Margaret the Queen by Nigel Tranter Read Free Book Online Page A

blackened roof-timbers — it had to, in order to allow the smoke from the cen tral fireplace to be drawn up a nd escape through the necessary aperture in the roof, flues being impracticable in this timber-and-clay construction. Elsewhere the buildin g was two-storeyed, with only th e upper-storey bedchambers having heating. A huge fire of aromatic birch-logs blazed now in mid-hall, scenting as well as warming the air notably — but even so the visitors were quickly coughing in the smoke-laden atmosphere. A very long table ran down one side of the chamber, strewn with platters and goblets and the like. For the rest, the place was an untidy litter of benches, coffers, stools, spinning-wheels, rugs, skins, hangings askew and bone-gnawing dogs. It seemed that Queen Ingebiorg was little concerned with keeping a spick-and-span house.
    Informed that a meal would be ready for all shortly, the newcomers were taken to their quarters. There was insufficient room in this tiny palace for all the refugee party, and most of the men would have to live either in the monastery or in cottages of the quite large associated township. The Athelings were given upper rooms in the hall-house, whilst stewards took their nobles away to find as acceptable accommodation as possible.
    While they were settling in, the Queen spoke privately with Maldred.
    "What is the truth of all this, cousin?" she asked. "What does Malcolm want with these? It is not like him. Why are they come? And for how long?"
    "I do not know," he admitted. "The King took pity on them. They could nowise sail the Norse Sea in their damaged ship ..."
    "Malcolm does not take pity on any — save to his own advantage," she said factually.
    "Perhaps. It may be that he sees gain in holding the Atheling here. As threat against Norman William. Something to bargain with."
    "And the women? Malcolm has little use for women — save to breed on. I mislike that Agatha, I think. The mother. She has a proud manner."
    "They have been told ill of Scotland, Highness. They believe us barbarians, uncouth. Scarcely Christian, indeed! For they are a very holy family. God's name is seldom off their lips. But . . . the Princess Margaret, the fair one, is different. Holy also, but kinder. And stronger too, with more of spirit."
    "To be sure. I can see that she is the one who would have men dancing to her tune! I shall watch her! Holy women of her years require watching. Especially when they are beautiful and shaped as she is! So — watch you also, Maldred mac Melmore! And what of my warrior lord? Who is he slaying now? And when does he return?"
    "That I know not, cousin. He is gone to Cumbria now. To repel a raid by Cospatrick."
    "But Cospatrick is his cousin. And yours. Displaced by the Normans. That Comyn in his place. Why should he raid Cumbria?"
    "He has changed sides once more. A str ange man. And C omyn is dead. This time, the King will hang him, I think, cousin or none." "Malcolm will enjoy that!"
    Maldred glanced sidelong at the Queen, and away. She was seldom so outspoken as this. Something must have roused her.
    The young princes came running in, towed by their wolf-hounds. Duncan the elder, aggressive, abrupt, true son of his father; Donald, cheerful, happy but easily hurt, i Time for confidences was past.
    The next morning Maldred rode eastwards for Kennochy in Fife, to deliver the King's message to the Earl MacDuff. Dunfermline was in Fothrif, the western sector of the great peninsula between Forth and Tay; but the Earl had his main seat at Kennochy twenty miles or so into Fife proper, sufficiently distant not to be too irksomely on the Ring 's back but near enough to be able to rally swiftly to the royal aid. It was indeed the strong presence here of his powerful friend and ally, MacDuff, which had occasioned Malcolm to desert the traditional royal palaces of Fortrenn, in Forteviot and Dunsinane, and to build his tower on Fife land at Dunfermline, for reasons of security, the first monarch to