Page 90 of Highland Queen

Chapter 26

I was both sad and relieved when Madelaine arrived with a small party the following day. She looked very pale and weary, but she smiled when she saw me.

“Corbie,” she said, kissing me on my cheeks.

“My dear, sweet aunt. How are you?”

She shrugged. “As well as I can be.”

“Perhaps you should not have come. If it will be too much burden—”

“No. I need to stay busy, to distract myself.”

“Good, because I have a dozen letters from noble lords, thanes, and clansmen who want to send their wives and daughters to me. I need your help.”

Madelaine smiled. “Of course.”

“And Bethoc is here. I haven’t actually seen her, but they tell me she is here.”

“Ahh,” Madelaine said then nodded. “Very well. Let me rest for a time then I’ll get to work.”

“Whatever would I do without you?”

“I love you too, my dear.”

Motioning to the servants, I directed them to come help Madelaine. As I watched her go, I thought about Crearwy. If she had stayed with me, she would have honestly been a princess. She would have had beautiful clothes, jewelry, a fine chamber, tutors, and more. It would have been a very different life. Clearly, she had imagined a life like that. She wasn’t wrong to want those things. The idea of her being here with Madelaine and me would have been good, happy. But at what risk? Everything could change in a moment.

My hand drifted to my stomach.

Very soon, I would have to make the same choice again. Was there a different way, a better way?”

“Gruoch?” Macbeth called from behind me.

I turned to see him standing alongside a gentleman who was holding a large piece of rolled parchment and wearing a square builder’s cap.

I swallowed hard, hoping Macbeth had not seen my hand on my stomach. “Yes?”

“Is that Madelaine who has arrived?”

I nodded.

“Very good. This is Kirk. He has been working on Dunsinane.”

“How nice to meet you, sir. I’ve been reading over your updates. It seems as if the work is coming along very well,” I told the man.

“It is. In fact, I’ve just convinced His Majesty to come to have a look,” Kirk replied.

“I thought you might like to come along,” Macbeth said tepidly. He still looked terrible. He was pale and gaunt, his eyes sunken. If I hadn’t despised him, I might have felt sorry for him.

“You will have to stay the night,” Kirk said. “You won't be able to ride back in time.”

“Is the castle suitable for the queen?” Macbeth asked.

“We can make it so,” Kirk assured Macbeth.

My curiosity piqued, I nodded. “Yes, I will come. I’ll need a few moments to get ready. And I need to let Madelaine know.”

Macbeth nodded. “I’ll have your horse saddled.”

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