“It is?”
“Aye, my mother brought those tapestries with her, those paintings and all the sculptures ye see were curated by me from my collection, dost ye think I should take them with me when I go?”
“You ought to, I think. If you do not plan on returning.”
“Tis a shame though, I chose them for this space. I prefer them here, out, where they can be seen and admired rather than in my storerooms at Riaghalbane. Having an art collection here in the Earl’s gallery does our family proud, I think.” I huffed. “Not that my brother has ever concerned himself with our family’s reputation, ye remember what I told ye of his double-dealing around the Glencoe affair.”
“I remember. You said he was involved, but was able to keep from the gallows.”
“I was verra young, but if I could go back there now I should have let him swing.”
Wilfred’s eyes went wide. “Mairead, this is very dark.”
“I am in a dark mood. But also, Wilfred, I haena done it, I would nae, he is one of the most powerful men in Scotland and my children hae lived under his protection. I refrained from my murderous impulses.”
He teased, “You show amazing restraint, Mairead, the paragon of temperateness.”
I raised my glass. “Ye always ken what tae say, ye are a verra good actor.”
He smiled. “I am a terrible actor, you mention it regularly, Mairead.”
“Ye are popular, handsome, and wildly successful, tis all that is important I think.
I put down my glass. “Speaking of an act, I think tis time tae go tae bed. I am not one for drama and my head aches from it.”
CHAPTER 17
MAGNUS
ON THE CASTLE WALLS IN THE RAIN
Ihad been on the walls for about an hour, talkin’ tae Sean now and then about how the night had begun fine and clear, clouds were patchy, I could see some stars overhead — twas good. I needed tae fix this in m’mind. The stars were everywhere, much the same, but there was somethin’ about a Scottish night. The stars were special here, unlike anywhere else in the world. Florida had stars that twinkled as if reflectin’ the lights of the land, Scotland’s stars glimmered in the darkness, lit of their own accord. I was answerin’ Sean’s endless questions about the kingdom. He had seen some of the weapons of war once long ago, when they rained fire and death from above in what we now called the Battle for the Walls, but he was verra excited at the chance tae operate the machines himself, tae be nae longer the victim of them, but the aggressor holdin’ their controls.
He kept pressin’ me for details. First, he asked what mechanism steered the things. I told him there was a stick tae drive it, or sometimes a wheel. Then he wanted tae ken the firin’ mechanism — how I loosed the fire. I explained about the triggers, simple as a musket’s but quicker. He pressed me. “Like a flintlock, then?”
I shook m’head. “Nae, electrical.”
That stopped him. “Electrical?”
“Aye.” I regretted usin’ the word, twas complicated beyond my knowledge, so I attempted an explanation. “Like lightning, directed intae yer walls, invisible sparks that run through wires. Ye ken, we had some of it when we lived at Kilchurn.”
He nodded. “I saw it but never believed it.”
“It lit yer way in the night.”
“Aye, tis all I needed tae ken. But now I am goin’ tae yer kingdom, I want tae understand it. How does it go intae the wire?”
I tried tae explain further. “Tis somethin’ about currents?—”
“Like water currents, it floats?”
I considered it. “Perhaps, and there are batteries, tis for storin’ the currents. Master Cook explained it tae me once on the walls of Kilchurn, a night much like this, but I believe I hae forgotten most of the meaning.”
The truth was it lit m’way in the night, and gave m’kingdom energy. I dinna need tae ken how. The engineers in Riaghalbane had shown me the panels and switches, but the why of it remained a mystery.
But with m’brother I muddled through the explanation as best I could, feelin’ more and more like a fool the longer I talked.
Then Sean cut me off. “I canna get tae how the machines fly… the ones ye ride in?”
