for Audrey Keane.
“Of course, my liege.” Tavish gestured toward the entry.
Glenna had felt her own frustration rising the longer the king ignored her and spoke of Roscraig as if it were already Tavish’s. But then James turned his face toward her and stepped through the doorway, and his somber countenance softened as his eyes found Glenna. Behind her, the chamber was filled with the rustling of servants sinking into their bows and curtsies, and Glenna too paid her homage.
“Glenna Douglas,” James said. “We are well met. How fares your father?”
“My liege,” Glenna replied, startled at his graciousness. “He has improved in great measure only this morn. You honor him with your kindness—I didn’t know His Majesty was aware of the laird’s illness.”
“Cameron informed me of the dire state of your father’s health some weeks ago; I’ve been kept appraised of late by others visiting my court. Roscraig’s fate has suddenly become of keen interest to me.”
At those words, the line of companions and courtiers traveling with the king began filing through the entry, and a brilliant flash of jewels caught her eye. She glanced up for only an instant to see Vaughn Hargrave leading his horse past, a well-dressed young woman following behind him on her own mount, who looked somehow familiar to Glenna.
Tavish was at her side then, his jaw squared and his eyes hard once more. “I’ve no wish to offend you, my liege, certainly not when you’ve just arrived, but I cannot abide the presence of that Englishman at the Tower.”
James glanced over his shoulder. “Lord Hargrave, you mean?”
Tavish nodded curtly. “He arrived uninvited in my hall and has made no secret of his intent to cause upset at Roscraig.”
