“Apparently.”
“This is insane.”
“Yep.”
“I’ve never seen the Earl fight, but he’s got a sword. Do you think he can fight? We’re surrounded by swords. Can Wilfred fight? I’m sorry, I’m nervous, I’m jabbering.”
“I doubt he can fight, I wonder if somehow Magnus will get dragged into it.”
She said, “Lochinvar used to fight in the courtyard, and he’s still alive, he didn’t kill anyone.”
“Yeah, this is probably fine.”
I stood on my tiptoes as we gained the top of the stairs. “Where is Lizbeth?” Ahead of us Liam met Sean, Fraoch, Magnus, and Wilfrey, then he went further along the corridor shooing gawkers away.
Hayley said, “This is so medieval, we are following Wilfrey up the stairs to watch him confront a seventeenth century Scottish Earl who just called his wife a whore.”
“We aren’t going to watch, we’ll be standing in a corridor.”
It looked like the men were gathered at the door.
I said to Hayley, “Hurry, they’re about to go in. I want to listen through the door.”
Lady Mairead overheard us. “I will be listening, I will tell ye what is happening.”
We formed a tight knot behind Wilfrey as he knocked on the door, the knock of a man demanding entry.
There was a beat of silence, and then the door swung open and there stood Lizbeth, she looked frantic, pale, terrified.
“I did it, I did it, I dinna mean… I did it! I’m sorry, och nae, I did it!” The tray she clutched had a shot glass in the middle, rattling, shaking and sliding, as she shook in fear. I stood on my tiptoes to see. The Earl. On the ground.
He looked dead.
Lady Mairead’s voice, “What hae ye done, child, Dear God! Nae, ye… ye should nae hae done it!”
I looked at Hayley wide eyed and we hung back, she mouthed,poison?
I nodded. My heart raced.
Liam said, “Lizzie, love, och nae.”
Lady Mairead put the tray with the shot glass on the ground. “Nae one touch it!”
Magnus raised his head and looked around. “Hayley, we need tae clear the corridor, send everyone away.”
I heard Lady Mairead whisper, “She will hang for this — nae, Lizbeth, why? Ye should hae told me yer plans.”
“I dinna ken, I just did it, I dinna think, what am I goin’ tae do! I daena want tae die!”
I was able to see past Magnus into the solar, the feet of the Earl on the ground.
Hayley was rushing up and down the hall, making sure no one was lurking or listening around corners.
Lizbeth sounded so scared, her voice small, tremulous. “Will I go tae the gallows, Liam? Sean, what will happen tae me?”
Magnus said, “Ye winna go tae the gallows, Lizbeth, we will…” He pushed the door open, “Step in here, keep yer voices down.”
We all pushed into the room, with Hayley remaining out in the hall to watch for us. The room was dark, a few candles burning, a fire in the hearth, and outside there was a storm battering the glass
