“That would be good.”
She poured wine in two glasses and sat down on the settee, leavin’ me what was likely Liam’s chair.
I said, “I haena been in here for a verra long time.”
She nodded. “The children of Lady Mairead prefer a Great Hall tae a small chamber sitting room, the former is where the spectacle can be made. We do love a spectacle.” She sipped from her drink. “I am dreadfully ashamed of mine tonight.” She put the glass down.
“Ye daena need tae worry about anything ye said, I winna think on it again, I promise. I ken ye feel saddened, I just want ye tae be well.”
She put down her glass on the small table and looked down at her hands.
I saw a slight tremble tae her chin. “Och nae…” I put down my own glass and reached between us for her hands and held them on her knees, bent over, head bowed.
“Lizbeth, ye must forgive me for seemin’ unfeeling.”
“I daena think ye are unfeelin’, I ken ye arna, ye hae a verra big heart, and my own is verra large, tis unlikely we could hae possibly come from our mother.”
“Och, ye are joking,” I put a hand on my chest. “Ye must hae forgiven me if ye are jokin’.”
She patted the back of my other hand. “What, Young Magnus, would I need tae forgive ye for? Ye are just tryin’ tae make everything well for us.”
I looked at her face from under my brow. “Tis what Liam has told ye tae say?”
“Liam would never tell me what tae say, but he is a good man and has suffered greatly because of my behavior. His brother-in-law, the king, has offered him a position in his kingdom, and his sons a title. All would be well if only his wife would agree and stop, as he might say, being so troubled, or as ye might say, unreasonable.”
I exhaled.
She continued. “Instead he just wishes I would be well. All the good men of my life wish I would be well.”
“What of Sean?”
“Sean wishes I were well.”
“Liam haena told ye what tae say?—”
“But I ken tis what he wants. He wants the position ye hae offered. He daena really understand it, but he kens tis a good bargain for him, for his sons, for our… for me as well. Sean kens tis good fortune. He is cautious, but he kens tis a great honor tae hae his brother, the king, offer tae make him a duke and give him riches beyond his imaginings.”
“But he is cautious.”
“Aye, because none of them truly kens what lies beyond.” She slid her hands from mine, picked up her drink, and drank it down.
“Dost ye ken what lays beyond?”
She nodded, but dinna answer.
I urged, “What dost ye think?”
“I think what lays beyond will be confounding, twill likely confuse and possibly destroy, tis a world in which my mother rules, and there are frightening villains who winna allow ye tae rest, and everything is unsettled because my husband and sons winna be able tae take care of me as they should.”
I finished my wine. “The case could be made, Lizbeth, that ye daena ken what ye are talking about as ye hae never been tae the kingdom of Riaghalbane before.”
“I remember the way it weighed on yer heart, Young Magnus, tae be a man out of time. Twas not a goodness; ye wondered if it might be a sin.”
“Tis true, I did wonder it, I did worry about it a great deal, and aye, twas nae easy, tis never easy, but… I hae fought tae hae a moment of peace. We hae wealth and safety, I will protect ye, I will care for ye.”
“Ye ken that is not what I am saying, tis not yer job, tis Liam’s chore tae care for me, and what good are sons if they arna tae take care of their mother?”
“Hae ye spoken tae Sean on this? He said the same thing earlier, he is worried his sons winna be capable in Riaghalbane.”
