A servant helped pull his heavy chair back and he stood regally.
Lizbeth stared at her plate, red creeping up her cheeks.
Magnus, Sean, and Liam watched him slowly walk from the Hall.
When the door closed behind him, the conversation and music began again.
Lizbeth said, quietly, “I hae always admired this glassware.” She took another sip and placed the glass down, with a long low exhale.
She straightened the flatware beside her plate, then looked off at the far window.
Magnus drew his chair back under the table. “Sister, I?—”
“Magnus, I ken ye want tae soften the prick tae m’heart that my uncle has served, age has made him cruel. Yet I wish we daena speak on it, tae dwell is tae keep it fresh. I ken my worth.” She looked away, her face pale.
Magnus said, “It makes me furious that he daena see how important ye are.”
“I ken my station in this house, his house, and it daena matter that he daena see it. I dinna keep the household for him.”
“Who dost ye keep it for?”
“For my husband and our bairns and for Sean, all my nephews. Just as Sean and Liam go tae the walls every day nottae keep the Earl safe, but tae keep Maggie and me safe, and all the bairns.”
Magnus said sadly, “I just daena want him tae disrespect ye.”
“He has disrespected all of us, including our mother. I dinna want him tae call ye… what he called ye, and the things he says about Sean… I suppose there is at least a bit of comfort in his constancy.”
Magnus chuckled. “I suppose there is. And I take comfort that ye will be leaving here verra soon. Ye see it, this canna stand?”
“I see it, aye. This canna stand.”
“Will ye begin tae pack?”
She exhaled. “Honestly, brother, first I must finish m’duties, I canna think on it.”
“All I can ask is that ye move forward with it, we hae time.”
Soon enough we were done with the early meal and people were up dancing, the night growing merry. Magnus brought out the box with presents to pass out.
I glanced at Lizbeth and she barely smiled.
Magnus counted heads and passed out sodas to all who wanted to try. He opened up bags of candy and placed them on the table. A young lad ran off to bring the kids so no one would miss out, and a moment later a big group of the ‘cousins’ scrambled in, digging into the candy bags, jostling each other, drinking soda, burping loudly, and laughing.
There were bags of cookies too, Magnus snuck the bottles of liquor directly to Sean and Liam to share with whomever they wanted, and he gave the fudge directly to Lizbeth and Maggie. He pulled out a small box that contained tea, vanilla, and sugarfor the household. “Twas meant for the Earl tae see, ye tell him I brought it.”
Lizbeth nodded, and tucked them to the side. “I will make certain tae tell him.”
I passed out fancy soap and lotion for all the women of the house and then Magnus gave out a few fishing poles from Fraoch to some of the men.
Finally he pulled out a large long sports equipment duffel bag. “Dost ye ken what this is?”
There was a card on it, it said, “For the castle, from Zach, Quentin, and James.”
I said, “What on earth is it?”
Magnus unzipped the long side of the duffel and exposed a full badminton set.
I said, “Oh fun! Badminton.” And swooped up the instructions. “It can be set up anywhere.” I glanced around. “Can we move that table?”
