Chapter 14
KAITLYN
THE EARL’S GALLERY FOR A DISCUSSION
By the time we came to the gallery, Lady Mairead had taken the best seat on the cloth upholstered settee. The walls were covered in large tapestries, interspersed with paintings, and the floor had pedestals with busts and other sculptures on them.
The walls were column-lined and the cream-colored ceiling was carved and accented with gilding.
Long ago Lizbeth had told me the Earl wanted to have a fresco painted so his gallery would compete with the finest ones in London, but he had never fulfilled the idea.
Now it was up to his son, who was unlikely to do it as he was boring, had no creativity, and really didn’t like the place much.
There was a new sculpture I hadn’t noticed before, and I stepped closer to take a brief look.
Lady Mairead said, “If ye are wondering, Kaitlyn, twas sculpted by an ancestor from the last century, Normond, the Duke of Awe. Dost ye ken him, Magnus?”
“Aye, I met him. He is a king of Riaghalbane as well.”
“Aye, sad story that,” she whispered, “usurped,” then continued, “but this carving is verra fine.”
Magnus stood behind one of the carved mahogany chairs upholstered in a floral fabric and gestured for me to sit in it.
Lizbeth and I were seated across from Lady Mairead, with Sean, Magnus, and Liam standing behind our chairs.
Sean went around topping off our glasses with wine. “Where is Maggie, Sean?”
“The conversation had turned troubling, she canna take the scandal, I asked her tae go tae our chambers.”
She said, “Good. I would prefer this be more private.”
Wilfred asked, “Do you want me to continue, Mairead?”
She nodded.
He looked around, there were guards at the far end doors, but other than that we were alone, but still he lowered his voice. “When Lady Mairead was young, she took a young man into her heart—”
Lizbeth asked, “This is Fionn?”
Lady Mairead also looked around as if she were worried someone would hear, she nodded.
Wilfred said, “While I do not know the full story, I do know her brother, the Earl—”
Lady Mairead interrupted, “Nae, I changed my mind. Ye canna tell it.”
Sean said, “Ye ken, mother, I hae long heard it, ye ought tae tell me the truth.”
“Must it be tonight? We had a lovely night planned with dancing—”
“We dinna plan the night, ye arrived unannounced,” said Magnus.
“What I mean is we could go tae the kingdom, get comfortable, and then I could tell ye, with the distance I think twould be a good thing…?”
Sean was pacing beside our chairs, he exhaled loudly, obviously irritated.
She said, “Nae?”
Lizbeth said, “Seems as if ye ought tae tell us what ye mean tae say, and ye hae come here tae finish everything up in yer past, as if ye can just cut all ties tae yer ancestors and yer homeland, ye plan tae dig up yer valuables and clean out yer walls, ye might as well divulge yer hidden secrets as well.”
Lady Mairead said, her voice catching in a sign of weakness that none of us were used to. “Yet I am not sure how tae tell it.”
Magnus said, “If ye tell it quicker, tis easier.”
She sighed and looked directly at Sean. “The man ye believed tae be yer father, the man who gave ye yer name, was not who ye thought… Yer real father was Fionn. He was the son of a farmer, a good farmer, with some land, but he wasna titled, or even important. All could see he wasna fit tae be my husband.” She bit her lips and took a staggered breath.
“He was a great love of mine, though. I cared for him deeply.” She lifted the wine glass to her lips and sipped, and placed the glass down and continued, “We met in secrecy and meant tae be married, we had declared our intention tae marry each other, he was tae be mine, and I was tae be his. And then my brother found us. His men took Fionn and beat him mercilessly. I was held locked in my chambers for days. I dinna get tae see my Fionn before he passed.”
Lizbeth said, “Och nae, Mother, tis dreadful!”
“I ken,” she patted the side of her hair.
Then went back to looking at Sean. “Twas soon after that my mother realized I was with child, I was young, she noticed before even I did. She and the Earl made hasty arrangements for my marriage tae the much older man, Lord Arran Campbell of Lowden. He had sons tae pass down his title, but he was willing tae marry me because of my youth and beauty. The Earl gave him a great deal of land. He was a tyrant and treated me horribly. I hated Lord Lowden, but had nae say in the matter.” She raised her chin.
Sean said quietly, “Lord Lowden wasna my father?”
“Nae. But now ye hae been told, I daena want tae speak on it more. Others might hear and yer reputation would be harmed if they knew.”
Sean clenched his jaw. “How could ye keep it from me for all these years?”
“Lord Lowden believed ye were his son, tis my shame and mine alone, there is nae reason for ye tae ken of yer mother’s shame, it does ye nae good.”
Wilfred said, “Sean, Lizbeth, the only reason I felt it was important for you both to know this background is so that you might understand why your mother refrained from returning to Balloch.”
“Twas never my children I dinna want tae see, twas my brother. But I had nae where else tae put ye tae keep ye safe. I daena give one thought for myself,”
Lizbeth scoffed.
Lady Mairead said, “Tis true! I haena given one thought tae it, daughter. I thought I would keep the story tae my grave, but now I hae done it, told the sordid tale, the only reason I told ye is so ye would understand that I have suffered having tae see him whenever I wanted tae see ye. I am relieved that ye are going tae move so it winna be an issue.” She sighed.
“And now, though I dread it, he is here, on the morrow I must go up tae pay my respects—”
Sean ran a hand through his hair. “I am verra grateful ye waited until Maggie left the room tae tell it, she daena deserve the shame of bein’ married tae a bastard.”
She raised her chin. “Ye arna a bastard, yer father, Lord Lowden, gave you his name. Och nae, ye are being over dramatic, Sean, this inna about yer pedigree but about my life.”
“I just daena understand how ye could keep it from me, I hae lived m’whole life in service tae the man who murdered my—”
“He ordered the killing, he dinna strike the blows—”
“Twas brutal?”
“Aye, I still see it in my mind.”
Sean said, “I hae been serving the man who ordered the killin’ of m’father. How could ye allow it tae happen?”
“Sean, my son, twas not for me tae decide. I was at the mercy of powerful men, I had tae make many choices tae keep ye safe and protected.”
Sean looked at Magnus. “Ye hear it, m’mother has been ‘protecting me’.”
“I hear it.”
“Tis not yer place, mother, now I am grown, I deserved tae ken so I could serve another laird.”
Lady Mairead asked, pointedly, “Who would ye hae served, where?”
“I daena ken.”
“Ye would do just as ye hae done, served the Earl of Breadalbane, one of the best situations, one of the most important Lairds in the land of Alba. Ye would hae done it just as ye hae as his nephew until yer brother, Magnus, ascended tae his throne and then ye would go with him tae his kingdom. Tis the way of history, ye serve where ye must tae provide for yer family. None of this changes anything, tis a wonder Wilfred thought it important tae tell the story at all.”
He patted Lady Mairead’s hand. “You should feel better by having it off your chest.”
“I dinna feel bad about it, it’s just that I am still verra angry at my brother!
I despise him yet, but having my grief and shame aired for my children tae hear daena help me one bit.
I regret telling the tale.” She leaned forward and with a pointed finger, went around the circle pointing at everyone.
“Nae one best pity me, not one of ye, daena do it. I am the formidable Lady Mairead and the mother of a King, ye remember that I am owed respect.”
Lizbeth raised her chin. “While this is a verra sad tale—”
Lady Mairead said, “Nae pity!”
Sean said, “Maybe ye daena deserve the pity, ye took a man tae yer bed without marryin’ him, and bore a son who is a bastard, more than one. Ye dinna hae one thought of the life ye were making for us.”
Lady Mairead threw her hands in the air.
“My sons are the King of Riaghalbane, and the head of the guard for the Earl of Breadalbane. I winna hear one more word of complaint for the life I created for you! The sacrifices I hae made!” She huffed.
“Ye ken yer father, Lord Lowden, beat me! He beat me in front of the whole castle! I had tae put ye down on the bed so he could beat me without ye coming tae harm! And my brother the earl dinna do one thing tae stop it!”
She crossed her arms, irritatedly.
“He really beat ye with a bairn in yer arms?”
“Aye.”
Lizbeth said, “This is terrible, but still tis not a reason tae force us from our home.”
Lady Mairead said, “Ye ken that is not the reason, och, ye are usually reasonable, but ye sound just like yer brothers, arguin’ for the challenge of it — we need tae put this conversation away and discuss the matter at hand.
My children are leaving here, finally. I will never hae tae see my brother again.
We will pack up all yer valuables and yer life will be much better.
And Magnus, yer brother, the king of Riaghalbane, will provide for ye and all will be well. ”
As she spoke, I watched Lizbeth’s face cloud over, her chin trembling.
Lady Mairead blinked and watched her. “Out with it, ye need tae further the discussion?”