Page 94 of Keeping Kate
Chapter 26
“Married, truly?” Euphemia looked up at Alec, thrilled and hopeful.
“Well,” Alec said, glancing at Kate, seeing the blush rising in Kate’s cheeks. “We were married by Highland tradition. We plan to formally wed soon.”
“I canna believe it,” Effie said, and looked at her husband, Walter. Alec’s uncle sat in a red-brocade wing chair in the drawing room, a cozy space filled with brocade chairs and a horsehair sofa, tall windows with rich blue draperies, a thick bound carpet of pale cream and gold, inlaid mahogany tables, and a happy scatter of children’s toys in one corner. “What do you mean, married by Highland tradition?”
“You dinna want to know, dear,” Walter said. “But I think you can imagine.”
“Oh!” Effie gasped and set a hand to the generous shelf of her bosom.
Her husband pushed brass-rimmed spectacles higher on his nose. “‘Tis a fine thing, and we willna ask more. Felicitations to you both,” he said, nodding.
“Thank you, Uncle,” Alec said, while Kate murmured the same beside him.
“It is high time you married,” Euphemia said. “You are past thirty and in need of your own family.”
“In addition to these three, perhaps so,” Alec said, gazing at the girls, who knelt on the carpet sorting painted blocks.
“Alec and Katherine are happy, Effie, so we will not fuss. She is a fine lass, I can see already—not just a beauty, but with a good mind, I will wager. Alec was lucky to find her, is my thought.”
Effie took a breath and nodded. “Aye so. I do love a wedding and the feast and hullabaloo that goes with it, though.”
“We may yet do that,” Alec said. “We are only here for a day or two, and then we will return to Kate’s family home in the Highlands for a while. I have, ah, military business in that region. We will come back for a longer visit, I promise,” he added, raising a hand to his aunt’s protest at the thought of them leaving soon. “I have an important matter to see to in the north,” he said.
“Och, something for Mr. Pickle? Good!” His aunt used the code name that she had invented for MacDonald of Keppoch. Then Effie looked at Kate. “So you are from the Highlands, aye? Do you know a place called Jacob’s Ladder up north, or perhaps Jacob’s Stone?”
Kate looked innocently blank. “I do not—I suppose they may be in the north.”
“It is fine, Kate. You know those are signals from one Jacobite to another,” Alec said. Kate nodded, blushing again. “Aunt Effie, she shares our sympathies.”
“Ah! Good. And where did you two meet?”
“In London, months ago,” Alec said. “At court.” He touched Kate’s elbow.
“Ah! When you and Jack went for a demonstration of sword skills! While you were there, Alec, did you visit White’s Chocolate House at the bottom of St. James’s Palace?” Effie folded her hands. “It has a fine reputation. I wonder if it has fine fare.”
“It is a fine gathering place for Jacobites and anyone of a rebellious nature. Politics and poetry, coffee and chocolate, that sort of thing,” he said. “Jack and I went there. I did try a hot chocolate drink in the Spanish style, Uncle.”
“A good dash of pepper makes all the difference!” Walter looked pleased. “And it is most authentic.”
“No one makes it quite like you do, Uncle,” Alec said. “Recently I very much enjoyed a hot chocolate drink that Kate’s friend made. She added plenty of thick cream and extra chunks of loaf sugar.”
“Och, that’s for bairnies, that is,” Walter said. “Pepper is the thing! Toughens the spirit, makes a man strong! Did she use Fraser’s? Aye? Good!”
“I like it the Roman way,” Effie said.
“Iced with milk, madam?” Walter asked. “You used to like it hot and spicy and full of pepper.” He winked at her.
”Hush, you!” Effie waved her hand furiously. “I mean, I like James Stuart’sRomancourt,” she emphasized. “Have you ever visited there, Miss Katherine?”
“I have. It is very nice, though a bit dull, if I am honest. I lived there for a little while with my parents. There was a good deal of praying and reading at court, and not very much entertainment.” She wrinkled her nose a little. Walter chuckled.
“You were in the court of exiles?” Effie sounded astonished.
“My father was sent to France, and we went over with him. We followed the court to the Muti Palace in Rome, and also lived in France and Flanders.”
“Kate was educated in Flanders,” Alec said. “And aye, her father was exiled for his rebellious leanings.”
