Chapter 7
MAGNUS
PAY M’RESPECTS TAE THE EARL
The stairs creaked under m’boots as I climbed tae the upper floor, breathin’ deep of the familiar castle air.
Beeswax candles and woodsmoke, aye, but beneath that — somethin’ older.
The cold stone and eternal damp that crept up from the foundations, centuries of it soaked intae the walls.
There was wool and tallow and the faintly sweet scent of dried heather and rushes trodden down dark dusty hallways.
The smells were ancient and heavy, and held deep in m’memory, familiar from those long ago times when Sean had chased me though these halls, with the elder guards bellowin’ after us tae slow down or they would give us a thrashin’.
I turned right toward the Earl’s chambers and m’footsteps softened as the floor was covered with a rug that led tae his door. There were two guards stationed outside who nodded when I approached. I knew them well.
“The Earl is expectin’ ye.”
The doors opened.
The Earl’s chambers had dark-paneled walls hung with faded tapestries of hunts long past. He liked tae appoint his rooms with luxurious pieces, from tapestries tae paintings in the gallery, from the carved ceilings tae his prized stained glass in his chapel — everything was verra fine.
He had an eye like his sister, Lady Mairead.
The Earl was sitting in a high-backed chair by the window. He wasn’t wearing his high wig or the usual pale powder on his face and rouge on his cheeks, instead he wore a silk cap with his face unadorned.
I was taken aback by his wearing an overlarge fur-trimmed robe at mid-day and allowin’ me tae see him in it.
He had always been tall, though at seventy-odd he had lost some size and was not quite the man who had been lordin’ over these lands and our family his whole life.
But his eyes still held that sharp gaze, his chin raised tae look down his nose, appraisin’ me, as he always had, findin’ me wanting.
Och nae, the room was stuffy, lackin’ good air, it smelt musty.
Even though he knew I was a king, this was not a connection he could truly benefit from, my kingdom was an abstraction, too far away tae be important. Nae one in Edinburgh had heard of it nor cared. The Earl dinna care for me much, but he did relish the gifts I would bring.
A fire crackled low in the grate, castin’ flickering shadows on a summer day, a bead of sweat slid down m’temple as the work of the stair-climb caught up tae me.
He dinna rise as I entered, instead, he gestured with a liver-spotted hand toward a stool at his feet.
I frowned. “I daena mind standin’.”
“Nae, ye are great oaf and tae look on ye pains m’neck, take tae the stool.”
I lowered myself tae the stool, too close tae him, m’knees too high, the cushion too thin.
“So, Young Magnus, ye hae arrived in m’courtyard unannounced once more, what brings ye tae m’door?”
“I came tae deliver some goods tae m’brother Sean, Uncle, and tae visit with m’sister, Lizbeth — tis good tae see ye well.” Twas a lie, his color was ashen, he needed his wig and the rouge he normally wore.
The Earl smiled. “A visit, good, and ye are here with gifts for yer family, a young man who plans tae show respect tae his elders. Twill be good, verra good tae see, I hae been concerned with ye, Magnus, wondered if ye had fallen from yer high station. Ye once bestowed upon me largesse, but yer visits now rarely fatten my purse.”
I exhaled. I wanted tae leave him without givin’ him the gift he was askin’ for, but nae good came of upsetting the Earl.
Instead I reached intae my coat and withdrew m’small leather pouch, twas heavy with coins — enough silver tae see him through another season of indulgences.
And there were a few pieces of gold with m’likeness upon them.
“A token from m’lands.” I placed it upon the small table beside his chair. “Trade has been kind this year. Thought ye might find use for it.”
He snatched it up with surprisin’ speed, drew the top open, and glanced inside. His eyes widened with greed. “Trade has been kind, eh?” He poured about ten of the coins intae his hand and absentmindedly asked, “How is yer mother?”
“I believe she is well, she has remarried.”
“I heard… tae a man much younger… tis true?”
I shrugged.
He scowled. “She always did seek her own pleasure at the expense of familial duty.”
“In my knowledge she has always put duty tae her children and her grandchildren first, I think ye might be mistaken, Uncle.”
He sifted through the silver coins in his palm as if he dinna hear me and plucked up the gold. He held it up tae the light from the window and his eyes narrowed.
He was staring at my bust on the gold, with MAGNUS I stamped underneath. I knew I would enjoy the moment, but from my low position, folded small on the wee stool, his discomfort was even better than I had hoped.
I raised my brow and chuckled to myself.
He dropped all the coins intae the pouch and shoved it intae the folds of his robe.
I said, “I think twill be enough for ye.”
“Perhaps, but ye keep yer sister and brother here, under my roof, eating my bread. A man might think ye owe more than a handful of coins for such charity.”
Charity!
I couldna wait tae get them from here.
When I was young, his sneers and cutting insults had wounded me, but now as a king, the head of a large and powerful family with many men at m’side, there was not much he could say that could touch me.
He was a smaller man than I in importance, and his shake-down had become all too familiar. I had endured worse.
And I kent that m’mother had given him a large fortune through the years tae keep Sean and Lizbeth in respectable positions.
The Earl had a son and grandsons and they had wives who could hae settled intae their positions, but Sean and Lizbeth had made a place for themselves and remained useful, irreplaceable.
But twas still infuriating.
I swallowed the retort rising in my throat and said instead, quietly, “My brother and sister serve ye well, Uncle. Sean keeps yer guards sharp, with a steady hand; Lizbeth, yer house in order. Her husband Liam does all ye ask of him…”
He grunted.
I added, “Well, if ye daena agree, we can say that the coin is a start—”
“A start… after all I hae done for yer family? Yer brother’s a dull blade, Magnus — good for chopping wood, mayhap, but nae for leading men. I watch him at drill, he is not the leader ye believe him tae be.”
I found a growl rising in my throat.
He brushed off his robe, warm with his rant.
“And the girl is too much like her mother...” His voice was filled with malice.
“Lizbeth stalks these halls as if she owns this place. Putting on airs as if she is a lady of the castle. Her husband is lowborn, without sense, I warned her not tae marry down, but like her mother she will nae listen and tis too late. She has aged, takin’ on my sister’s pinched face and endlessly fussing over a life that is not hers. ”
Heat drew up my cheek.
Twas one thing tae insult me, the bastard son of a sister he dinna care for as he couldna control her, but tae insult Sean?
Sean was all loyalty and honor — this shriveled man called him a dull blade, how dare he?
And tae speak on Lizbeth this callously, when she had selflessly held this household together through fevers and famines, tae say she was puttin’ on airs?
My fists clenched in my lap, hidden from view, nails biting intae palms. For myself, I cared little — let him be spiteful, but for them.
.. och nae, twas difficult tae bear. I kept my voice low, calm, “Ye ought tae use care in how ye speak about them, Uncle, they are yer family, nieces and nephews, bearin’ the Campbell name, servin’ in yer guard and household with distinction. ”
He waved a dismissive hand. “Spare me yer words, Young Magnus. They are a great deal of trouble, as ye ken, tis why ye hae never taken them intae yer own household, leavin’ them in mine.”
I leveled my gaze. “I am takin’ them tae my own household, they will leave in a few weeks—”
“Yet I haena been told? And so soon?”
“I see nae reason tae tell ye that yer niece and nephew, that ye hold in such poor opinion, will be leavin’.
I think ye will find their departure a relief, winna ye?
Ye will need tae find a new man tae run yer guard and a lady tae organize yer household, and as there will be nae reason for any of us tae return, this bag of coins will be the last ye will see from myself or Lady Mairead. ”
He looked shocked. “Ye will be takin’ Liam as well?”
“Aye, and Maggie, ye will need tae find a woman tae see tae the nursery. I hear she is in command there.”
“Och, so many of m’household…?”
“Ye can ask yer son and his wife tae return from Edinburgh—”
“They daena like the country as much.”
I raised my brow. “Yer grandson?”
“He is at Oxford…”
“Och, the removal of Sean and Lizbeth sounds as if twill cause ye some difficulties, I will leave ye tae consider what ye will do without them.” I rose, the stool scraping against the floor, and stalked tae the door.
I paused, glancing back. He was rummaging through the pouch once more, coins glinting on the table in the light of day.