Macbeth the King by Nigel Tranter Read Free Book Online Page B

the foe made no move.
    Next day the two armies waited, a mile apart, in a strange hiatus, so much strength, might and hostility concentrated in so comparatively small area, facing each other, like fighting-dogs on leash, yet inactive. When King Malcolm was asked what he intended next, he replied curtly that that depended on what others did, since he was not the Lord God Almighty. None thought to question him further.
    Then, about mid-day, a messenger came to the Scots camp from a look-out post on the hill of Clach Mannan some nine miles to the east, from which a good view down the Forth estuary into the Scottish Sea could be obtained. He reported that a great fleet of longships had come in from the Norse Sea and were now lying off Saint Serf s monastery at Culross, in Fothrif. Scouts declared that the sails bore the black raven device.
    "So—Thorfinn has come, at last!" Malcolm exclaimed. "But—you said he lies off? At Culross? Why lying off?"
    "I do not know, lord King. But that is the word. The great host of ships lies offshore, waiting."
    "Foul Fiend seize you, man! What do you mean, waiting? Waiting for what?"
    "I know not, lord King..."
    "MacDuff—this is your territory. Ride to Culross. At your fastest. Tell my grandson of Caithness that I require him here, forthwith, not idling there. His longships to be brought as near to this craig as may be. I have been waiting for him, and those ships, for too long. I require them for my next move. Bring him back with you."
    "He may not heed me, Sire. Thorfinn Raven Feeder is a man of a high temper..."
    "Satan scald you, man! Off with you."
    It was evening before MacDuff of Fife returned—and alone. The Orkney fleet still lay off Culross, he explained, defensively. He had had himself rowed out to it, in a coracle, and told Thorfinn his, the King's message, but to no effect. The earl would say neither yea nor nay. But he would not come to Craig Kenneth.
    "What do you mean, fool—neither yea nor nay? What is he there for? He has come south. In answer to my summons. What service to lie there? We need his ships. You, MacBeth—what is he at?"
    "I cannot tell you. I did not know whether he would come, or no. He considers himself no man's liegeman, yours or Canute's. What he may intend I know no more than you."
    "Mine or Canute's! Are you telling me, boy, that he admits no difference between myself and the Dane?"
    "He holds the Orkneys of Norway."
    "He is my daughter's son."
    They stared at each other, enemies.
    The day following, with no move of any sort evident from Culross, Canute at least ran out of patience. He sent another deputation, again suggesting a meeting, but this time he worded it differently. He did not demand but requested. And offered to come to Malcolm on Craig Kenneth, in view of his great age, if he would ensure safe conduct. They had matters of profit to both to discuss, he asserted.
    When it became evident that Malcolm was disposed to accede to this, there was some upset in the Scots camp.
    "Why concede him this?" Duncan mac Crinan did not often seem to counter his grandfather. "He cannot attack us. Let him seethe in the cauldron he has boiled!"
    "Hark to the warrior Prince of Strathclyde!" Malcolm scoffed. "Winner of battles uncounted! Canute has lost less than a thousand men on that venture. And he has—what? Fifty thousand more. He is a hard man. If he chose to repeat that attack on the causeway again and again, how often could we defeat him? Four times? Five? Before we weary. Still he has two-score-thousand left. You are but babes, all of you! When you cannot win with your swords, talk, I say. If your enemy will be so kind! You—go tell the Englishmen that I will speak with King Canute here. At two hours past noon. That will give us time. Tell him that he has my royal word that he and his will return safe to his people. Meanwhile, we have work to do."
    The work consisted of rounding up local people, even older children, women and old men, and forming them