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

have dwelt in Fife. He and MacDuff had been equally unpopular in 1058, jointly responsible for the slaying of the good King MacBeth and then, six months later, of his st epson and successor, Lulach. M acBeth's seventeen-year reign had been an unusual and prosperous interlude for S cotland, and his killers were h ated. So they had kept together for mutual protection, and lived close these dozen years, whilst memories and old loyalties faded. Malcolm would never be loved or popular, as MacBeth had been — nor, probably would wish to be. But he was a strong King, maintained discipline, had few extravagances — and therefore was not Heavy with his taxes — and was excellent at providing English slaves and bo ndwomen from his raids in the s outh.
    Kennochy lay almost three hours' ride to the east. Maldred went by the Hill of Beath and the Loch of Gelly, and thereafter, with the long, high ridge of the Lomonds lifting above him to the north, entered the Leven valley by Kinglassie and Goatmilk.
    The house of Kennochy, like most other seats of the lords and thanes, was built on the site of an earlier Pictish fort, in a strong defensive position commanding a wide prospect over land and sea. Within the old ramparts of stone and turf rose not so much a rath as a village of hall-houses and their subsidiaries, a self-contained community of some two hundred souls. Here he found Duncan MacDuff, sixth Mormaor and now first Earl of Fife, about to set off hawking in the Myres of Balgonie. He was a big, almost gross, red faced man in his mid-sixties, bull-like, short of neck, choleric. He was not at all pleased with Maldred's arrival and message, for he was essentially a lazy man, disinclined to exert himself. Hawking suited him very well, since little effort was demanded of any but the hawk.
    But puff and snort as he would, the Earl was not foolish enough to fail the King's command. If Malcolm needed his services, he more greatly needed Malcolm's support. For although senior noble of the realm and Hereditary Inaugurator at coronations, a Pictish dignity, he had many enemies and was looked upon with suspicion by many of his peers. Apart from being so closely involved in the death of MacBeth, he had fought against the Scots many times, on the English side — as, of course, had Malcolm also — and was trusted by few.
    "How many men does the King require? Two thousand?" he grumbled. "I cannot raise the like, in Fife and Fothrif. With what he already has from my earldom. I shall have to send to Lennox and Strathearn and Gowrie. Even Angus and the Mearns. What of your own Atholl, boy?"
    "My father has already five hundred with the King."
    "Then he will have to find more. What are they for, all these men? What does Malcolm want with so many more? It is not a war he is at!"
    "He is teaching Cospatrick a lesson — who has changed sides once again. And he fears that Norman William might come, or send, to Cospatrick's aid. In Cumbria."
    "Malcolm should have more sense. At his age. He should bide at home, looking to his kingdom. Instead of traipsing off on unnecessary warfare." Belatedly the Earl asked for his son. "Dufagan? Is all well with him?"
    "Well enough, my lord. He is with the King, slaying, burning and raping with the best!" Maldred did not like Dufagan MacDuff.
    "Aye. That is Dufa gan. .
    While the Earl went about the business of sending messengers around the land calling for the additional muster, Maldred was afforded refreshment in his hall. The Countess was long dead, and he was entertained by the two remaining unmarried daughters of the house, the Ladies Malvina and Medana, both somewhat older than himself. They made quite a fuss of him — for, because of his unpopularity, their father's house was little frequented by folk of their own rank, and personable young men thin on the ground. They were neither of them beauties, but nor were they without their attractions, well-built and quite comely young women, especially the younger.