He said, “Ye hae given not one thought tae me or yer bairns, ye hae forsaken us, brought evil upon our family.”
“I am so sorry, Liam. I dinna think.”
“Ye dinna think of me, or our bairns, ye thought only of yerself, tis sinful.”
She said, “I canna bear it. Daena think it, please, Liam.”
He said, “We will speak of this when we are alone.”
I looked out to the hall, Wilfrey and Lady Mairead on the ground.
I asked, “Where do… What do we do? It doesn’t seem good to have Wilfrey and Lady Mairead on the floor of the corridor.”
Magnus said, “Aye.”
We went out to the corridor and Sean said, “Wilfrey, we need tae…”
Wilfred nodded. “I know, you need to put me in the dungeons.”
Lady Mairead said, “Nae, he can be in my chamber, when John gets here we will discuss.”
Wilfrey put a hand on Lady Mairead’s arm. “No, Mairead, the dungeon. That’s where your sons have to put me, they cannot show favoritism.”
She frowned, her brow furrowing.
Magnus asked, “Will ye be able tae walk, Wilfrey, with yer injuries?”
Wilfred gave him a doleful smile. “No, I think you will need to carry your stepfather. He has been terribly wounded.”
So Magnus directed Fraoch and Sean to roll a rug under Wilfrey tae carry him down to the castle dungeon.
Lady Mairead wiped off her hands and stood.“Now someone needs tae deal with the Earl, someonealwayshas tae deal with the Earl, even in death.”
She leveled her eyes on Lizbeth. “Lizbeth, what has crossed yer mind?”
“Nothing, I dinna think.”
“I see it, I see that ye hae gone against sense and security and put yer whole family in danger, but we are going tae try our best tae save ye, but ye will need tae calm yer nerves and?—”
Lizbeth was wringing her hands. “I canna, I need tae lie down, I am so sorry.”
Lady Mairead said, “Liam, I need ye tae take yer wife tae her chambers.”
Lizbeth looked sick.
Lady Mairead said, “Ye can take a few moments there, daughter, tae find yer strength, ye hae created a tragedy, ye must remedy it, we are all risking a great deal in this. Ye must do yer part.”
Lizbeth’s chin trembled.
Lady Mairead put up her hands. “Liam, take her tae yer chamber, try tae talk sense intae her.”
“Aye.” He grasped Lizbeth by the elbow and led her away.
We began the slow business of going down the stairs. Wilfrey was carried between Fraoch, Sean, and Magnus, with Hayley and I on one of the bottom corners. Wilfrey groaned as we came around a corner and bumped his elbow on the wall. Mairead rushed along beside us, yelling, “Be careful!” And “Daena die, Wilfrey!” whenever someone passed us on the stairs.
As we went, we were all glancing at each other with looks of, “What the hell just happened?” and “That was insane!” and “Did we save Lizbeth from the gallows?”
We remained quiet — to keep this secret, we could not discuss it, not with the possibility that anyone might overhear.
