“In the first antechamber,” Janet Munro replied.
“I’ll send to ye when it’s time,” he told her.
“Farewell then, Allen, and thank ye,” Janet said as she left the cramped chamber.
“Well?” Lord Stewart said as she rejoined them.
“The secretary says we must remain here until we are called to come. It may be hours until he can find a moment to get us to James, so we must be patient.”
“Will I get to see the king?” Maggie asked ingenuously.
Janet Munro was unable to restrain her smile. “Aye, ye will, but remember ye must not speak to him unless he speaks to ye first.”
They waited. And they waited. And they waited. The morning passed. The royal quarters were very quiet, for the king had ordered nothing disturb his queen. Now and again a servant would pass through the chamber in which they waited. The long June afternoon faded into a long twilight. Night came. They had not eaten. They had had nothing to drink but some wine Janet had instructed a serving man to bring them as night finally fell. They spoke little, for there wasn’t a great deal to say. Maggie did remark that the hospitality in her grandfather’s hall was far better than in the king’s.
Finally, two hours past midnight, a page came running into the antechamber. “Are ye Lady Tweed?” he asked of Janet. “Yer to come with me, madam.” The page’s eyes widened when the two men and the two women got up to follow him. “I was told a lady,” he said nervously.
“Ye were not told correctly then,” Janet said. “Yer a Leslie, aren’t ye, lad? Ye know me, for ye were here when I was last the king’s lover. We must all follow ye.”
The boy did not argue, for he did indeed know that Janet Munro, now Lady Tweed, had been the king’s last mistress before he went off to France to bring back his sickly queen. He led them quickly to a small empty chamber, and then left them.
No one spoke. The door opened suddenly, and James Stewart stepped into the chamber. Maggie followed Janet’s lead, curtsying deeply while both men bowed low.
The king raised Janet up by the hand. “A daughter,” he said. “Well done, madam. What have ye called her?”
“Margaret, my lord.”
James Stewart’s glance swung to Fingal Stewart. “Cousin,” he greeted him.
Fin bowed again. “ ’Tis a bad time, I know, my lord, but I would come to pay my respects to ye and yer queen. I have brought my wife to greet ye as well.”
James Stewart’s eyes turned to look at Maggie, who curtsied again. “Madam,” the king said, “I greet ye.”
Looking into the king’s stern face, Maggie felt tears begin to slip down her cheeks. “Oh, my good lord,” she said to James Stewart, “I am so sorry! ’Tis not fair! ’Tis not!” Then she swallowed, trying to control her tears, and catching up the king’s hand, kissed it.
Fingal Stewart struggled to find the words to excuse his wife’s outburst, but to everyone’s surprise, the king put a comforting arm about Maggie and said, “Nay, madam, it isn’t fair, is it? But even a king has no choice but to accept God’s will. I thank ye for yer concern. I shall tell my Maddie, for she will be touched.” He released his hold on her and said to Fin, “I found ye a good wife, Cousin, when all I meant to do was protect Scotland’s interests and well-being.”
“Ye did, my lord,” Lord Stewart agreed, and drew Maggie to his side.
“My lord,” Janet spoke up bravely, “there is one bit of unfinished business between us that should be concluded now. ’Tis why I have invaded yer privacy. ’Tis our daughter’s care about which I speak.”
“Ah,” the king replied, understanding.
“I have a solution, my lord, that with yer permission would solve the matter quickly and fairly: Give the income that is yers and comes from the tolls collected from Aisir nam Breug to Margaret, yer daughter. It really costs ye naught as ye will only receive the first of this tribute in November of this year.” Janet looked hopefully at the king. “Ye’ve never had this income, so ye really lose nothing.”
A small smile touched the king’s lips. “Yer clever,” he said, but then he looked to Fingal Stewart. “Will ye agree to this arrangement, my lord?” he asked him.
“There must be conditions,” Fin said slowly, ignoring Janet’s gasp of surprise.
“Half of yer portion of the tolls will be used for yer daughter’s yearly maintenance. The other half will be deposited with the Kira’s bank here in Edinburgh. Those monies reserved will serve as Lady Margaret Stewart’s dower portion. The arrangement to cease upon her marriage. Should she die before that time, the coin held by the Kiras will be returned to the royal treasury. The arrangement between the royal Stewarts and the Kerrs of Brae Aisir will be concluded for good and all at that time.”
“ ’Tis well thought out, my lord,” the king said. “Ye have managed to find a way to regain full control of the Aisir nam Breug one day, Fingal. Well done! And ’twill serve my daughter’s interest too. She will have a comfortable income and an excellent dower eventually. I will agree to it, as I am certain Lord Tweed and his wife will too.” The cold gray eyes turned to look directly at Janet Munro.
“I agree, my lord,” Matthew Baird said. “I would be content if all the monies were set aside for Margaret’s dower.”
“ ’Tis generous, my lord,” the king remarked, “but I look after my own. Allen MacCullough will see to the arrangement, and I will sign it immediately so ye may all return home knowing the matter is settled. Now I must leave ye, for the queen may be awake again.” He dismissed them, but not before taking Maggie by her shoulders and kissing her on both cheeks. “Farewell, madam. I shall always remember your kind heart.” Then James Stewart was gone from the chamber.
“Ye might have told me what ye planned,Cousin,” Janet Munro said sharply.
