Breakfast in Bed | Morning, Friday 23rd September, 1678

[Douglas FitzJames]

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MacGregor/MacBain rental property

A pretty Tudor style home with four bedrooms, a dining room, parlor, and library.  A small stable that can hold 3 horses and tack and carriage resides on the property as well.  A walled garden, most of it settling down to slumber for the winter, completes the rental

The words of Duncan Melville had played on his mind all night as Douglas tossed and turned in his rented room at the Inn. Who was trying to kill Fiona? He still felt like he was only getting bits and pieces of the story, all second hand. Meanwhile his poor sister was lying abed injured - at least, if she knew what was good for her - and they were all still stumped as to the identity of her attacker. 

Douglas tended to wake early, even after a late evening involving quite a lot of whiskey; legacy of many years as a soldier. Forgoing breakfast at the Hen's Toes he dressed in his uniform, saddled his horse and rode straight for the house that Catriona had rented. Her old soldiers turned bodyguards already knew him, and the big Highlander wasted no time in heading straight on in and into the kitchen. This would of course not surprise Cat in the slightest, but this time he wasn't after food for himself. Rather he bossed the staff into making up a breakfast tray - alright, there might be enough food for two - which he carried himself up to the floor where the girls had their rooms and along to Fiona's room. 

By now the sun was fairly up and the roosters had largely finished their morning crows. Hands full, he tapped gently on the door with the toe of his boot. "Fiona lass? Tis Douglas." He called. 

[Aria]

Fiona had slept deeply last night. She had hoped that her vertigo would be gone by morning, but it persisted, as did the pain. A maid had helped her take care of her morning needs and then she sank gratefully back into bed. Her stalker had almost succeeded in murdering her yesterday. If Duncan had not come to her aid, the assassin might have finished her off. He had said he would protect her with his life; she now owed him hers.

 

A knock on the door interrupted her reverie. Douglas! Her mood brightened a bit. “Come in, Dougie!” she called. Fiona hoped he wouldn’t be alarmed by her appearance. There were bandages wrapped tightly around her head. Her ankle was bandaged too, but it was underneath the blankets and he couldn’t see it.

 

And what was that delicious aroma? Had he brought food? She was famished.

[Douglas FitzJames]

Douglas had seen far worse on the battlefield, but it was one thing to see a soldier bandaged and another to see one's sister so. He couldn't prevent the moue of concern as he slipped inside, balancing the tray, and kicked the door shut behind him. No doubt some servant would curse him whilst cleaning the mark from the door. "Ee lassie." He said gently by way of greeting, setting the tray onto a side table and himself onto the edge of the bed. "Hou'er ye feeling?"* He asked. Poor thing, for all her faults no lady should have to face such things. And it wasn't like she didn't have much in common with her older siblings.

Pouring the tea himself, Douglas handed Fiona a cup before setting a little plate of pasties on her lap, then pouring his own tea. He was more of a toast and kippers man himself, but such wasn't easy to each whilst sitting up in bed and the pastries were sweet and loaded with nuts and spices to tempt even the most recalcitrant. Not that MacBains were generally shy of food, even with their lives under threat. 

Subtitles
* "Hey girl. How are you feeling?"

[Aria]

Fiona wasn’t sure whether she was happier to see Douglas or the food. Whether he reprimanded her for her stupidity or not, she was glad to see him.

 

The mattress sank a bit under his weight. “I feel awful, but it’s better than the alternative. My ankle itches like he …” She caught herself right before she said ‘hell.’ “It itches dreadfully.”

 

Her hands closed around the cup Douglas handed her. The warmth was welcome. Fiona had been freezing cold ever since she had returned home and relived the attempt to kill her. This time the assassin had almost succeeded.

 

She picked up a pastry and bit into it, sighing in pleasure. Why was she always so hungry? After washing it down with a sip of tea, she ventured: “I assume want to talk about what happened yesterday?”

 

[Douglas FitzJames]

As a soldier, Douglas could vouch for the fact that feeling awful was vastly preferable to the alternative. Even if it meant putting up with an itchy ankle. "Want me tae scratch it fer ye?"* He teased. If a sore head and a sore ankle were all she had to worry about then she'd got off lightly. Itching meant healing in his experience, so that was a positive, and there was nothing wrong with her appetite. Her brother watched approvingly as Fiona tucked into a pastry and the tea. 

Sipping his own tea, Douglas nodded when Fiona said she assumed he wanted to talk about what happened the day before. "Aye lassie, we need tae sort this oot." He said, though there were no recriminations in his tone. "An' I'm sorreh I havnae been here till noo tae protect ye."** His service to the King was important - it was Douglas's life - but Fiona was family, something he'd only regained and rediscovered the value of since coming to court, and he wasn't prepared to lose them. 

Setting his teacup aside, Douglas helped himself to one of the pastries. "Catriona telt me aboot the snake an' the glass in the chocolates. An' the notes made frae words cut frae pamphlets." Whoever was doing this was no fool. "Whin yer rairdy, kin ye tell me whit happened yesterdae?"*** He asked gently. The last thing that he wanted was to upset Fiona or put her on the defensive; they were a family with a wildness in their blood and she was simply doing as her older siblings did. If anything Fiona was the most like him of his sisters.

(OOC: I've read the Hunting Oxford thread, if you want to summarise the description.)

Subtitles
* "Want me to scratch it for you?"
** "Yes girl, we need to sort this out. And I'm sorry I haven't been here until now to protect you."
*** "Catriona told me about the snake and the glass in the chocolates. And the notes made from words cut from pamphlets. When you're ready, can you tell me what happened yesterday?"

[Aria]

Fiona smiled wanly. She knew he was teasing, but replied with the truth. “I tried to do it myself but it didn’t help. I can’t feel it under all the bandages.” She remembered when Douglas had done much more than just scratch her ankle. It seemed odd to think of their affair now, but maybe it had something to so with being in a bedroom on a bed together. She recalled those days with fondness, but even had they both wished to renew their relationship, she would have to decline. A promise was a promise.

 

“Don’t blame yourself. Your duty to His Majesty always comes first.” She didn’t want to make him feel guiltier by telling him that she believed the assassin would have been caught already if he had been around when the threats started. Lord Langdon’s assistance had been invaluable, but she’d had an ulterior motive when she sought his help. She was seeking his bed as well, and her ploy had worked until Cat had returned to London and whisked her away.

 

It was no surprise that Douglas knew about the attempts on her life. It was likely that he knew everything, unlike Shona and Aileen, who had only been told that she was in danger and that they had been threatened as well. Fiona nodded, finished the pastry, and picked up another.

 

After a couple of bites, she told him exactly what she had told Lord Melville. She also explained the shooting incident yesterday and how Lord Melville had saved her. No mention was made of the emerald bracelet, which was back in its hiding place where nobody would be able to find it.

 

“I was stupid,” she concluded. “I should have known it was a trap.”

[Douglas FitzJames]

It was good to see Fiona smile, however wanly. "Weel, if ye think it needs a doctor, ye let me ken. I'll git ye ane."* He promised. They didn't need Fiona hobbling for the rest of her life. It was a shame that she'd hurt herself now, he'd planned to take her to a court event so that she could enjoy herself. But it was what it was - as with all of their lives - and they had to work with what they had. Perhaps a few days of bed rest would be the best thing for her. And yes, sitting on her bed, Douglas's mind flashed briefly to other things they'd done in a bed of hers. It seemed foolish now, however fun it was, and he had no desire to repeat that foolery, for all that he recalled it fondly and Fiona would always have a special place in his heart. 

Douglas would and did feel guilty that his duty called him away from his family, there was no avoiding that. But he was here now and he was going to do everything he could to set things right. He didn't tell her that Catriona had told him about Langdon, at least not yet. It didn't seem relevant to her situation, at the moment anyway. It was just yet another thing that had happened. Rather he listened carefully as she related the events of the previous day, trying to pick out any important details.

Finally Fiona declared that she'd been stupid to fall for it. "Aye, but I ken why ye did. T'was excitin', am I richt?" He asked with a cheeky quirk of an eyebrow. "I think yer more like me than ony o' oor sisters." He admitted gently, giving her a brief, fond smile and a pat on the leg. "We both do daft thin's frae time tae time; whit's important is that we learn frae thaim."** Which was something that he'd taken a long time to learn. But he was getting better at it. 

Then he turned his attention to the matter at hand. "Noo, ye sayed a man wha luiked like a so'jer handed ye the note speirin' ye tae gie ridin' yesterdae." He recalled. "Do ye still hae the note?" He asked. This was a new development. So far as he knew, the notes made from cut up pamphlets had always been left anonymously. "An' whit was it aboot the man that made him luik liek a so'jer?"*** That was an interesting observation. It was perhaps a logical assumption then that the note had come from Langdon, which then begged the question as to whether the man himself was involved? But from Douglas's observation he might be a successful womaniser but he was uncomplicated and couldn't plot his way out of a wet paper bag. Whoever was doing this had imagination. He wondered whether, expecting to finish Fiona off, they might have overplayed their hand. 

Subtitles
* "Well, if you think it needs a doctor, you let me know. I'll get you one."
** "Yes, but I know why you did. It was exciting, am I right? I think you're more like me than any of our sisters. We both do silly things from time to time; what's important is that we learn from them."
*** "Now, you said a man who looked like a soldier handed you the note asking you to come riding yesterday. Do you still have the note? And what was it about the man that made him look like a soldier?"

[Aria]

A doctor had examined her injuries already and Fiona didn’t think she needed another one. She hated being poked and prodded, but she appreciated her half-brother’s concern. “I’ll let you know if the pain gets worse.”

 

Douglas listened to her story without interrupting. His first reaction was not what she expected. “Yes, it was.” Like him, she could not resist the opportunity for adventure and the thought of meeting a handsome gentleman in secret had been intriguing.

 

“You understand me much better than our sisters do,” she admitted with a more genuine smile. “And I will definitely not make the same mistake again.” Fiona was so glad that he was back and hoped that the King would not have any business he needed to take care of until her stalker was found and thrown in prison. Dougie was her favorite of all her siblings, maybe because he was a lot like her. If she received another note asking for a meeting, she would take him with her.

 

“I burnt the note after I read it. Now I wished I had kept it. We might have been able to find out who wrote it.”

 

She frowned in thought when he asked why she thought the messenger was a soldier. “It was dark, but it looked like he was wearing a uniform.  I couldn’t tell what color it was or see any details. Something glinted in the moonlight and I assumed it was a weapon.”  Or maybe she had wanted the note to be from Charles, and her imagination had warped reality.

 

[Douglas FitzJames]

"I see a lot o' m'sel' in ye." He admitted. He just wanted to stop Fiona making the same kind of mistakes he did, but so far he hadn't had much success. Like himself she seemed to need to make her own mistakes and learn from them her own way. 

The admission that she'd burned the note drew a quiet, Gaelic curse from her brother. "Aye, I'd thocht we micht be able tae match the writin'." He agreed, since she clearly now saw what he was thinking. "If t'was a so'jer, I micht e'en hae recognised it."* Well, if it was a Life Guard. He'd been adjutant and Captain of the Third, he knew a lot of the Life Guards. And Fiona seemed fairly sure that he'd worn some sort of uniform, though the darkness hid details. 

Something had glinted and caught her eye though... "Was the glint at his hip?" Douglas asked, that was the usual place for a weapon, though a sword hilt would surely have been obvious; perhaps a pistol. "Aboot hou big?"** He was grasping at straws, he knew, but if any detail might give him some clue, he didn't want to miss it. Some of the Life Guards, being noble sons, had personalised and sometimes distinctive weapons. 

What to do, what to do. Douglas rubbed his chin with his thumb thoughtfully. "This was Wednesdae nicht, ye haed the note handed tae ye?" He clarified, throwing her a keen glance from cornflower blue eyes. "Cat telt me that Langdon kens whit's happenin'." He revealed. "If I tell him aboot yesterdae, he micht help me gie throu' the rosters an' find oot wha was an' wasnae on duty Wednesdae nicht." Which might help narrow it down at least. Someone in uniform on Wednesday night - and most of the Life Guard didn't live in their uniform, unlike some of their officers - with possibly a distinctive weapon. And a reason to want Fiona dead. And they were out in the forest on Thursday, presumably by horse. They might be getting somewhere. 

Subtitles
* "Yes, I thought we might be able to match the writing. If it was a soldier, I might even have recognised it."
** "Was the glint at his hip? About how big?"
*** "This was Wednesday night, you had the note handed to you? Cat told me that Langdon knows what's happening. If I tell him about yesterday, he might help me go through the rosters and find out who was and wasn't on duty Wednesday night."

[Aria]

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Fiona’s humor was returning now that she had some food in her stomach and the pleasure of eating dulled the pain a bit. Once more, she thought that a couple of years ago, part of Douglas had actually been in her, but quickly pushed that thought away. Their affair had been fun, but it was over. Like he had said, they were drawn to danger and learned from their mistakes.

 

“I’m sorry,” she said, before biting into another pastry. “All I could think of was that one of our sisters could discover the note if I didn’t destroy it.” Fiona looked toward the fireplace and sighed. “There’s no getting it back now.”

 

Douglas’ rapid-fire questions made her head spin even faster. Her brows drew together as she tried to remember. It had only been two nights ago. Why had she not paid more attention to the messenger? “Yes, it seemed to come from his hip but it was just a flash. I couldn’t tell how large it was.”

 

Fiona nodded. “I’m not sure what time it was, but it had been dark for several hours when he approached me.” Her brother’s blue gaze seemed more thoughtful than reproachful. “I went to Lord Langdon when I received the box with the asp in it. I didn’t know what else to do. I needed help and …” She stopped herself just before she said “you weren’t there.” He probably felt guilty enough already.

 

She wasn’t sure how she felt about Douglas discussing the incident with Charles. Fiona really needed to speak to him herself as soon as she was able to get around again. “I don’t think it was a Life Guard. Red is such a bright color, I probably would have seen hints of it in the light of the moon.”

[Douglas FitzJames]

It wasn't exactly a compliment, but it wasn't meant to be a criticism either. Douglas was trying, in his own awkward way, to tell Fiona that he understood her. At least a little. He wasn't sure it was a good thing they had to much in common - certainly it would be easier for Cat if they didn't. His own road hadn't exactly been easy thus far, but perhaps he was best placed to help Fiona find her own path, if she'd let him. God knew Cat wouldn't hear a word of his advice. 

Douglas sucked a breath in through his teeth and blew it out noisily, thinking. A burnt note, a trail of murder attempts and what? A figure who looked vaguely soldier-like with something, probably a weapon, that glinted in the moonlight. It wasn't much to go on. Douglas felt at a loss. 

He nodded at the words left unsaid. "Aye, ye needed help an' Langdon gied ye that."* He acknowledged. That much had to be said. 

"Mos' thin's luik grey in the moonlicht." Douglas observed when she insisted it wasn't a Life Guard. He was speaking from experience, but was also aware that between himself and Langdon, Fiona was quite familiar with the Life Guard uniform and would surely recognise it. Was there anything else? "I dinnae ken ony other so'jers at Windsor, thou' haps I kin find out." Who else would be there but the King's Life Guard? Perhaps that was the important question. Who might know? "I still want tae talk tae Langdon aboot it."** He might have tabs on other soldiery. 

Fiona's posture seemed to stiffen a little when he spoke of the Earl, or was he imagining it? "I ken he was doin' more'n helpin' ye." He said, to get the horse out of the room. "T'doesnae matter; whit matters is findin' this wuid-be murderer." He said bluntly. They could worry about who she'd been shagging later. If Langdon had been protecting her then Douglas still owed him gratitude for that. 

Subtitles
* Yes, you needed help and Langdon gave you that."
** "Most things look grey in the moonlight. I don't know any other soldiers at Windsor, though perhaps I can find out. I still want to talk to Langdon about it."
*** "I know he was doing more than helping you. It doesn't matter, what matters is finding this would-be murderer.

[Aria]

Fiona braced herself for a lecture when she mentioned Charles and breathed a sigh of relief when it was not forthcoming. Unlike Cat, Douglas seemed to understand why she had gone to him for help. It was natural for her to trust Life Guards and Charles was a friend of her sister’s. He was obviously not the killer.

 

She was indeed afraid of what might happen if her brother discussed the matter with Charles. Cat had probably told him about their affair. The pastries seemed to be doing somersaults in her belly. She relaxed only slightly when he confessed that he knew and claimed that it didn’t matter.  "It does to Cat," she said quietly.

 

At the moment, she didn’t want to discuss that subject and instead focused on his comment about the gray cast of the moon. “You’re right,” she admitted. “I suppose it could have been one. It’s just hard to believe. Anybody who can send a Life Guard on an errand has to be important.”

 

Her eyes widened and she grabbed Douglas’ arm, crumbs spewing from her mouth and dotting the blanket. “What if the assassin is someone who is trying to impress the King? Has Cat met with His Majesty this season?"   Fiona had so many problems of her own, she hadn't paid much attention to what the rest of her family was doing.  "If she told him how much trouble I’ve been, some influential lord might decide to remove me from the equation hoping to be praised for it.  It’s not like I’m important.”

 

Panic colored her voice. “If so, I’m done for!”

[Douglas FitzJames]

It did seem fairly natural for Fiona to go to Langdon for help. Her brother was a Life Guard and Charles was a friend of the family. And Douglas never considered that the man might be the killer; he might be good at seducing women but the Scotsman doubted he could plot his way out of a wet paper envelope. He also, so far as Douglas could tell, didn't actually have a malicious bone in his body, just a lot of gormless ones. And if Fiona banged him whilst she was there, well, it took two to dance and he had no illusion that she was unwilling. No, that was just one more relationship under her corset and he didn't really care, but Fiona pointed out that Cat did. 

It was a valid point, and a painful one. Douglas ran a large hand over his face, half-drunk tea forgotten, as he marshalled his thoughts. This was difficult, and he had to be careful about what he said. The last thing he wanted was the sisters fighting; more than was normal anyway. But he wouldn't ignore the issue. "Cat loves ye; ne'er doobt that." He said at last. "But she wasnae cut oot fer this." And that, he felt was the core of the problem. "God made Cat tae wed a nice man, live in the Heelan's an' hae a booncin' bairn each year tae coddle." He knew she would have been happy, he could see her there clear in his mind's eye. "Insteed she's lost twa husbands an' is raisin' her bairn wi'oot a father." And there was the tragedy. "She went throu' a lot tae git ye oot o' the Coort o' Wards, because she loves you and she feered losin' ye." Fiona knew all this of course. "Noo she wants nocht but tae protect ye."* There, he felt, was the honest truth of it. 

It was a difficult thought to put together, something he'd been trying to work out himself over time, and various fights, with Cat. But this wasn't about him right now. "Still, if Cat haed her wa', likely ye an' yer sisters wuid aw be livin' taegether fere'er, like a Scottish nunnery." He said, less of a joke than he would have liked. That was if one of them didn't kill one of the others, which was a possibility. "Honestly, I think she feels o'erwhelmed." He had at least some sympathy for his sister; he might have more if she'd actually let him help. "She doesnae ken hou tae face the fact that yer aw growin' up, an' mus' travel yer ain paths."**

Still, mention of Cat seemed to conjure by association the King, and further concern for Fiona. Could it have been a Life Guard after all? Could Cat have spoken to the King? What if it was someone who wanted to impress the King? The poor girl suddenly seemed near panic. "Calm doon lassie. The King's keepin' awa' frae his former mistresses sin' the Queen haed his heir." He finally had a legitimate child, and was no doubt keen to keep both wife and God happy. "Nae, ye sayed yersel' the letters started oot saucy. Tis some moon-touched fellow wha' wants ye, kens he cannae hae ye, an' haes decided that nae'un else shuid hae ye either." Of that Douglas was fairly certain. "T'micht e'en hae been the so'jer wha handed ye the note on Wednesday." Why not? "Did he say ocht?"*** He asked suddenly. 

Subtitles
* "Cat loves you, never doubt that. But she wasn't cut out for this. God made Cat to marry a nice man, live in the Highlands and have a bouncing baby each year to coddle. Instead she's lost two husbands and is raising her baby without a father. She went through a lot to get you out of the Court of Wards, because she loves you and she feared losing you. Now that she has you she wants nothing but to protect you."
** "Still, if Cat had her way, likely you and your sisters would all be living together forever, like a Scottish nunnery. Honestly, I think she feels overwhelmed. She doesn't know how to face the fact that you're all growing up, and must travel your own paths."
*** "Calm down girl. The King's keeping away from his former mistresses since the Queen has his hair. No, you said yourself the letters started out saucy. It's some moon-touched fellow who wants you, knows he can't have you, and has decided that no one else should have you either. It might even have been the soldier who handed you the note on Wednesday. Did he say anything?"

[Aria]

Douglas didn’t look upset at her comment about her oldest sister, but he did seem a bit troubled. Fiona knew that he and Cat didn’t always see eye to eye either. Had they argued about her? While he didn’t exactly defend her, he spoke of her in a way that Fiona had rarely considered. It was true that Cat had not expected to raise her three younger sisters and that she would likely have been more content to raise a family in the Highlands. Yet still she had taken responsibility for them instead of leaving them in the Court of Wards where they could have been split up or even abused.

 

Would I have done the same thing if I was the eldest? Probably not. Cat had given up her own happiness for theirs, which made Fiona feel guilty for all the problems she had caused. Her sister was just trying to do her best by them, and she kept pushing boundaries and railing against Cat’s authority. Her current predicament must be extremely distressing for her sister.  By sneaking away and getting shot at, Fiona was only making it worse.

 

“I know she loves us. And I love her too and I'm grateful for all she'd done for us.  It must be difficult to let us go, but we all have to leave the nest eventually.” Fiona sighed. “I’m trying to behave, Douglas, I really am, but for some reason, I always fail.”  Especially when it comes to resisting gentlemen.

 

The notion that an influential courtier might be behind the attempts on her life was horrifying. Her brother’s reasoning made sense. Elated that he had an heir, the King probably didn’t think often of his mistresses or even his illegitimate children.

 

So much had happened since the beginning of her ordeal that she occasionally forgot how it started. “Maybe he's an important man too,” she said of her stalker.  Though still shaken, she let go of Douglas' sleeve

 

“Do you really think he might have approached me himself?” She frowned, trying to remember that encounter two nights ago. Her head still felt rather fuzzy. “He spoke my name as if it was a question. Lady Lochend? Like he wasn’t sure who I was. When I confirmed my identity, he handed me the note. I read it immediately and when I looked up, he was gone.”

[Douglas FitzJames]

Cat and Doug had argued about Fiona, they argued about a lot of things, they were Scots. But that didn't mean that they weren't united in their desire to see her safe and happy. It was mostly how that might be achieved that they couldn't agree on. But, odd couple though they were, they both cared deeply for their sisters, and for each other, and were trying to do the best thing by them. They didn't always succeed though, even as Fiona admitted to not succeeding in behaving herself. He patted her leg gently in a gesture of brotherly affection. "We're nane o' us perfect." Far from it, truth be told. "Cat an' I haena exactly been the best role models." He admitted. At least, not by the mores of proper society. "But we're tryin' tae."* And that was all they could do. Not that any of them had a great track record. Cat and her success in saving their sisters from the Court of Wards was probably the best. But neither older sibling had expected to be raising their youngers.

"I think..." another idle pat on Fi's leg as Douglas marshalled his thoughts, which sometimes took a while, "that we're ne'er giein' tae please the proper crood, oor family." He said bluntly. Well, maybe the younger girls might; not the older three. "Sae we kin be a bit creative in hou we shape oor lives." It was a conclusion that Douglas had come to over time for himself. Sometimes one had to think outside the box. "Unfortunately society gies a lassie fewer options thain a laddie."** He acknowledged. If he'd been the young Viscount of Lochend and was randomly shagging young women, well, he'd have probably suffered little more reprovals than Langdon had. But women faced other expectations. Which she might be able to ignore, were she not the King's ward.

"Do ye like Langdon?" Douglas asked suddenly, and it was clear that it was a genuine question. "Do ye want me tae put the hard word on him tae wed ye?"*** He could do that. Langdon might not agree, but Douglas had a certain amount of information he was prepared to use as leverage, if he really needed it. If it would make things right for his sister. Plus it might remove some of the danger to other young women at court. Clearly she and Langdon liked each other enough to shag, but enough to live together? Well, she'd lived with him over one recess and they'd both survived. Perhaps it would do them both good. It would mean dealing with Charles as an in-law, but Douglas figured he could cope, for Fiona's sake and Cat's sanity. 

Maybe her stalker was an important man? Douglas patted Fiona's hand where it clutched her sleeve, wanting to comfort her whilst not having a lot of answers himself. He'd wondered whether the soldier who'd handed her the note had been her stalker himself, but if he'd had to ask who she was before presenting the note... "Haps nae him thain." Douglas acknowledged. "But wha did he work for?" The big man wondered aloud. "Did he soond like he haed ony kind o' accent, er did ye notice onythin' aboot his voice?" Admittedly it might be hard to tell from two spoken words. Who would use soldiers, who probably weren't Life Guards, and have them here at Windsor? He tried to think. Someone smart enough to make those notes from cut up pamphlets, except for that last letter which unfortunately Fiona had burned. "Was thair onythin' else aboot the so'jer? Taw er short? Fat er thin?"+ There was a thought there, scratching away in the back of his mind, but he couldn't put his finger on it yet. He'd had to tease it out. What was his subconscious trying to tell him? Meanwhile Fiona probably hadn't noticed much else in the excitement of a secret note, but she might have, any any clue could be the vital one. 

Subtitles
* "We're none of us perfect. Can and I haven't exactly been the best role models. But we're trying too."
** "I think... that we're never going to please the proper crowd, our family. So we can be a bit creative in how we shape our lives. Unfortunately society gives a girl fewer options than a boy. 
*** "Do you like Langdon? Do you want me to put the hard word on him to wed you?"
+ "Perhaps not him then. But who did he work for? Did he sound like he had any kind of accent, or did you notice anything about his voice? Was there anything else about the soldier? Tall or short? Fat or thin?"

[Aria]

Fiona supposed that most courtiers would not consider a mistress of the King and a bastard to be proper guardians for three young girls, but they could have done much worse. “I’d rather have role models like you and Cat than some holier-than-thou prigs with sticks up their arses. No matter how proper we were, we would still be looked down upon by many courtiers just because we’re Scots.”

 

She sighed when Douglas pointed out that gentleman had more advantages than ladies. “It’s not fair that we are held to stricter standards. A man can get away with almost anything but women must always be above reproach, even though we have the same wants and needs as you do. Sometimes I wish I had been born male.” If she had been, she certainly wouldn’t be in the predicament in which she currently found herself.

 

Did she like Charles? “Yes,” she admitted. “I do. And I think he likes me too. But I don’t want to force him to marry me. He would resent me and blame me for ruining his life. We would both be miserable. So please don’t put any pressure on him. I don’t need another enemy. One is more than enough.” Her brow furrowed in thought. “If he really wanted to marry me, though, I probably wouldn’t turn him down.”

 

On the subject of the mysterious soldier, she shook her head and immediately regretted it as the world spun about her once again. “I don’t remember much about him. It was dark and I think he purposefully kept himself in shadow. I don’t know how tall he was or what his voice sounded like. He startled me and I was more interested in the note.”

 

Fiona sighed again. “I’m sorry, Douglas. I’m not really any help at all.”

 

[Douglas FitzJames]

Fiona's words drew a genuine, fond smile from her brother. They weren't proper, they weren't English, but they were fiercely loyal to and protective of each other, and Douglas wanted only the best for his sisters. However much he might argue with her, he believed that Cat did as well. 

"Tisnae fair." Douglas agreed simply. "But if thairs ane thin' I hae learned tis that nocht is fuckin' fair in this life." He observed sourly. But a bastard knew all about how unfair this cruel world was, spending his life being punished for his father's sin, despite being baptised. "Aw ye kin do is grab opportunities whin ye see thaim."* That had become his philosophy. 

Nodding, Douglas held up a placating hand when Fiona asked him not to pressure Langdon into marrying her. "Fair enough." He said, acknowledging her point that she didn't need him resenting her. "But Cat an' I kin gently let him ken that we wuid welcome such a request, eh?"** He suggested with a wink. If it was what Fiona wanted, then he would do what he could to facilitate that. Really, Fiona marrying Whitehurst would solve a lot of court's problems, at least for a little while. 

"S'orricht lassie." Douglas sighed as Fiona apologised for not being able to help with any more details. "I feel I'm nae bein' much help, jus' clutchin' at straws."*** he admitted. He felt he didn't have enough to go on, and kept running his mind over what little he did know, looking for any detail he might have missed. At least with a swollen ankle, Fiona wasn't going anywhere without permission for the time being. 

Which in some ways was a shame, as Douglas had another idea. He recalled something the fortune teller had told him; keep in mind that what seems right can be wrong and what seems wrong can be right. "Acourse, ye dinnae hae tae wed tae git safety an' permanence a' coort; ye cuid become mistress tae a poow'erfu' man insteed."+ He pointed out. Cat had done it. Many other women had done it. If it was someone powerful enough, even the King would turn a blind eye rather than take issue.

Subtitles
* "It isn't fair. But if there's one thing I have learned it's that nothing is fucking fair in this life. All you can do is grab opportunities when you see them."
** "Fair enough. But Cat  and I can gently let him know that we would welcome such a request, eh?"
*** "It's alright girl. I feel I'm not being much help, just clutchting at straws."
+ "Of course, you don't have to marry to get safety and permanence at court; you could become mistress to a powerful man instead."

 

[Aria]

Life was more unfair to Douglas than it was to her. Fiona regretted airing her grievances against the rules that governed a lady’s behavior, for it had reminded her brother of his own situation. His advice made her feel a bit better about her own choices. She had already grasped one opportunity, though he wouldn’t approve if he knew. Hopefully, Duncan had kept his promise.

 

Fiona picked up a muffin and bit into it. She was still hungry, even after polishing off nearly half the food on the tray. Douglas’ wink made her smile. “I don’t think that would do any harm. Maybe he is hoping for your approval.” In truth, she didn’t think Charles would marry her even if her dowry was enormous and he would become a Duke. He was probably looking for a proper young lady who would ignore his cheating instead of seeing his infidelity as an indication that she could take lovers too.

 

“You’re making an effort to find my stalker. And I know that you will track him down. That helps a lot. I wish I had not burnt that letter. The handwriting might have been the evidence we need.” Fiona sighed. “But I can’t go back in time and change my actions. Perhaps you should go see Lord Langdon. He doesn’t know of this latest attack, and I am forbidden to see him.”

 

Fiona nearly choked when Douglas suggested that she could become the mistress of a powerful man instead of a wife. She quickly took a sip of tea. “I don’t think Cat wants any of us to follow in her footsteps, and no influential gentleman is interested in me anyway. I like the suggestion you made last season better. If I marry an old man with one foot in the grave, it won’t be long before I become a widow. Then I will have all the freedom I want.”

 

[Douglas FitzJames]

"Aye, haps he is." Douglas replied gently on the subject of Langdon possibly waiting for his approval to ask for Fiona's hand. It was true that the two men had a cordial if slightly complicated relationship. But having seen Langdon at the Circus with Susan Herbert, Douglas suspected the man had simply moved on. Still, perhaps Fiona was right. She no doubt knew Langdon better than Douglas did. He would find out. "Tis guid tae see ye eatin' weel; ye need tae keep yer strength up."* Her brother commented idly; no fear that the stress might have put Fiona off her food. Yet another thing they seemed to have in common. 

He hadn't known that Fiona was forbidden from seeing Langdon, though once she said it, it came as little surprise. That was Cat's rule no doubt, given their previous liasons. "We weel find thaim." He assured her on the subject of her stalker, with a confidence that he was trying to will into reality. "Jus' promise me that if ye git ony more notes er gifts, ye wilnae open thaim er act on thaim wi'oot tellin' me first."** Douglas wanted to protect her, and he couldn't do that if he didn't know. 

The big man snorted in derision when Fiona said that Cat wouldn't like it if she became a mistress to a powerful man. "Aye, but Cat's awfu' guid at disapprovin' o' others doin' whit she haes alrairdy dane." He observed. She didn't want him to marry either, and it was obvious that her heart wasn't in marrying off the girls. "Besides, since whin haes whit Cat thinks stopped ye?"*** It certainly didn't stop her shagging Langdon or that miscreant they hanged. 

Fiona protested that no influential men wanted her. "Pfft. I kin think o' twa Dukes ye cuid hae richt noo, if ye wanted." He said easily. "Ye teltit me once ye wanted a Duke, an' tis kent fer men tae wed thair mistresses if thair wife dees." One of them had even done it before. "Plus, neither haes children frae thair wives. Oor family haes allus bred weel; if ye were tae gie ane a child - 'specially a son - I dinnae doobt they wuid shoower ye in gifts."+ Which he knew Fiona would enjoy. She loved being made a fuss of. 

"As fer auld men wi' ane foot in th'grave, I haena foond ane yet." He admitted. And he had looked. "Save haps a rich commoner."++ He added thoughtfully. Maybe. Probably not the best idea though. 

Subtitles
* "Yes, perhaps it is. It's good to see you eating well; you need to keep your strength up."
** "We will find them. Just promise me that if you get any more notes or gifts, you won't open them or act on them without telling me first."
*** "Yes, but Cat's awfully good at disapproving of others doing what she has already done. Besides, since when has what Cat thinks stopped you?"
+ "Pfft. I can think of two Dukes you could have right now, if you wanted. You told me once you wanted a Duke, and it's known for men to wed their mistresses if their wife dies. Plus neither has children from their wives. Our family has always bred well; if you were to give one a child - especially a son - I don't doubt they would shower you with gifts."
++ "As for old men with one foot in the grave, I haven't found one yet. Save perhaps a rich commoner."

[Aria]

Though Douglas agreed with her about Charles’ possible intentions, Fiona didn’t think he believed that the Earl would marry her either. She doubted that he would even mention it when the two gentlemen met again. It was more important to track down the would-be assassin, and she didn’t want Charles to feel obligated to marry her.

 

She felt a momentary twinge of panic when he commented on her appetite until she reminded herself that pregnancy wasn’t the only reason to eat a lot. “I felt too sick to eat much yesterday so I guess I’m making up for it.” It was true that she had barely touched her dinner last night. She’d been too worried that Duncan would change his mind and send a note informing her siblings that she was with child. He had not done so. Fiona should have known that she could trust him.

 

She wasn’t absolutely certain that she was forbidden to see Charles, but she assumed she was. Cat wouldn’t protest if they conversed at a party, but she would probably be displeased if they arranged a private meeting, even if they just planned to talk.

 

“I promise,” she said solemnly. “I won’t go anywhere alone either. If you or Lord Melville can’t accompany me, I will take one of the guards. I’ve learned my lesson.”

 

For some reason, Doug’s criticism of Cat bothered her. “But she was the mistress of the King. That’s different. One can’t exactly turn him down, though I doubt she wanted to. I can’t blame her for not wanting that kind of life for her sisters. She’s always been protective of us.”

 

Her eyes widened. “You know of two Dukes who would be open to taking a mistress? If they’re rich and powerful enough, and I can charm them into marrying me if their wives die, maybe Cat won’t disapprove. Who are they?”

[Douglas FitzJames]

Despite Fiona's doubts, Douglas would absolutely mention the idea of marrying her to Langdon when they next spoke. In fact it was only Fiona's request that would keep him from twisting the man's arm, which he would happily have done. But he understood that a forced marriage would likely be an unhappy one, and he didn't want that for Fiona. But at least she had allies in this problem of her stalker, and he would use all the help they could get. And he could understand, with the stress of everything that had happened yesterday, that Fiona might not have eaten a lot. It was heartening to see her making up for it. The MacBains were tough, they'd get through this. The stalker would be found and then he wouldn't have much of a future, Douglas promised himself that.

Fiona's promise prompted another affectionate pat on her leg from her brother. "Guid lassie. Melville's worth his weight in gold, an' ye ken I wuid do ocht for ye. Jus' stay safe, tis aw we ask."* Don't take any risks, the last one was almost one risk too many. 

Douglas realised that his own gripes with Cat had spilled over more than he'd intended when Fiona protested that one couldn't refuse the King. He mentally chided himself; Fiona didn't need his complaints right now, and she didn't need to see her older siblings divided. "The King's a gentleman, he wuidnae tak' a lassie unwillin'." Douglas pointed out. Unlike some at court. "An' I dinnae wha started it. But I ken whit yer sayin'." It was hard to say no to a powerful man, but not impossible. Cat had proven that as well. "Cat wants whit's best fer aw of us." He agreed. "Tis jus' that sometimes we disagree on whit is best."** He said, trying to explain his earlier comment. No doubt if Catriona wanted Fiona to know all the details of her past relationships, she'd tell her.

"I ken twa Dukes wha I think wuid be open tae takin' ye as a mistress." Douglas clarified. "I cannae promise ocht, an' we wuid need tae mak sure they didnae see ye as a casual fling."*** It was something that would have to be worked at, but he felt the opportunity was there. 

"The first is the Duke o' Ablemarle. He's young, younger thain me, an' more int'rested in women, wine an' gamblin' thain politics. His wife's rumoured tae be a bit odd, intae some strange doin's, but she is Newcastle's dochter." And he was a dangerous man to piss off. "I think he wuid be th'easier tae manipulate; the key wuid be gittin' him comin' back tae ye." And Chris Monck would do a bit for the promise of a good shag, Douglas thought. "His wife may weel be barren sin' they hae nae bairns."+

"The second is the Duke o' Lauderdale." He said, watching Fiona's reaction. Their sister's hatred of the man was no secret. "He's auld, canny, an' ugly as fuck, but he's the mos' poowerfu' man in Scotland. An' we ken he's wanted ye as weel as Cat. But t'wuid be different if ye were his mistress on yer terms, 'stead o' his." At least, Douglas thought so. If she came to him because she wanted to be there, rather than as the price of her sisters, then she owed him nothing. "His wife was his mistress once; she's sayed tae be canny as weel, an' haes children frae her previous husband, but nane wi' him. He haes ane dochter frae his first marriage."++ So perhaps the problem was Maitland himself. Never an easy thing for a man to admit, but he wasn't the only one at court.

Subtitles
* "Good girl. Melville's worth his weight in gold, and you know I would do anything for you. Just stay safe, that's all we ask."
** "The King's a gentleman, he wouldn't take a lady unwilling. And I don't know who started it. But I know what you're saying. Cat wants what's best for all of us. It's just that sometimes we disagree on what is best."
*** "I know two Dukes who I think would be open to taking you as a mistress. I can't promise anything, and we would need to make sure they didn't see you as a casual fling."
+ "The first is the Duke of Ablemarle. He's young, younger than me, and more interested in women, wine and gambling than politics. His wife's rumoured to be a bit odd, into some strange doings, but she is Newcastle's daughter. I think he would be the easier to manipulate; the key would be getting him coming back to you. His wife may well be barren since they have no children."
++ "The second is the Duke of Lauderdale. He's old, smart and ugly as fuck, but he's the most powerful man in Scotland. And we know he's wanted you as well as Cat. But it would be different if you were his mistress on your own terms, instead of his. His wife was his mistress once; she's said to be smart as well, and has children from her previous husband, but none with him. He has one daughter from his first marriage."

Edited July 8 by Douglas FitzJames
Corrected for factual error: Maitland's daughter.

[Aria]

“I’m sure Cat was willing. I would have been too if he had been interested in me.” At the time their relationship started, Fiona had been too young for such things. “He might be old, but he’s still quite handsome.”

 

She chuckled. “We MacBains will always disagree. We’re a stubborn lot.” There was pride in her voice. Obstinance was a positive trait, in her opinion.

 

Fiona could hardly believe that Douglas would condone her having an affair with a Duke. The Duke of Albemare was not particularly handsome, but he was young and had probably had a few mistresses already. She’d heard all kinds of gossip about his wife, none of it good.

 

Her mouth nearly dropped to the floor when her brother suggested the Duke of Lauderdale. Fortunately, it wasn’t full of food. It was a few moments before she was able to speak. “You know how much Cat hates him. He has propositioned me before and … to be honest … I seriously thought about it, but I knew you and Cat would never forgive me.

 

“I would loathe every minute of it, and might throw up afterwards, but that might be my best chance at becoming a Duchess, especially if he thinks I can give him a son. His wife is old too, and will probably die when I’m still young. Lady Albemare is not that much older than me and will likely live for many more years. Both of them are good choices but if I want to be a Duchess and the wife of a powerful man, Lauderdale is the way to go.”

 

Her eyes met her brother’s. “If you’re on my side, maybe Cat won’t be so angry. If I become his mistress, it's also unlikely that he’ll go after Shona or Aileen when they debut. That's what I have always been afraid of."

 

[Douglas FitzJames]

Douglas didn't doubt that Cat had been willing to bed the King. From the way she acted around their monarch she might even love the man. He just didn't know whether Cat had first sought the King's attention, or the King had approached her. None of which mattered now. Wealth and power were a strong draw, and who was more wealthy or powerful than the King? And it had worked. Cat had gained custody of her sisters, which was what she had wanted, as well as protection from other powers at court. As a woman it had been a very smart move. And Fiona was right, such a mix of strong personalities would always disagree, but they still loved each other and would fight together should anything outside threaten them. Like her stalker.

Perhaps it was unexpected that Douglas suggest Fiona become a Duke's mistress, but in his eye it was the next logical step. She didn't really want to marry a young man; she wanted to be free and libertine. She would still be part of the Court of Wards for several years yet, so in order to avoid the King marrying her off when he got tired of her antics, she needed a patron powerful enough that the King wouldn't want to cause trouble with them. Plus Fiona wanted the wealth and power that came with powerful men, or so she had told him. But it had been the fortune teller's words that had finally allowed the idea to form. Keep in mind that what seems right can be wrong and that what seems wrong can be right, she had said. Well, being a mistress was considered wrong, but for Fiona it might just be right. Especially if it led to an eventual marriage to a powerful old man, like she wanted. 

Still, Douglas had kind of expected Fiona to choose Ablemarle, as the easier mark, if she went for the idea. But no, her ambition led her to the same conclusion he had formed; her best bet was the man their sister hated most in all of court. "Cat weel hae a fit." He agreed honestly. He could hear the ranting in his mind's ear already. "But if yer clear that tis whit ye want, an' yer happy, thain I think she weel cam tae terms wi'it."* He said. 

Fiona's revelation that she had actually considered such a move, and her reasons for not doing so, surprised her brother. "I wuid fergi' ye." He assured her. "I'm encouragin' ye, if tis whit ye want." But he didn't want Fiona to think that he was pushing her into something she didn't want. "I hae nae reason tae hate Lauderdale; that's Cat's feud, thou' if I were her I'd be pissed wi' him tae." He acknowledged. "But I think tis hurtin' us. He's the mos' poowerfu' man in Scotland; if he thinks the MacBains er a threat, he weel do whit he can tae keep us doon. On th'other hand, if he thinks we're allies, he weel lift us up."** And that was the important bit. Lauderdale could be generous to the family if he chose. 

Douglas was absolutely on Fiona's side. He had his own reasons for wanting to seek favour with Lauderdale, and he was glad that Fiona was seeing the opportunities there too. His blue gaze widened slightly when she mentioned their younger sisters; he hadn't thought of that. "Aye, we want tae keep him awa' frae the wee lassies." He said firmly. The tricky bit would be Cat. "I think we kin win Cat o'er." He said at length. "She doesnae hae tae like Lauderdale, ainly convince him that she's nae threat tae him. She jus' needs tae be civil."*** Which could be the tricky bit. But as a woman with the King's ear, Douglas understood why Lauderdale would see her as a threat.

"But we kin luik at it this wa'; we're settin' ye up tae benefit frae him. I foond oot that Lairdy Lauderdale is ill." Though how ill he didn't know. But it was an opportunity. "I'm alsae luikin' tae gain whit I kin frae him throu' service. We kin suck him dry an' end up the Doowager Duchess o' Lauderdale an' th' Earl o' Aberdeen. I think Cat wuid be aw for't if we frame it as revenge."+ That was how to get Cat on board, he thought. They were using Lauderdale rather than him using them. 

Subtitles
* "Cat will have a fit. But if you're clear that it's what you want, and you're happy, then I think she will come to terms with it."
** "I would forgive you. I'm encouraging you, if it's what you want. I have no reason to hate Lauderdale; that's Cat's feud, though if I were her I'd be pissed with him too. But I think it's hurting us. He's the most powerful man in Scotland; if he thinks the MacBains are a threat, he will do what he can to keep us down. On the other hand, if he thinks we're allies, he will lift us up."
*** "Yes, we want to keep him away from the little girls. I think we can win Cat over. She doesn't have to like Lauderdale, only convince him that she's not a threat to him. She just needs to be civil."
+ "But we can look at it this way; we're setting you up to benefit from him. I found out that Lady Lauderdale is ill. I'm also looking to gain what I can from him through service. We can suck him dry and end up the Dowager Duchess of Lauderdale and the Earl of Aberdeen. I think Cat would be all for it if we frame it as revenge."

Edited July 14 by Douglas FitzJames

[Aria]

Fiona could hardly believe that Douglas was actually encouraging her to become Lauderdale’s mistress. His reasoning made perfect sense. With him on their side instead of against them, their family could benefit greatly. Perhaps together, they could convince Cat that this situation was the best for all of them. A small smile graced her lips at the news that Lady Lauderdale was ill. And now that she knew that Douglas wanted to become the Earl of Aberdeen, she would do everything in her power to get him promoted. All she had to do was one thing and the old codger would give her anything she wanted, hopefully even that. Yes, they would suck him dry and it would definitely be revenge.

 

It already was.

 

Duncan had urged her to tell her older siblings the secret she had revealed to him. He didn’t know it all, though. Now that she knew Douglas would support her, she felt that he would understand what she had done and why.

 

Her hazel eyes locked on his. “Maybe we can hide it from Cat.” Fiona took his hand and held it tightly. Could he feel her trembling? Was she doing the right thing? He never lied to her and she was certain that he meant what he said. “I’ve been hiding something from both of you and neither of you even suspected."

 

She bit her lip nervously.  “I have a confession to make, Dougie, and I hope you won’t be angry with me. When Lauderdale propositioned me after Christmas, I didn’t just think about it. I did it. I’m now pregnant with his child.”

[Douglas FitzJames]

Fiona looked up at him, suddenly wide-eyed, and Douglas's first incongruent thought was that blood was a funny thing; Fiona hadn't inherited the deep blue eyes that Cat and Doug had, but rather an attractive shade of hazel from her mother. She was still very obviously a MacBain. Her hand sought his and he felt her grip tighten around his fingers; too tight. Was there a tremble in that touch? Douglas wasn't the most perceptive person in the world but he suddenly had the feeling that something was wrong. Was it simple fear of Lauderdale and what they proposed to do? No, in her next words Fiona revealed that she'd been hiding something from the family.

Douglas had always been honest with Fiona. He was honest with most people, he didn't find duplicity easy. He wanted her to feel that she could be honest with him. He squeezed her fingers gently, cornflower blue gaze holding hers, and nodded silently. He was listening, he was here, and he wasn't judging. 

He did wasn't ready for her revelation. 

There was a moment's silence where the whole world seemed to hold it's breath, then Douglas did something that perhaps Fiona didn't expect; he threw back his head and laughed. Not just a chuckle but a full, gleeful cackle, full of relief and joy and pride. "Ach lassie!" He said when he could speak. "Here's me thinkin' I wuid hae tae coach ye intae his beid, an' yer way aheid o' me!" He was still chuckling. "I teltit ye we're cut frae the same cloth." She wasn't just on the same wavelength, she was far ahead of him. It was something of a relief. "We weel handle Cat."* He assured her then. Whatever happened, Fiona had Douglas's unwavering support. 

And she was already pregnant? "Are ye certain tis his?" Douglas asked, suddenly rather more serious. "Ye haena ta'en ony other lovers sin him?" They needed to be able to be certain. Another thought occurred. "Daes he ken?"** They were practically home and hosed. 

Except one other thought occurred to him. "Did ye git the glass-filled chocolates afore er efter ye started sleepin' wi' Lauderdale?"*** He asked suddenly. Hadn't his instinct been that the would-be killer might be a woman?

Subtitles
* "Ah girl! Here's me thinking I would have to coach you into his bed, and you're way ahead of me! I told you we were cut from the same cloth. We will handle Cat."
** "Are you certain it's his? You haven't taken any other lovers since him? Does he know?"
*** "Did you get the glass-filled chocolates before or after you started sleeping with Lauderdale?"

[Aria]

Fiona had expected an immediate response to her revelation, but it didn’t come. For a few poignant moments, the only sound she heard was the rapid beating of her heart. I shouldn’t have said anything. He doesn’t approve. I will probably be …

 

And then laughter filled the air … rich, joyful laughter. She watched Douglas’s face as he chortled, delighted by his reaction. He understood, just as she had known he would. A smile wreathed her pretty features as he expressed his pride in her for being several steps ahead of him. And when he promised her that they would be able to handle Cat, she believed him.

 

Everything was going to be okay.

 

“It’s his,” she said. “I had an affair with Char … Lord Langdon … but he always pulled out. He ended our relationship because of his friendship with you and Cat. I wasn’t pregnant then. I needed Lord Langdon. I still do.” She wrinkled her nose. “Pretending that I enjoyed the attentions of that old, ugly, flabby, wrinkled, despicable old geezer…” She shuddered. “Only knowing that I had Charles’ affection to look forward to got me through. He kept me sane. I care for him and I think he caress for me too. I wish I could see him again ...”

 

Fiona sighed. “Lauderdale was mean to me at first, like he was punishing me for something, but I think I charmed him into developing a genuine fondness for me, though I hated every minute of it. He showered me with gifts and wanted me to give him a son. When I  fell pregnant, he was thrilled and his gifts became more elaborate. The last one was a gorgeous emerald bracelet that's worth a small fortune. I know there will be many more. He has promised to give me an estate and financial support if I give birth to a son. I’ll be set for life.  If his wife dies, I'm sure he will marry me so our son can become his heir."

 

Douglas asked her when she had received the chocolates. She closed her eyes, thinking. “A few months after I started sleeping with him, I think.”

 

[Douglas FitzJames]

Suddenly a whole host of things made sense, even if a few other things didn't. Douglas could easily have believed that Fiona's baby was Langdon's, so it was a relief to hear that it wasn't because he wouldn't put money on Langdon doing the right thing. But now it didn't matter. "I dinnae envy ye lassie, haein' tae put him wi' him." The thought was frankly revolting. "I hae nae problem wi' ye speakin' wi' Langdon." He said evenly. She just couldn't keep sleeping with him. "If yer ankle werenae injured I'd tak ye wi' me tae the Yacht race taemorrer."* That was a public event and the perfect place to speak to her friend.

"Haein' sayed that," the big man scratched his nose, "did ye still want me tae speak tae Langdon aboot weddin' ye?" He asked. Their entire previous conversation now took on a different angle. "I wuid do it fer ye, tae mak' ye happy, but I weel be honest an' say I saw him oot wawking wi' Susan Herbert, an' her mither, at the Circus on Wednesday." So to Douglas's eyes it looked as though the man had moved on. He gave Fiona a sad smile and a empathetic squeeze of her hand. "T'micht be best fer both o' ye nae tae be seen tae close."** If Langdon was going after Susan, then being associated with Fiona as a known libertine would do him no good, and any suspicion on Lauderdale's part wouldn't help her.

The revelation that Lauderdale had been cruel to Fiona initially drew a frown from her brother. He was very protective, if only she's stand still long enough to be protected. "Ye did champion that lover o' yern that tried tae kill him." He reminded her. "But if ye hae charmed him intae likin' ye, weel yer actin' skills er a damn sicht better than mine."*** He grinned at her. Good for Fiona.

His dark brows rose as his sister described the gifts her odious lover had bestowed on her. "Guid fer ye." He said proudly, pleased that Fiona was already benefitting from the relationship, though her next words gave him pause. "Jus' remember, yer alrairdy set fer life." He reminded her. "Yer the Viscoontess Lochend, ye hae an estate which provides an income, an ye cuid do wi' yer bairn as ye please." He pointed out. "Yer ainly wi' Lauderdale cause ye want tae be; ne'er let him make ye feel dependent on him."+ He insisted. Benefited yes, but not reliant. Plus Lauderdale might be more generous if he felt he needed to work to keep Fiona.

As she talked about marrying Lauderdale when the man's wife died and her son becoming his heir, Douglas's smile grew sad. "E'en if the Coontess o' Dysart dees taemorrer, he weel still hae tae gie throu' mournin' afore he kin wed, an' a bairn once born a bastard is verra hard tae mak legitimate." He should know, he'd looking into it, even if it was a moot point in his case. "Which doesnae mean that ye wilnae hae his heir in time."++ Just not this baby, unless Lauderdale pulled strings that Douglas couldn't even contemplate.

The timeline fit. As Fiona said that  the glass filled chocolates had arrived a few months after she started sleeping with Lauderdale, Douglas's expression became tight-lipped and grim. "That gies us two main culprits thain." He observed. "One bein' Lairdy Lauderdale, wha sees ye as a threat, an' th'other bein' Lauderdale hissel', testin' that yer bein' loyal tae him."+++ He suggested. How to find out though?

Subtitles
* "I don't envy you girl, having to put up with him. I have no problem with you speaking with Langdon. If your ankle weren't injured I'd take you with me to the Yacht race tomorrow."
** "Having said that, did you still want me to speak to Langdon about marrying you? I would do it for you, to make you happy, but I will be honest and say I saw him out walking with Susan Herbert, and her mother, at the Circus on Wednesday. It might be best for both of you not to be seen to be too close."
*** "You did champion that lover of yours that tried to kill him. But if you have charmed him into liking you, well your acting skills are a damn sight better than mine."
+ "Good for you. Just remember, you're already set for life. You're the VIscountless Lochend, you have an estate which provides and income, and you could do with your baby as you please. You're only with Lauderdale because you want to be; never let him make you feel dependent on him."
++ "Even if the Countess of Dysart dies tomorrow, he will still have to go through mourning before he can marry, and a baby once born a bastard is very hard to make legitimate. Which doesn't mean that you won't have his heir in time."
+++ "That gives us to main culprits then. One being Lady Lauderdale, who sees you as a threat, and the other being Lauderdale himself, testing that you're being loyal to him."