“Twill, if I lose him, I winna recover.”
“Tis verra extreme tae say.”
“I feel it, Magnus, I am auld and hae been alone, I beg ye tae keep him from hanging.”
“I daena ken if I am the man tae decide his fate?—”
“Ye are a king!”
“I am naethisking.”
“I ken ye can do something, ye hae wealth and power, ye can save him, promise me ye will try.”
“Ye think I winna try? Dost ye think I winna do everything in m’power?”
She nodded.
“Tis a verra low opinion of me!”
“I ken ye, Magnus, ye will do everything tae keep Lizbeth from the dungeon, tae keep the noose from around her neck. After all, she is yer sister, ye would change places if ye had tae, but Wilfrey is nothing tae ye. If ye thought twould save Lizbeth ye might see him swing on the gallows.”
I huffed. “Ye think me so unfeeling?”
“He inna yer family, but he is all I hae, he is my family and mine alone. I dinna get tae keep Hammond, because his bloodline had him in line for the throne, but Wilfrey is nothing tae Riaghalbane. He has nae need for power or thrones, he just loves me, Magnus, he wants tae keep me company,please.”
I brushed a tear from her cheek. “Even if I were the most unsympathetic man in the world, and I could ignore yer beseeching, I would still do everything I could for the service he has done for us. Wilfrey has saved our lives. I winna let him swing for that alone, but it means a great deal tae me that ye feel this way about him, mother, ye hae moved my heart.”
“Ye promise ye will protect him?”
“Aye, I promise.”
I gave her my hand and heaved her up tae her feet. “Ye are overwrought, mother, I haena had ye kneeling at my feet before.”
“It has been a verra difficult day. First, m’daughter has come undone, and then m’husband is in a dungeon. Tis difficult tae bestrong, though I am certain tis the next thing ye are going tae say.”
“Mother, ye need tae stay strong.”
She sadly laughed. “Told ye.”
She sighed. “I see too much of m’self in Lizbeth.”
“I do as well, and she should hae the sense tae ken she daena hae tae sully herself with murderous impulses, she inna cut out for it, she has us tae do it for her.”
She laughed. “Exactly,what good are our abilities if we canna use them tae protect and avenge our family?”
I said, “Speakin’ of, where did she get the poison?”
She exhaled. “I haena looked in m’stores, yet, but I would guess she has pilfered it from me.”
I shook my head, then rubbed my hands up and down on my face. “Och, this could hae gone so poorly, if Wilfred hadna handled it. I will take care of him.”
“Thank ye, Magnus, and in exchange I will continue tae rule yer kingdom bringing ye even more wealth through yer new production company?—”
I raised my brow. “My new production company? What am I producing?”
“Wilfrey’s new movie.”
I laughed. “This conversation has careened like a cart with loose wheels driven by a drunken goat on a Sunday morn.”
