The men all looked at each other.
Sean said, “Nae, ye canna disarm us, for what purpose?”
“We are having a family discussion?—”
“Ye trust yer family — daena ye trust yer family?”
He stalked over to the table and tapped on the surface. “Draw yer swords and place them here.”
Sean, Magnus, and Fraoch looked at each other, a look of fury, then relented. They drew their swords, and placed them in a stack.
Fraoch said, “What of this fella with ye, he daena hae tae?”
“He is my guard.” He sat down in a chair with his back overly straight, the posture of a bureaucrat. The tension in the room was rising.
Magnus returned to his position, but seemed to be mentally calculating the distance to his sword.
Lady Mairead said, “John, I want tae give ye my deepest condolences, yer father’s death has been a shock tae us all, and we are gathered here on this mournful day with the most fervent desire that he rest in peace.”
He nodded. “Aye, it has been verra sudden and has shaken me. Can ye explain what happened?”
Sean said, “The Earl was?—”
“Nae, I want tae hear it from my aunt.”
Lady Mairead said, “He insulted me gravely. He also insulted Lizbeth, he behaved cruelly?—”
He repeated, interrupted, “Insulted you gravely. Insulted Lizbeth cruelly.”
His wife, Henrietta, shook her head slowly, as if skeptical.
Lady Mairead continued, “My husband challenged him about it, demanding an apology. As is his right. The Earl attacked him with a blade.”
“Your husband challenged my elderly father, as is his right…”
The man behind him leaned forward and whispered something in his ear.
John nodded and took his time before asking, “Why inna yer husband here?”
Sean said, “He is in the dungeon, sire, awaiting a fair hearing with ye.”
“Dungeon, good good. Awaiting afairhearing.”
He stared off into space.
Henrietta said, “It must be verra nice indeed tae be able tae expect a ‘fair hearing’ after his doings here this day. John, daena ye agree? Tis insolence, I think.”
Lady Mairead kept her focus on John. “Sire, he is my husband, therefore yer uncle. I hae told him ye hae a judicious temperament. This is not insolence, I believe his expectation is fair.”
Magnus said, his voice low and gruff, “I believe ye ken everyone in this chamber, John, but I haena been introduced tae yer man…?”
The man said, “Birk.”
Fraoch said, “Tis yer name or a sound ye are makin’?”
Hayley pulled on my sleeve and emitted a little,oh God,sounding like she used to when one of our friends acted out in class.
Fraoch was met with stony silence.
