10. Chapter 10 - Lochinvar

CHAPTER 10 - LOCHINVAR

BALLOCH CASTLE COURTYARD - MAY 27, 1710

I jogged down the steps to the ground floor where I found the men of the castle, milling around the courtyard. Craigh saw me and sneered, then looked away. I once worked for him in the stables and he had been used tae antagonizin’ me. It dawned on me that m’predicament was precarious — I was here without the protection of Magnus or Sean, and needed tae tread carefully.

I climbed up on a cask tae see over the crowd. Liam was at the gate, speaking tae five strangers on horseback.

I asked the man beside me, “Doest ye ken what is happening at the gate?”

He growled, “What do ye care about it, Lochie?”

I said, “I am one of Magnus’s men, a guest of Sean, a mate of Liam — if I ask ye a question, ye ought tae answer —”

Craigh interrupted, “Ye causin’ trouble, Lochie?”

“Nae, I want tae ken what is happenin’ at the gate.”

He scoffed. “Maybe it daena matter tae ye.”

“Maybe it does, ye ken, Liam will tell me once he is done. It does nae harm tae tell me now so if Liam needs m’sword I am ready tae fight. Ye ken I am good with the sword, I would hae kicked yer arse that night if Magnus haena stopped me.”

Craigh said, “Lochie, tis like ye wish for a painful death.”

“I daena, I just want tae ken who is at the gate without havin’ tae argue with the biggest bawbag for miles around.”

“Fine, but only because listenin’ tae ye be a big bairn causes m’head tae ache. Big Ham and Sneaky Simmin found the innerlopes crossing the Earl’s land and escorted them here, the innerlopes claim tae bring a message from Edinburgh.”

As he spoke I kept my eyes on the strangers. The leader looked agitated, and his horse stamped. I couldna make out what he was sayin’.

“Tis odd, daena the Earl hae his own messengers?”

I dinna wait for an answer, I pushed my way closer through the crowd, arrivin’ at Liam’s shoulder. I lowered m’voice and asked, “What pray tell is the messenger on about?”

“He says the Earl has arrived in Edinburgh but has fallen ill.”

I said, “Tis an ordinary message though... Where are the Earl’s messengers?”

He said, under his breath, “I daena ken, tis odd, our guardsmen are concerned—” Then he stepped fully in front of me and whispered, “Daena let them see ye, his eye is rovin’. I think they might be lookin’ for ye.”

Och nae. I stepped back behind the crowd and took cover in a shadow at the edge of the courtyard. The strangers did act as if they were lookin’ for someone. They seemed shifty and were scanning the crowd.

Liam and the Balloch guards began usherin’ the strangers from the castle, herdin’ them toward the gate.

Craigh walked by. “Lochie, ye are goin’ tae stand there, useless, or ye goin’ tae help for once?”

“Liam told me tae step aside.”

“Must be mighty fine tae be a favored guest. The rest of us hae tae see the innerlopes from the castle.” He shoved through the crowd taeward the stables.

Liam met me at the wall. “What did Craigh want with ye?”

I shook m’head, irritated. “The usual — harassin’ me for not helpin’.”

“Lochie, ye ken tis his way. He thinks ye are a pain in his arse, he inna goin’ tae change his mind unless ye give his arse a fine rubdown — ye willin’ tae give the arse of Craigh a fine rubdown?”

I chuckled. “Nae, maybe an arse kickin’.”

“Well, ye arna allowed tae — ye will bring trouble down on yer brother, and on Sean and me, because I am the only man left in the castle who cares a lick for ye.”

“Aye, I will behave — what did ye think the strangers were about?”

“They were here scoutin’ tae look for Magnus, I think, possibly ye and Fraoch as well. When dost ye think Master Cook and Black MacMagnus will return?“

“Sometime today, I canna tell.”

“Och nae, I daena like that they are all away.”

“Ye are the last man guardin’ the castle, but I suppose twas good they dinna find Magnus here or see me in the crowd. There might hae been a battle in the courtyard.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Dost ye think that is their aim, a battle?”

“I daena ken.”

“What dost ye think they will do if they dinna find Magnus or his men here? Tis his trouble, nae mine — I am unsure how tae guard against a danger I daena understand.”

I looked around at the men in the courtyard, most of them were going back tae their duties, completely unconcerned. Strangers were a common enough occurrence, they had nae idea of the danger the castle would be in if those strangers were time travelers and had been armed with modern weapons.

If they were time travelers it would be easy for them to have foreknowledge of who was here and how little we were protected.

Och nae. I looked around at the walls.

If the strangers were after Ash, there were not enough guards, this was not enough protection.

Every man in Balloch was not enough. And Sean wasna here. Liam was capable of guardin’ against ordinary trouble, but Sean understood how tae deal with Magnus-level trouble.

I said, “If their aim was tae locate Magnus and they dinna see him, they might just leave. But if their aim was tae cause trouble with me... maybe they dinna see me. They dinna see Ash, that is good, but all they hae tae do is ask one man from Balloch at the local tavern, ‘Is Lochinvar at the castle?’ And they’ll know.”

“What dost ye think they would do with that information?”

“If they ken I am here, if they ken Sean and Magnus arna here, we ought tae prepare for an attack.”

He exhaled. “Aye, we will double the guards and send men tae follow them, tae watch their movements, but Lochinvar, ye canna stay long, ye need tae go.”

“Aye, I agree. As soon Quentin and James return, I will take Ash away. Speakin’ of, I need tae go check on her.”

“Will ye tell Lizbeth that all is well enough, I will see her at dinner.”

I climbed the stairs tae the nursery.