Go, Roderic MacAlpin. Go, ere it is too late, and before the high altar
of St. Blane's pray to Him for the mercy and forgiveness that you sorely
need."
Roderic bowed his head and nervously clasped and unclasped his hands.
"Go while there is yet time and confess your sins," continued Elspeth.
"And if there is aught of penitence in your black heart then seek from
our good and holy abbot the means whereby you may fulfil your penance
during the days that remain to you on earth."
It seemed that a great change had come over him as he walked away, for
his step was halting and his head was bowed. He walked along by the
cliffs that are at the verge of the sea; southward past Scalpsie and
Lubas and Barr, then inland to the little chapel of St. Blane's. And
ever at his heels hobbled Elspeth Blackfell.
When Earl Roderic had entered the holy place to open his heart in
confession to the abbot, Elspeth waited on the headland above the bay of
Dunagoil. In that bay there was a ship, and the shipmen were unloading
her of a cargo of English salt and other commodities of the far south.
Presently the old woman went downward to the beach, and there held
speech with the shipmaster, who, as it chanced, being a man of Wales,
could make shift to understand the Gaelic tongue, and from him she
learned that the ship was to leave at the ebb tide for England.
Pages:
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85