He’d had to sell the horse.There was no way to explain why an elderly nun would ride a fine steed.
Consequently, it took him four times as long as it should have to cover the distance to the nunnery at Glasgow.By the time he arrived at the convent, he ached from miles of hunching, limping, and brandishing the staff.The one blessing was that night had fallen.Thus the abbess took pity on the aged sister and didn’t look too closely in the dark at her manly boots or her stubbled chin.
Adam discovered, to his dismay, the nuns ate like birds.It was a good thing he’d availed himself of Aillenn’s hard cheese and oatcakes, for supper was a disappointing bowl of thin neep pottage and horsebread.
But what he lacked in nourishment, he made up for in news.
After supper, Adam overheard three sisters in the cloister having a discussion about the king in hushed tones.His ears perked up.
“Did ye hear about Laird Fergus o’ Galloway and the king?”one of them murmured.“Rumor has it—”
“Rumor?”a second sister scolded.“Pah!”
“This ‘rumor’ I heard from the abbot himself.”
“Ah, then ’tisn’t a rumor,” opined a third.“’Tis practically Gospel.”
“What did he say?”
“He said the king is preparin’ an attack on Galloway.”
Adam frowned.
“What?I thought peace was made at Perth.”
“Aye,” the third agreed.“By an emissary o’ the Pope.”
Adam had to smile at that.
“’Twas,” the first said, “among the other lairds.But Fergus wasn’t at Perth.”
“I should think the king would behappyFergus didn’t lay siege with the others.”
“That’s just it, “the first nun whispered.“I think the other lairds may be sidin’ against Fergus.”
“What?”said the second.
“What?”said the third.
“Think about it,” the first confided.“Fergus has been a thorn in the side o’ the other lairds for years.Wreakin’ havoc.Sackin’ their villages.I think they convinced the king to attack Fergus first so they can exact their own vengeance.”
“Ooh, that’s clever.”
“Wait.Do ye have proof o’ this?”
“Nay, but consider,” the first replied.“The king has been in France for a year.Why would he care a whit about Fergus?”
“True.”
“The lairds, though, they’ve had Fergus nippin’ at their heels, raidin’ their land, stealin’ their cattle.They have reason to despise him.”
“Well,” the second said, “I suppose Fergusdoesneed to be taught a lesson then.He can’t go on bludgeonin’ his neighbors.”
“Right,” said the third.“The king can’t have his lairds bickerin’ among themselves o’er every wee thing.”
“Do ye think Fergus knows the king is comin’?”the second asked.
The first replied, “He’s likely got spies in the king’s army.”
