that this unfortunate maid had a child filiated upon her by a dissolute person from England who fled before a marriage could be arranged,” MacJannet reported, clearly warming to his role as Tearlach’s interpreter.
“Thank you, MacJannet, I followed that much. Hush now, both of you. George, try that swing again. You are still throwing your head up. I may have to tie a heavy stone to your neck to help you recall the need to keep your head still.”
“Does that work?” the boy asked hopefully.
“Aye, but it is best used only as a last resort. ‘Tis too easy to lose one’s teeth when the stone flies up.”
“Oh.”
George looked down with determination. This timethe ball managed to travel a couple of feet. Deciding not to press his luck, Colin urged them to move on.
Below he could hear the bellowing cattle coming up onto land. They sounded no happier than the sheep, but at least they were alive.
Tearlach followed them determinedly, though he was plainly interested in the cows milling upon the beach. “They’re aboot as restful as a nose full o’ wasps,” he observed. “They took tae that ocean wi’ as much pleasure as the Devil takes tae holy water.”
Colin handed Frances a different club and stood back smartly. It took her only a moment to let fly with a mighty swing. The leather ball sailed into the sky and seemed to disappear into the clouds.
“ Bien Dieu!” she breathed happily if irreverently. Her smile was ecstatic.
“That one’s away wi’ the angles.” Tearlach exhaled through his teeth in veneration. “Who’d have thought that some wee lassie could hit a baw sae far?”
“Frances, that was amazing!” George congratulated. “You’ve never hit one so long.”
Colin was astounded, too, but did not permit himself to gasp.
“Very nice,” he said cautiously. “We shall have to see where it landed, of course, but excellently done.”
Frances smiled at him, eyes shining. “Ah! Splendid! I wish that we might play all the day and on every day. It is of much good fortune that you have come to us, Monsieur Mortlock. It seems that I shall actually have to say sincere thanks to the laird of the Mac-Leods for his suggestion of a Master of Gowff.”
Colin returned her smile but thought: Play golf all the day and on every day? He prayed that this would not be the case, or he, too, would have something tosay to his cousin, and it would not be words of thanks.
He made a mental note to instruct MacJannet to pray nightly for rain. He would do it himself, but he and the Lord had not been on the best of terms in recent years.
C HAPTER F OUR
The twelvemonth and a day being up,
The dead began to speak:
‘Oh who sits weeping on my grave,
And will not let me sleep?’
— “The Unquiet Grave”
Eventually the game came to an end and Colin was finally allowed to enter the keep. It was a good thing that things had gone smoothly with his introduction to his employer, because the MacLeod’s ship had not waited for him. He was stranded with the Balfours until his cousin chose to rescue him.
Noltland Castle came as rather a surprise. The first interesting feature was an iron yett that might be used to close upon hostile visitors. It had not the strength of some of the Norman fortifications, lacking a moat and bridge that might be drawn up, yet it was certainly something for which King James II should have been petitioned when it was installed in the last century. The castle was clearly a defensive fortification and could be used against the crown if taken by hostile forces.
Also of interest were a conspicuous number of shot holes built into the walls, a feature rarer in castles built in the last century, when the perpendicular style had been waning. In all, the keep had been designedwith one purpose, and that was to hinder intruders. It was not a pleasure palace where lords might play in between their hunts and carouses.
Given that he liked his hosts, Colin tried to put aside his years as an
“Thank you, MacJannet, I followed that much. Hush now, both of you. George, try that swing again. You are still throwing your head up. I may have to tie a heavy stone to your neck to help you recall the need to keep your head still.”
“Does that work?” the boy asked hopefully.
“Aye, but it is best used only as a last resort. ‘Tis too easy to lose one’s teeth when the stone flies up.”
“Oh.”
George looked down with determination. This timethe ball managed to travel a couple of feet. Deciding not to press his luck, Colin urged them to move on.
Below he could hear the bellowing cattle coming up onto land. They sounded no happier than the sheep, but at least they were alive.
Tearlach followed them determinedly, though he was plainly interested in the cows milling upon the beach. “They’re aboot as restful as a nose full o’ wasps,” he observed. “They took tae that ocean wi’ as much pleasure as the Devil takes tae holy water.”
Colin handed Frances a different club and stood back smartly. It took her only a moment to let fly with a mighty swing. The leather ball sailed into the sky and seemed to disappear into the clouds.
“ Bien Dieu!” she breathed happily if irreverently. Her smile was ecstatic.
“That one’s away wi’ the angles.” Tearlach exhaled through his teeth in veneration. “Who’d have thought that some wee lassie could hit a baw sae far?”
“Frances, that was amazing!” George congratulated. “You’ve never hit one so long.”
Colin was astounded, too, but did not permit himself to gasp.
“Very nice,” he said cautiously. “We shall have to see where it landed, of course, but excellently done.”
Frances smiled at him, eyes shining. “Ah! Splendid! I wish that we might play all the day and on every day. It is of much good fortune that you have come to us, Monsieur Mortlock. It seems that I shall actually have to say sincere thanks to the laird of the Mac-Leods for his suggestion of a Master of Gowff.”
Colin returned her smile but thought: Play golf all the day and on every day? He prayed that this would not be the case, or he, too, would have something tosay to his cousin, and it would not be words of thanks.
He made a mental note to instruct MacJannet to pray nightly for rain. He would do it himself, but he and the Lord had not been on the best of terms in recent years.
C HAPTER F OUR
The twelvemonth and a day being up,
The dead began to speak:
‘Oh who sits weeping on my grave,
And will not let me sleep?’
— “The Unquiet Grave”
Eventually the game came to an end and Colin was finally allowed to enter the keep. It was a good thing that things had gone smoothly with his introduction to his employer, because the MacLeod’s ship had not waited for him. He was stranded with the Balfours until his cousin chose to rescue him.
Noltland Castle came as rather a surprise. The first interesting feature was an iron yett that might be used to close upon hostile visitors. It had not the strength of some of the Norman fortifications, lacking a moat and bridge that might be drawn up, yet it was certainly something for which King James II should have been petitioned when it was installed in the last century. The castle was clearly a defensive fortification and could be used against the crown if taken by hostile forces.
Also of interest were a conspicuous number of shot holes built into the walls, a feature rarer in castles built in the last century, when the perpendicular style had been waning. In all, the keep had been designedwith one purpose, and that was to hinder intruders. It was not a pleasure palace where lords might play in between their hunts and carouses.
Given that he liked his hosts, Colin tried to put aside his years as an
Similar Books
