“Travel in safety, and with God’s protection,” Murdoc said as the laird’s group turned to ride off. “I’ll see you in seven days.”
Chapter 17
It was a long, cold ride to Hailes Castle, but while the day was bitter, the wind was negligible, and the sun actually shone.
“You see,” Adair said cheerfully, “our visit is meant to be.”
“You won’t think so if we have to remain longer because of a storm, or the storm hits us halfway home to Cleit,” the laird grumbled.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for you,” Adair told him. “The king will get to know you better, and that is to the good.”
“I fail to see why,” Conal Bruce replied. “I have naught to do with the king.”
“There is no harm in being a king’s friend,” she advised him. “You don’t have to go off to court and become involved in politics to be his friend. But this visit to Hailes, the camaraderie that you will share with the Hepburn and the king, will show James Stewart that here in the borders he has a loyal man in the laird of Cleit. You are the sort of man he will want to hunt with, drink and gamble with, my lord. And you are the kind of man who will answer this king’s call to arms.”
“How can you be so knowing in matters like this?” he asked her.
“You forget, Conal, that I was raised in a royal court.
The children who people the court are paid little heed.
People gossiping think nothing of their presence. Listening, absorbing, filtering out what is important from what is not important, and keeping secrets are all part of a royal child’s education. I learned my lessons well, my lord,” Adair told him with a rueful smile. “This visit to Hailes can be to Cleit’s advantage.”
“You seem to understand this king, and I wonder how that is,” he answered her.
Adair laughed. “There is something about young James Stewart that very much reminds me of my own sire. He has great charm and skill with people. You cannot name a time in your short acquaintance with the king that he has ever treated you like an inferior, can you, Conal?”
“Nay, I cannot,” the laird admitted, shaking his head.
“And I have heard he has quite a reputation as a lover with the ladies as well, much like my own sire.
With that king I found such éclat repugnant. With this one, mayhap it is his youth, but I find it more amusing.
Perhaps because James Stewart is not a married man with a houseful of bairns I am less apt to be condemning,” Adair noted.
“He looks at you like he would like to eat you,” the laird muttered.
Adair laughed again. “He looks at all women, particularly pretty women, like that. He means no harm, and I have not heard it said that he ever forced a woman who refused his attentions.”
“That is because no woman ever has,” the laird said sourly.
“Are you jealous, my lord?” she teased him.
“Aye, I am!” he admitted strongly.
“But you know you have no need to be jealous, don’t you, Conal?” Adair said.
“Aye,” he replied.
“Then our visit shall be a pleasant one, and you willnot become unduly distressed when the king flirts with me, which he will, I am certain. He simply cannot help himself,” Adair told her husband. “This visit could be a fortunate one for our children.”
He looked at her curiously. “What do you mean?”
“What will happen to Murdoc?” she countered.
“What do you mean?” His look was confused.
“Duncan has Duffdour. You have Cleit. But Murdoc has nothing to recommend him. What will happen to him? Who will he wed? Can he afford a wife? He owes his very existence to you. His brother. His laird. And when we have sons his value grows even less in importance. I want this friendship with the king for our children, Conal. You will have an heir, but what if we have more than one son? What if we have three sons? One could certainly go to the church, but what of the other?
