“We cannot see everything, darling,” Christian declared. “The procession will be hours long and that’s why I accepted Lady Salisbury’s invitation to view the spectacle from her newly opened house in the Strand. Mary Anne has always been a social climber, so we might as well take full advantage today.”
Velvet looked around guiltily to make sure that Christian’s daughter-in-law was not within earshot, since the Countess of Salisbury was her mother. “The Countess of Devonshire will hear you,” she whispered.
“Bless your heart, Velvet, Elizabeth knows ambition rules her mother. Why else would she have pushed her to marry my son, Devonshire? By the by, you look extremely fetching today.”
“I chose forget-me-not blue as a symbolic gesture. I think I shall save my new white kid shoes for when we visit the palace.”
The dowager pinned on her hat with its ostrich feather dyed rose pink to match her gown. “Do shout up to Elizabeth and tell her we are ready to leave, Velvet.”
“I’m here, my lady.” Elizabeth stepped quietly from the corner where she had been patiently waiting for an hour. Her beige satin gown had rendered her almost invisible.
“Such a biddable female,” Christian said, smiling at her. Then she spun about and rolled her eyes at Velvet.
Poor lady. We have the same name: Elizabeth Cavendish. Thank heaven I had the audacity to change mine to Velvet!
“Oh, he’s coming at last. I can see the procession!” Velvet cried, leaning far out over the Salisbury House stone balcony. All the way from Temple Bar to the Strand ladies stood at open windows and filled the balconies, ready to shower the king with flowers as he rode beneath them.
“How gallant! Charles is riding between his brothers. The Stuart princes have changed so much I hardly recognize them.”
Velvet fastened her eyes on Charles and saw no one else. “His coat is so dark, I cannot tell its color, but the plume in his hat is blue, matching his blue ribbon of the Garter!”
She watched enthralled as he rode gravely. Then suddenly he would raise his eyes to the ladies in the windows and take off his hat in response to their cheers.
Velvet held her breath as he approached Salisbury House. All at once she could hold it in no longer. “Charles! Charles! Charles!” she cried. He lifted dark sparkling eyes to hers and she was certain that he saw her when he raised his hat and swept it across his heart in a gallant gesture. “Oh, he saw me, he saw me!” She picked up her fan and wafted it quickly to catch her breath.
“Look! There’s Buckingham!” Christian cried. “My God, he’s riding abreast of General George Monck! There’s an odd pairing if ever I saw one! Ah, well, they say if you live long enough, you’ll see everything.”
Suddenly, Velvet’s fan went still. She stared down at one of the mounted men and her mouth fell open.
Greysteel Montgomery! How can it be? You are a bloody traitor. What the hellfire are you doing in the king’s procession?
She blinked her eyes and looked again. There was no mistaking the erect figure, who rode his horse like a centaur. He wore a rich, dark coat and a Cavalier’s hat with a great sweeping plume, contrasting markedly with the gaudily dressed men about him.
“Look at the gilded coaches!” Lady Salisbury gushed. “I should love one of those.”
Many of the king’s gentlemen wore doublets of silver cloth. Scores of Stuart servants wore livery of purple or green and twenty thousand soldiers marched in the parade. Heralds made proclamations and trumpeters blared their horns as they marched past fountains, red with wine.
All was just a blur to Velvet. She could not get the vision of Greysteel Montgomery out of her thoughts.
I must warn Charles about him. He cannot know that he is a traitor!
Since he was the highest ranking peer in England, Christian’s son, William, the Earl of Devonshire, along with his son, Lord Will Cavendish, was part of a noble delegation awaiting King Charles’s arrival at Whitehall. Together with the Earls of Bath, Arlington and Southampton, they would be called upon to help plan the coronation, and every noble present vied with one another for the chance of a lucrative post at Court.
It was late when Devonshire and his son arrived back at the house in Bishopsgate, but Christian had insisted that the ladies stay up to wait for them, so they could hear every last detail.
“One of the first things to be decided will be the Privy Council,” Christian said. “Dare I hope that you have ambitions in that direction, William?”
“Not really, Mother. I’d be far happier back at Chatsworth. Cav here is going to join the Court, however.”
Velvet was annoyed. She hoped to join the Court and didn’t fancy tripping over young Lord Cav every day. She gave him a contemptuous glance. “But not as a privy councillor, I warrant.”
Christian hid her amusement. “Court should be the ideal place to find a suitable wife, Cav, since you’ve set your sights on a duke’s daughter.” She turned again to her son. “Tell me, who were the men who arrived with the king?”
“Well, his brother James and Buckingham, of course. Then there was Chancellor Hyde, Henry Jermyn, George Digby, and that uncouth Scot, Lauderdale.”
“They’ll all be on the Privy Council along with that damned upstart Monck. The Duke of Ormonde is certain to be included also. Was he not there with His Majesty?”
“No, he’s on a delicate mission regarding a suitable bride. I believe old Southampton is fishing for office and his son-in-law, Anthony Ashley, is politically ambitious in the extreme.”
Velvet had stopped listening after the word
bride
. “Your Grace, did you learn where the Duke of Ormonde has gone?”
“Mmm, m’dear? Parma, Portugal . . . something with a
P,
and that reminds me—I’m off upstairs. Don’t have the capacity anymore.”
“Wait. . . . When may
we
go to Court?” Christian demanded.
“Next week—reception at Whitehall.”
“Why the devil didn’t you say so? Off you go, William.”
The countess accompanied her husband upstairs and Christian followed her, leaving Velvet alone with young Lord Cav. Velvet did not hurry to catch up with them because it would reveal her fear. She was extremely wary but refused to panic.
“Well, cousin, I warrant you aspire to Court life since you are desperate for a husband,” he drawled.
Her cool glance swept over him. “I am not your cousin. It is our fathers who are cousins.”
He moved toward her. “A small distinction, surely?”
Velvet deliberately dropped her glance to his groin and smiled maliciously. “Yes, distinctly small.”
His eyes narrowed. “You little bitch. Have a care at Court. Keep glancing over your shoulder—enemies will be everywhere.”
She gave him a pitying glance of contempt. “If only you knew how
impotent
your threats seem to me.” She swept from the room as if she were in complete control of the situation and congratulated herself on her performance.
The Presence Chamber at Whitehall overflowed with visitors, courtiers and nobles, most of whom had been invited. Posted at every palace entrance were guards selected by Greysteel Montgomery. He’d chosen from Cavalier officers who’d been in exile with Charles and served under the Duke of York.
Montgomery moved among the crowd, determined to become familiar with as many people as possible who had access to the king. Fortunately, he had a keen eye for connecting faces with names. He greeted Buckingham and his glance came to rest on the fair-haired lady who stood talking with him.
“Eglinton, this is my kinswoman, the Countess of Suffolk.”
Montgomery bowed gallantly. “Your servant, Lady Suffolk.”
“You may introduce me too, George.”
Greysteel turned to see a voluptuous young beauty appraising him from beneath slumberously lidded eyes.
“This is my wicked cousin, Barbara Palmer—a force to be reckoned with, as are all the Villierses. This is Eglinton.”
Greysteel raised the hand she offered to his lips. “I prefer to be called Montgomery. I’ve only just come into my earldom.”
“Strange, you don’t look self-effacing. I’ve been told that you command the palace guard.” Barbara tapped him with her fan. “We’ll no doubt encounter each other from time to time.”
Greysteel realized she was the young wife of Roger Palmer, a prosperous London businessman currying favor with the king. As he met the various people in the Presence Chamber, he was aware of where King Charles was at all times. From the tail of his eye he had seen the Dowager Countess of Devonshire arrive with her family and Velvet, and seen how warmly Charles greeted them.
Barbara Palmer touched his sleeve. “Who is that radiant young lady with His Majesty?”
As he looked across the chamber, he saw Charles slip his arm about Velvet and spirit her through a door. Greysteel felt the muscle in his jaw tick. He smiled down at Barbara. “That is Lady Elizabeth, the daughter of Newcastle, who was the king’s governor. They’ve known each other since they were children.” He realized he was trying to convince himself as much as Barbara Palmer that the encounter was innocent.
Barbara’s interest was piqued. “Ah, yes, the noble Cavendish family. I’m told the dowager and her son, the Earl of Devonshire, are both wealthy as Croesus.”
Buckingham took pleasure in admonishing her. “There are more important things than money, Barbara.”
“Yes—power. A lesson you learned at an early age, George.”
Velvet slipped her arms about the king’s neck as he lifted her and swung her around. “Oh, Charles, welcome home! I knew this day would come. I never gave up hope.”
Charles laughed and set her feet to the floor. “I grew old waiting. You must join the Court, Velvet. I intend to surround myself with beautiful ladies.”
“Thank you, Sire. It will be my pleasure and honor.”
“Has your father arrived back yet?” Charles asked.
“No. We expect him any day.”
“I am eternally indebted to him and will never be able to repay what I owe him.”
“Your friendship has repaid him a thousandfold, Sire.”
“The moment he arrives, I want you to send me a note. We’d best return to the chamber, but we’ll talk again soon.”
When they entered the room, the king moved away from her and was swallowed by the crowd.
Damnation, I forgot to ask him about his marriage plans.
Velvet rejoined the dowager. “Charles asked me to join the Court.” She sighed deeply. “He is so very tall.”
“Velvet, you have stars in your eyes. Don’t go falling in love with the king, darling.”
She laughed. “Too late. That happened when I was seven.”
“That was hero worship, not love, darling. I spy the Countess of Suffolk over there. Come and I’ll introduce you.” Christian pushed through the crowd. “Lady Suffolk, how lovely to see you. May I present Mistress Velvet Cavendish, Newcastle’s daughter?”
“So happy to meet you, my dear. This is my niece, Barbara Palmer, and of course you know Buckingham.”
Ready to stir shit to banish his boredom, George drawled, “I knew Mistress Cavendish when her name was Elizabeth.”
“You changed your name?” Lady Suffolk asked.
“Yes, I did. Over the years there have been a dozen with the name Elizabeth Cavendish. There is only one Velvet.”
Barbara laughed. “A lady after my own heart. I am delighted to meet you, Velvet Cavendish—we redheads must stick together.”
Christian scoffed, “I’ve never seen more dissimilar shades of hair in my life, though I concede you both have the wondrously translucent skin of redheads.”
“We compliment each other.” Barbara wafted her fan. “My husband, Roger, and I are entertaining Friday evening at our house in King Street. I shall send you both invitations in hope that you will fit us into your busy schedule.”
Barbara’s audacity appealed to Velvet, who was delighted to make a new friend. She spread her own fan. “Thank you. I shall look forward to it.”
When Velvet and Christian were out of earshot, Barbara turned to Buckingham. “She’s maddeningly pretty and extremely young.”
“Actually, she’s older than you are, Barbara.”
“Really? And she’s still unwed?”
“Betrothed to Greysteel Montgomery when she was a child, but she’s lived in exile until recently.”
Barbara’s inquisitive glance roamed over the crowd, searching for a glimpse of the tall, dark Montgomery, whom she’d met earlier. Finally, she spotted him and watched avidly as he encountered his betrothed.
When Velvet came face-to-face with Greysteel Montgomery, it was so totally unexpected, she gasped. Determined to crush down any sexual attraction she felt, she drew her lips back and hissed through her teeth, “How dare you? How dare you show your traitorous face at the king’s reception?”
Montgomery’s dark face turned hard. “King Charles is my friend, Velvet, just as he is yours.”
Her chin went up and she trembled with anger. “Then he must be in ignorance of your betrayal.”
“Velvet, you are drawing every eye. Don’t cause a scene.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Hell and furies! Don’t issue your orders to me, Montgomery. I promise you the king will remain in ignorance no longer. Then we shall see who causes a scene.” She turned from him furiously and hurried away as if she could not bear to remain in his presence a moment longer.
Barbara smiled slyly. “I believe I shall invite the Earl of Eglinton for Friday’s entertainment. Perhaps we’ll have fireworks.”
When Velvet found the dowager and the other Devonshires, they were conversing with a man in uniform. “Henry! I had no idea you were here in London,” Velvet cried. She threw her arms about her brother, and then held him at arm’s length so she could observe him from head to foot.
“I returned with my regiment, commanded by the Duke of York. Technically, I’m still in the army until my official discharge. Once the king returns Welbeck to me, I’ll go north immediately.”