"I
have been left warden of the castle of Rothesay by Rudri Alpinson; and
now do I swear on mine honour, my lord, that this matter that hath just
befallen is none of my doings, for I would fain have prevented it. But
'tis but an hour ago that one of your islanders was brought in a
prisoner to Rothesay, and it was he who betrayed the harbourage of your
people."
"Who was that man?" asked Kenric with wrathful voice.
"His name, my lord, was David Blair. He is now, for his betrayal,
dangling at a rope's end from the western tower of Rothesay Castle."
"Well have you served him," said Kenric; "and now for your courtesy I
thank you, Thorolf Sigurdson."
Then Kenric bade Ailsa Redmain return with the two children to the abbey.
"And now," he added, turning to the captain, "since you are here I would
beseech you to grant me a few days' truce, that we may have time to bury
our dead."
"For the matter of that," said Thorolf, "I would willingly extend the
truce until the return of Rudri. For there are, if I mistake not, many
matters to attend to beyond the burial of the slain. The men of
Colonsay, as I hear, have played sad havoc with your homesteads, and it
were well that these were put again into decent repair."
"Your terms are more favourable than I had hoped for," said Kenric, "and
I well see that you are a man of honour.
Pages:
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249