Liam said, “Ye can marry yer daughters tae other sons, twill expand yer family all the same and might grow yer lands.”
Robbie shrugged, chugged from his bottle, corked it, and stuffed it in his pocket. He said, “How about ye, Black Mac, want tae drove with us?”
Quentin chuckled. “No thank you. I have things to do, though it’s an interesting offer — a black guy droving with a bunch of wild notorious Scotsmen in the middle of long ago Scotland, testing my ability to survive — what could go wrong?”
“Drovin’ is the best way tae find yer true mettle.”
Quentin said, “It’s notmymettle I’m worried about.”
Liam asked Robbie, “So ye told me why ye are here, why daena ye tell Master Cook and Black Mac?”
“I was asked tae take a journey, tae deliver a message tae the Earl, but he inna here, come tae find out, he’s in Edinburgh.”
Quentin said, “Who asked you to be a messenger?”
“A man I met in a tavern last evenin’, he asked about Magnus and Lochinvar, he dinna ask about Fraoch or Sean, and I haena even met Lochinvar, so it struck me as interestin’. Why did this man want tae ken about Magnus and his younger brother’s whereabouts? I wondered why he dinna ride up and ask himself, ye ken?”
Liam’s brow raised. “Aye, I ken.”
Quentin and I looked at each other. Quentin said, “I don’t like the sound of this.”
Liam said, “We had messengers from Edinburgh here, just yesterday. We chased them off the Earl’s lands. Tis the same men?”
He shrugged. “I daena ken, he seemed like the kind of man who wanted the particulars and was used tae gettin’ what he wants. I think he wants tae cause trouble with the Earl’s family and I knew when the Earl heard of it he would offer a sizable reward for the knowledge.”
Liam said, “What was the man’s name?”
“He wanted me tae report back tae the tavern after I had ascertained where Magnus and Lochinvar were. Where is Sean?”
Liam scowled. “I am not answerin’ ye on anyone’s whereabouts.”
Robbie took his bottle of whisky from his pocket again. “I am only askin’ because Sean would ken the worth of this information. He pays me handsomely, if warranted.” He raised the bottle and swigged, capped it, and stuffed it back in his pocket.
I said, “When you report back, tell him, ‘Magnus is here, he’s in his room, sleeping before his guard duty, Lochinvar is probably brawling down in the courtyard, and Sean is sharpenin’ his sword. All the Campbell men are here,’ right Liam?”
“Aye, the Earl is away in Edinburgh, but we are protectin’ the castle in his stead.”
Robbie nodded. He pulled an envelope from his coat pocket, it was sealed with wax. “He wanted me tae give this message tae the Earl.” He tapped it against his hand. “He offered me a bag of silver for m’trouble. Are ye certain Sean inna here?”
Liam stuck out his hand. “I will take it, I will see ye given a reward.”
Robbie kept the envelope. “Tis tae be closely held, he told me not tae allow anyone else tae open it.”
Quentin said, under his breath, “Hold on, I’ll go get some coin for Rob Roy.” He strode down the parapet.
Meanwhile Liam nodded slowly, he had a familiar look in his eyes, biding his time, moving slowly to his point. “It seems there are many strangers wanting tae speak tae the Earl, comin’ around the castle, wantin’ tae start trouble.”
“Aye, tis the way — once ye find peace and wealth, they are certain tae draw near, lookin’ tae exploit yer weakness. That is why I came tae tell ye of m’meetin’ with him as soon as I could.”
Liam nodded. “Ye can never be too cautious.”
“Aye.”
Liam eyed the envelope and said, as if nonchalantly, “Who did ye say was tae open it?”
“The Earl.”
“But the Earl inna here, dost it mean ye will hae tae go tae Edinburgh? Or will ye pass it tae one of the eldest relatives of the Earl, the man charged with watching over the walls of the castle?”
