the stairs to the upper floors.
“Sir, why don’t you just tell me which door to enter? I can find my own way.” Impatience wore on him and Sean was eager to get the visit over.
Davy hooted and grinned, a gap showing where one of his front teeth should be. “I was hoping you’d say that, my lord. Be the first door on your right at the top of the stairs. Your man can await here. I’ll have refreshment brought.”
“I’m not his man,” James said with affront. “And you can tell me where the kitchens are. I can see to myself.”
“Good and well, my lords, I am not wont to gallivant about the castle.” The aged man went into a fit of coughing.
Sean thought he’d fall down. He took the frail man’s arms and helped him to a lone chair at the bottom of the stairs. He gave a sharp look at James. “I’ll return shortly. Don’t go anywhere.”
As he ascended the stairs, he thought someone was watching him. An eerie sense came over him. He took the steps two at a time and found no one there on the landing. He dismissed the oddness and continued on. Sean reached the door within seconds and he knocked. No one answered, so he turned the handle and entered.
His eyes went right to the bed where three women stood around it. Sean approached cautiously, not wishing to disturb them. Lord William coughed and flailed his arms. Briefly he wasn’t certain who was attacking whom. But then he heard Lord William.
“Be gone, you insufferable women! I won’t drink that nasty brew. Take it away.” Lord William’s eyes found his and he stared for a few seconds before he spoke. “Sean, ‘tis you. Aye, lad, come. I am gladdened you finally arrived. Women, leave us.”
The women left the chamber at once, and Sean stood near the man’s bedside. He looked aged, but not so much that he should be bedridden. All his hair hadn’t even grayed and the few wrinkles on his face barely noted a great age.
“I haven’t seen ye in a few years, not since the treaty meeting Laird Gunn attended. You look well. The years been good to ye.” Lord William closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath.
“Are you unwell? Your missive didn’t say, but being that you’re bedridden … Shall I return later, another time?”
“Nay, come closer so I don’t have to raise my voice. I need to speak with you. I’ve much to say, Sean. There is no time. Pull the chair here, so we can talk.”
“Lord William, I don’t know why you asked me here, but my laird bid me to come and here I am. Say what you wish to say so I may be on my way.” Sean pulled the chair nearby and sat.
“You’re angry. I expected that. You dislike me because of my treatment toward your mother, aye?”
Sean nodded. He sat still, but inside he raged with emotions. “Mayhap.”
“I did banish your mother from returning when she wed your father. I regretted it from that very day. Aye, I never saw her again, but once, and she wouldn’t forgive me. Then … she died. I was sorry for my angry words to her, regretted them.”
“It does not change things, Lord William.”
“Nay I suppose it doesn’t. Still, I would make it up to her even now. Which is why I asked you to come. I have no son or daughter to inherit my lands or title. I wish to give all that I have to you.”
Sean frowned and held onto the chair with a grip that stiffened his arms. He wasn’t sure how he felt about what Lord William told him. “Why? You surely could have either Scotland’s or England’s king gift it to a knight in their service.”
Lord William began coughing. He gasped and flailed his hand in the air as if to say stay seated. “Nay. I wish one of my kin take control. Why should the king or some unknown knight gain my wealth? I never meant to hurt your mother, but I did so, and as you said, I cannot change that now.”
“You wish me to stay here and take control of your land and property?” Sean was aghast. He’d only ever lived on Gunn land and never considered living anywhere
“Sir, why don’t you just tell me which door to enter? I can find my own way.” Impatience wore on him and Sean was eager to get the visit over.
Davy hooted and grinned, a gap showing where one of his front teeth should be. “I was hoping you’d say that, my lord. Be the first door on your right at the top of the stairs. Your man can await here. I’ll have refreshment brought.”
“I’m not his man,” James said with affront. “And you can tell me where the kitchens are. I can see to myself.”
“Good and well, my lords, I am not wont to gallivant about the castle.” The aged man went into a fit of coughing.
Sean thought he’d fall down. He took the frail man’s arms and helped him to a lone chair at the bottom of the stairs. He gave a sharp look at James. “I’ll return shortly. Don’t go anywhere.”
As he ascended the stairs, he thought someone was watching him. An eerie sense came over him. He took the steps two at a time and found no one there on the landing. He dismissed the oddness and continued on. Sean reached the door within seconds and he knocked. No one answered, so he turned the handle and entered.
His eyes went right to the bed where three women stood around it. Sean approached cautiously, not wishing to disturb them. Lord William coughed and flailed his arms. Briefly he wasn’t certain who was attacking whom. But then he heard Lord William.
“Be gone, you insufferable women! I won’t drink that nasty brew. Take it away.” Lord William’s eyes found his and he stared for a few seconds before he spoke. “Sean, ‘tis you. Aye, lad, come. I am gladdened you finally arrived. Women, leave us.”
The women left the chamber at once, and Sean stood near the man’s bedside. He looked aged, but not so much that he should be bedridden. All his hair hadn’t even grayed and the few wrinkles on his face barely noted a great age.
“I haven’t seen ye in a few years, not since the treaty meeting Laird Gunn attended. You look well. The years been good to ye.” Lord William closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath.
“Are you unwell? Your missive didn’t say, but being that you’re bedridden … Shall I return later, another time?”
“Nay, come closer so I don’t have to raise my voice. I need to speak with you. I’ve much to say, Sean. There is no time. Pull the chair here, so we can talk.”
“Lord William, I don’t know why you asked me here, but my laird bid me to come and here I am. Say what you wish to say so I may be on my way.” Sean pulled the chair nearby and sat.
“You’re angry. I expected that. You dislike me because of my treatment toward your mother, aye?”
Sean nodded. He sat still, but inside he raged with emotions. “Mayhap.”
“I did banish your mother from returning when she wed your father. I regretted it from that very day. Aye, I never saw her again, but once, and she wouldn’t forgive me. Then … she died. I was sorry for my angry words to her, regretted them.”
“It does not change things, Lord William.”
“Nay I suppose it doesn’t. Still, I would make it up to her even now. Which is why I asked you to come. I have no son or daughter to inherit my lands or title. I wish to give all that I have to you.”
Sean frowned and held onto the chair with a grip that stiffened his arms. He wasn’t sure how he felt about what Lord William told him. “Why? You surely could have either Scotland’s or England’s king gift it to a knight in their service.”
Lord William began coughing. He gasped and flailed his hand in the air as if to say stay seated. “Nay. I wish one of my kin take control. Why should the king or some unknown knight gain my wealth? I never meant to hurt your mother, but I did so, and as you said, I cannot change that now.”
“You wish me to stay here and take control of your land and property?” Sean was aghast. He’d only ever lived on Gunn land and never considered living anywhere
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