Beth was talking to some of the workers and he tuned into the conversation, hoping to hear something to his advantage. It had been all he’d been able to do since their return, eavesdrop on them both. For the first time he realized she was saying something he might be able to make work. If only he could put the pieces together. An idea began to form in his head as she spoke.
“We cannot take the falsework down until the mortar is set.”
The man she was talking to was nodding his head though he clearly disagreed. “It will look awful for the bishop with the falsework still in place. I think it’s already set. It’s had longer than any of the previous.”
“In this cold it will take far longer to set than the last lot.”
“Why don’t we test it before he comes? Think how glorious it would look if he came and saw the chapel completed, the ceiling vaulted and the paint gleaming.”
“I don’t dispute that but it must be set first if we don’t want it to collapse.”
The idea took shape in Derek’s mind and he walked away smiling. He didn’t need to hear anymore.
That night he joined in the laughter at dinner with the rest, thinking how none of them knew what he had planned. They would soon find out. When he sat at the chair in the middle of the top table as laird of the castle they would know what he’d done but by then it would be too late. He’d be in charge.
That night he thought through his plan in detail. There were many things that might scupper it. All he could do was trust in God and himself and pray that it would work out for the best. After all, he had everyone’s best interests at heart.
Get rid of Andrew. Then unite the clans and take on the English. If he was given the castle as his reward then that was just a piece of extra luck that he wouldn’t turn down.
He pictured himself in Andrew’s place. The feasts they would have, the changes he would make. It would all be very different under his regime. He shook the thoughts from his head. That was for the future. What he needed to concentrate on was making sure his plan worked.
On the Sunday the bishop was due to arrive the castle was frantic with activity. Fresh rushes had been laid in the hall and in the courtyard itself, forming makeshift paths through the mud. The livestock had been tidied away to pens outside the wall, everyone was in their best clothes in preparation for his arrival.
It was so busy no one noticed Derek sneaking into the chapel. The work had finished two days ago but the falsework was still in place. Derek looked up at it. Even he had to admit that she’d done a good job. The springers aligned perfectly on top of the new pillars. The voussoirs were ashlar and perfectly white and the keystones on top were intricately colored in red and white.
There was no chapel like it in all of Scotland. The vault of the ceiling would look perfect once the wooden falsework holding it up was removed.
The mortar had not set and so the bishop was just going to have to imagine how it would look once finished. Derek had other plans. He fetched a ladder from the back of the chapel and climbed up, taking down the first piece of falsework.
As it came out the stones shifted ever so slightly above his head before settling. Perhaps the mortar would be strong enough to survive after all. If that was the case then all his planning would be for nought.
It would work, he told himself as he moved the ladder to collect the next piece of falsework. The ceiling would collapse on Andrew. He could already hear it groaning above his head. He smiled as he took the rest of the falsework out, gathering what he could under his arm and carrying it out of the chapel.
It took three trips to get it all but the rushing about and hectic work around him played into his hands. No one noticed one more body carrying armfuls of things around. He dumped the wood around the back of the chapel, throwing rushes over the top to hide the falsework from view.
Stage one was done. The bishop was due any minute and then the chapel would be filled with people ready for the blessing. There was only one more part of his plan to put into action and it was walking straight toward the chapel at that very moment.
Andrew and Beth were rarely seen apart anymore. There was already talk of a possible future wedding. Derek didn’t join in with the gossip. He knew for certain there would be no wedding because soon there would be no Andrew.
He ran over to them at the front of the group heading for the chapel. “Beth,” he said. “Thank goodness I found you. I need a word.”
“Can it not wait?” Andrew said. “The bishop has just arrived.”
“There’s a crack in the outer wall,” he replied. “I thought you should know.”
“What?” Beth asked. “Where?”
“This way.”
She turned to Andrew. “You go on ahead. I’ll be in as soon as I can.”
Derek smiled to himself. If she’d gone into the chapel with the others she’d see at once that the falsework was no longer supporting the stone roof. With her out of the way everyone else would assume the mortar was set and that she’d made the decision at the last minute.
All he needed was to keep her out of the way, long enough for Andrew to get inside. It wouldn’t be more than a few minutes before the roof collapsed on his head.
He headed out of the castle gateway just as the horns were blown to signal the bishop’s arrival. “Where’s the crack?” Beth asked as they headed down into the earthworks to look up at the towering battlements. “How serious is it?”
“Further round the corner,” Derek replied, beckoning her on.
