Henrietta said, “The castle is whispering about you, Lizbeth.”
“Oh?” Lizbeth’s face flushed. I thought she might faint.
Sean’s brow furrowed. “What did they say?”
Henrietta smiled. “They say she has been invited tae live under the good graces of her brother, but she daena want tae go, she would prefer living here with us. Underourgood graces.”
She laughed. “Tis funny, inna it funny, John? Birk, daena ye find it funny?”
Birk grunted.
Magnus’s eyes shifted from face to face.
John said, as if none of us could hear them, “My father was right about everything.”
“True, true.” Then she said, “Continue, Lizbeth, what happened next?”
“He called Sean and Magnus bastards, and called my mother a…” She whispered, “Whore.”
Henrietta laughed. “My my.”
Lizbeth raised her chin, she and Lady Mairead with the same look on their faces. “He did this in front of the servants, sire, the household heard, and the insult tae Lady Mairead was given in front of her husband, Lord Wilfrey.”
John huffed.
Magnus glared and shifted his feet.
Henrietta whispered to John again.
He smiled. “I agree with ye, Lady Mairead, we are family and this business is best put behind us, we daena want any disgraces, we hae had plenty of that.”
Lady Mairead nodded.
He looked at his fingers, drumming on the table. “Now, with the death of the Earl, we will be finally rid of the Glencoe tragedy as well.”
Lady Mairead said, “May he Rest in Peace, and aye, twill be good tae not hae that tragedy attached tae our name anymore.”
“Aye,” then he said, “The way we see it, this is what happened today?—”
Magnus said, “And bywe,ye mean?”
“Lady Glenorchy and I…”
Magnus narrowed his eyes at Birk, who kept his eyes directed upon the distant wall, covered in a tapestry, as if he couldn’t tell that the men of the room were all glaring at him.
“John, this is family business,” Magnus said, “This stranger should wait in the passage?—”
Birk said, “Why are ye saying who will stay and who must go?”
Magnus leveled his eyes. “I am the Duke of Awe, and nephew of the Earl of Breadalbane, and…” He huffed, stopped short from saying king. “Who are ye?”
“Birk Donald.”
Fraoch sneered. “Cousin.”
John said, “Nae. Birk will remain here.”
A malevolent grin spread on Birk’s face.
