Knight Triumphant by Heather Graham Page B

Father MacKinley and discussed what must be done. The rebel would live, so it seemed, and Sir Robert was doing well. No one else had fallen ill. The survivors, and those not stricken, had worked together long and well. Perhaps it was not so difficult a picture to see, for Langley stood in what had been known now for a long time as the Borders, an area ravaged by the struggle for power between the Scots and the English, or the various factions of the Scots loyal to the king of England, and those who supported Bruce. The murder of John Comyn had created a rift within Scotland itself; as the Bruces had not supported John Balliol as king, there were many who did not accept Robert Bruce’s claim to the throne. Some were superstitious, believing that the reign of a king begun with a murder could not ever bring peace and prosperity to a kingdom. There were simply those, as always, who had lands in both Scotland and England, and their estates in England, held under Edward I, were worth far more than their lands in Scotland, and so their loyalties varied on an almost daily basis.
    â€œWe have to think of what is best for those of us here, now,” Father MacKinley told Igrainia. “We are in a precarious position here. Again and again, by both sides, these lands are sacked and ravaged. There are many things to consider, especially in regard to the man we have saved from death, wise or not, I don’t know. We have done right for our immortal souls, but as to our days here on earth . . . well. The Norse rule many of our neighboring islands, and this man has lineage back to powerful jarls, as well as the love of the man to whom he is loyal, Robert Bruce, who has been crowned king of Scotland. Langley, though Border land, is claimed by both kings. The lowlands fall prey to Edward every time; Bruce hasn’t the strength as yet to hold what he would claim by word. Some here will be loyal to Bruce; most are afraid of the English; they have been beaten down far too many times. Robert Bruce has been forced to fight his battle from the forest, striking out at Edward’s men when his spies let him know where they are, and when he can strike and run. But it is likely that word was sent to him when Eric Graham rode here to seize you and make his way into the castle. It is a stronghold. Perhaps he has a contingent of men he can send here, because in his quest to find Bruce, Edward will not have men to lay siege here, and Langley, though a house of death now, is a powerful fortification when manned and armed. I have spent hours of prayer on this matter. You are a pawn here for Eric Graham. You must escape before he is well, and can use you as such.”
    â€œI am afraid that if I leave, he will punish the people here,” Igrainia said.
    Father MacKinley shook his head slowly. He was a man she admired and liked very much. He was tall, graceful in movement, and serious in almost all matters. Born in Ireland, he had served his God in Italy, France, England and Spain before coming to them at Langley. He believed deeply that the soul of a man was far more important than his time on earth, but his compassion ran deep, as did his belief that the nobility of any land, honored by their people, were equally responsible to those people for their livelihood and welfare. As God was the great King of Heaven and all men his flock, the nobles ruled on earth, and their tenants were as their sheep, and must be guarded and tended. Murder was wrong by any measure, and he seemed to have little loyalty to Edward I as he practiced so much slaughter and wanton cruelty in his determination to crush Scotland, but equally, he was not certain of Robert Bruce, though he had been known to say that Bruce fought for his own land while Edward fought to take that of others.
    â€œThis man will not take vengeance on the people here,” Father MacKinley said.
    â€œHe has said that he would kill everyone, if his wife died. She is gone, Father, and it was