Chapter 36
1601
I had hardly slept all night, I was so excited about my wedding today. We had arrived at Fyvie a couple of days ago and all the preparations were now in place, from the food and the drink to the music and of course the ceremony. I sat down at the glass and stared into it; I did not think I had those puffy bags under my eyes yesterday. I was sure I didn’t look as fresh as a bride should be. But, as I flicked my hair from side to side, I knew that Alexander would still be more than happy with the way I looked. He had not even seen the new gown that Papa had bought for me. Catherine of course baulked at how much the silk cost, but I was, after all, his youngest daughter and his last to marry.
Jeannie was just fastening up my new gown, when in swept Catherine, looking dull as always, in a grey dress that would look more appropriate on a nun.
“How are you feeling, Grizel?”
“I am fine, thank you, Catherine.”
I had refused from the age of eight to call her Mama even though Papa had tried to insist that, like my siblings, I address her in that way.
“What are you planning to do with your hair?”
“Jeannie is going to put it up, loosely, not in tight coils, and intertwine with pearls.”
“Lovely,” she said, peering down at the dressing table. “And jewels? What have you decided to wear around your neck?”
“I have everything ready.” And I looked up at her with what I hoped was a charming smile. “You’ll see later.” 168
“Jeannie, leave us for a moment, will you?” She gestured to the door and the maid went out, pulling the door behind her.
She sat down beside me and took my hand. “Grizel, do you know what to expect on your wedding night?”
I glared at her. What age did she think I was?
“Yes. My elder sister has told me.” Her face was a picture; she looked so relieved she did not have to continue her explanation. “In fact, I am looking forward to it immensely,” I added, beaming.
“I see,” she said, looking rather bewildered. “Well, you know you can come to me if there is anything to discuss? And certainly when you think you might be with child?”
I nodded. “Thank you, Catherine. I know you are never far away.” I tried to sound sincere. She was as bad as her sister who had been so sweet and full of loyalty and compassion, it had almost been too sickly. Lilias always seemed to say the right thing and undoubtedly loved Alexander. But she could not always do the right thing by him. Whereas I would produce a son for him. I knew this in my bones.
“I shall see you in the chapel later.”
She gave a nod then headed out of my room, leaving the door open for Jeannie, who bounded in rather too quickly. She had obviously been listening at the door. She gathered up my thick dark locks and, without saying a word, began to interweave the pearls.
The day passed in a daze. It was such a happy occasion with everyone overjoyed. The feasting and dancing went on until late and I knew that I had never felt happier. The servants addressed me as Lady Fyvie and even Catherine told me I looked lovely. And before Alexander even said the words “You look beautiful” I could feel 169 from his gaze that he was mesmerised by my appearance. I must say that, having never really taken much notice of how he looked, since he was so old, I found him rather handsome today, in his elegant attire and neatly chiselled ginger beard that was flecked in a fetching way with grey. Of course, he was thirty years older than me, but at least that meant he was mature and experienced. I only wanted to make him happy, but included in that, presumably, was a good relationship with his children. I know it was bad of me but I was always irritated by his daughters, especially the eldest who was only a year and a half younger than me but acted like a child. Still, I had decided I must try to be sweet to her and not only win her over but her younger sisters too.
It had annoyed me greatly when my stepmother had insisted that, shortly before the marriage ceremony, I should say to my new stepdaughters something along the lines of “I can never replace your mother Lilias, but I hope we shall be friends and that you can come to me if you need any maternal or indeed sisterly support.” But say it I did, and afterwards Anne sniffed, as if she was about to cry, and Isobel gave me a sullen scowl and the little one looked up at me as if she had no idea who I was. The baby just slept on. I had tried.
When it was eventually time to retire to our bed chamber after the festivities, the maids scuttled around the room, helping me out of my gown, giving each other knowing looks that I pretended not to see. Jeannie wanted to remove my jewels, but I told her that my husband might want to do that himself. She shrugged her shoulders then left me. Soon after, Alexander entered and approached where I sat at the glass.
“Grizel, I must say once again how beautiful you look.” He gazed at my neck and touched my hair with a gentle hand. “Tell me, have you enjoyed wearing my wedding present to you?”
I turned to look up at him and smiled. “It is the most beautiful 170 gift I have ever been given. I am so lucky to have you as a husband.” How pleasant the word “husband” sounded. “You promised you would tell me its history.”
“And I shall. Where is the box?”
“Here,” I said, unbuckling the clasp on the black velvet.
He bent down towards me and I felt his hot breath on my neck and smelt the claret on him. He unclasped the necklace at the back and held it up to the candlelight. “This is the Seton family necklace. As you can see it is exquisite, like the brooch and the earrings.”
He began to remove those from my ears and then the brooch from my bosom.
“There are rubies and emeralds – and pearls to match the ones in your hair,” he said, stroking my hair. “The gold is the finest in the world, from Crawford Muir in the south-west of Scotland.”
He held an earring up to the light. “This parure is so perfect, it is fit for a Queen.” He looked at me, expectantly.
I smiled. I was not sure how I was meant to react.
“And indeed,” he said, now stroking my neck, “it was made for Queen Mary, the King’s mother, my godmother. She gave it to her lady-in-waiting, Marie Seton, my aunt.”
Ah, so it was the nun’s parure and she obviously had to give it up when she went to the convent.
“And my aunt is so fond of me, she bequeathed it to me to give to my wife to wear.”
So Lilias had worn it too. I was not sure how I felt about that, but it was hardly as if she had only died yesterday; she was buried some five months ago now.
He laid the earring down in the box and shut the lid. “What do you think?”
“I think I am very fortunate to have married such a wonderful man and to have been given the most beautiful parure.” 171
He raised an eyebrow. Perhaps that was not grateful enough.
“Thank you,” I said, “I shall treasure it.”
He smiled. I was learning all the time how a wife should be, but clearly I still had much to grasp. He held out his hand to mine, led me over to the bed and pulled back the covers. As I climbed onto the bed, I sniffed the air.
“What a lovely scent of roses,” I said to Alexander.
He looked at me rather strangely. “I can’t smell a thing,” he said and blew out the candle.