Lammas by Shirley McKay Page B

‘Have you hurt the lass? Did you kill her, or anyone else?’
    â€˜I did not,’ Walter said.
    â€˜Then,’ Hew said to the crownar, ‘I urge you to take him into ward, and keep him under guard until the girl is found.’
    Sir Andrew Wood had not expected such a straight response. ‘You believe him guilty, then?’
    â€˜On the contrary,’ said Hew. ‘I am convinced he is telling the truth. He has committed no crime.’
    â€˜He has committed no crime. Yet you would have me lock him up. This man is your lawyer, sir. How do you like that?’ Sir Andrew put to Walter, who replied simply, ‘I did no wrong.’
    Hew urged the crownar, ‘You ken me. Then trust me. I cannot tell you more, for it is a matter of the closest confidence. Evil will be done if you do not lock him up.’
    â€˜Will I hang him too, an it please your grace?’
    â€˜That is the conclusion I am trying to avoid.’
    â€˜Aye, very well. Let the bailies take him.’ Sir Andrew had grown tired of the game. He returned to Henry Balfour. ‘This student too, who was on the pier. The hussy says she saw him with the lass. Therefore I must count him also for a suspect, if a crime is done. Which is far from clear.’
    â€˜By no means,’ said Hew, intervening quickly. ‘This is Lord Balfour’s son.’ He knew Henry from his efforts in the public examinations, where he had presented several days before. ‘He cannot be allowed to influence your witness. Much more will be gained be keeping them apart. And since he is too drunk to speak with reason now, I will take him home.’
    A voice was heard to murmur somewhere in the crowd. ‘Rich laws for the rich, and that’s a fact.’
    Henry had revived his wits sufficiently to say, ‘I am lodging in the South Street, with Professor Black.’
    â€˜Are you now?’ said Hew. ‘Then God help you both.’
    Robert Lachlan helped him to take Henry home. ‘Ye maunna fault a man that cannot haud his drink, when he is but young. He has yet to learn. Yon scholars at the college havna taucht him richt.’ He slapped Henry hard between the shoulder blades, a gesture of collegiate conviviality, which Henry threw straight back, in a spurt of spew. Robert sidestepped swiftly ‘Manners of a whore, for aw that.’
    Robert Black turned ashen when they brought him to the door. ‘How can he be so drunk? Tis not gone eight o’clock! What devil have you done to him?’ he asked.
    â€˜Nought but saved his skin,’ said Hew. ‘You will not believe the trouble he is in. He has no idea of it himself. If you value his life, lock him in his room, and do not let him out before I come again.’
    â€˜What do you say? His life is in danger?’ The regent wrung his hands. ‘What will I tell his father? What am I do? He is in my charge for the next two months.’
    Robert Lachlan grinned at him. ‘Aye? Good luck wi that.’
    Walter Bone was locked in the tolbooth for the night. He had no more to say. He kept Elspet’s ribbons tightly in his grasp. The crownar made no attempt to wrest them from him. He took no interest in the case. In the morning, early, he went back to the harbour, and established that the incoming tide had recovered no trace of the girl. He spoke to several of the fishermen, who had taken their boats out at night, and concluded that there was no charge to answer. He returned to the tolbooth, and set Walter free. He was not going to hang a man for a scrap of thread.

August 2
    (1)
    Elspet had woken up naked and cold. She looked about for clothes, and finding Michael’s shirt the closest thing to hand, she put it on. It held her in his scent, bloody and deep like the scent of a calf. Michael lay still fast asleep. He was naked too, his hair like crumpled corn rigs, tousled tufts of gold, his bare limbs flung carelessly over the fleece. Their bed was a