The Steps to the Empty Throne

Bruce, at any rate, did not propose to assist him in whatever was his project. He would avoid the girl. Not that he had any difficulty in this, at first, for Elizabeth appeared to be no more anxious than he for any association. The citadel was swarming with people. The Bruces kept themselves to themselves.

That night, however, the Bishop of Carlisle held a banquet for the leaders of the new army, and the Bruces were summoned.

Precedence, for seating, presented an obvious problem, but the Bishop got over the difficulty by providing a special table for the Scots, at the back of the dais. And to Bruce’s side here, presently, the prelate brought and seated Elizabeth de Burgh, before all the company, a gesture calculated to attract the maximum of notice, with so few women present and this one the most highborn as well as far and away the most beautiful.

Bruce, although not normally lacking in the powers of speech, on this

occasion was practically wordless. Without herself being forthcoming,

the young woman was at least civil, but she obtained little response

from her right hand neighbour. Fortunately at her other side, the Lord

of Annandale saw no reason for either resentment or embarrassment, and

finding a courteous listener, launched into anecdotes of the Crusade

on which he and Richard de Burgh had accompanied King Edward, in their youth.

Wine, however, had the effect of making Bruce the Elder sleepy, and as the repast proceeded, his talk grew thick and disconnected, and presently died away in puffs and little snores.

Elizabeth, although she could not be unaware of the admiring glances cast on her by many, and especially Edward Bruce on his father’s left, chose to turn to her heavily silent neighbour on the right.

“So, my lord, you now neither talk nor rebel!” she said, pleasantly.

He frowned.

“I keep my own counsel,” he jerked, in reply.

“So I perceive. And unpleasing counsel it must be, I think.”

“Why think you so?”

“From your face, if naught else! You look uncommon sour, sir! And since the counsel you keep to yourself can scarcely be to your own congratulation.”

He began to speak, but thought better of it, and closed his lips tightly.

“You are Edward’s man again,” she went on, conversationally.

“How happy His Majesty!” And when he still did not reply, “You found rebellion unprofitable, did you?”

He answered her questions with another, and abruptly.

“Why are you here?” he demanded.

She took a moment or two to answer.

“Because I was brought.

With the Lady Percy, my cousin.”

“Brought, aye. You are not sitting beside the Lady Percy!”

“No doubt she sees sufficient of me. I am living with her, while my father fights with the King in France. Moreover, has she not Sir Robert Clifford to entertain her?”

“So I see. And she is welcome to him! Why were you brought here, then?”

She looked at him thoughtfully.

“I do not know,” she said.

“You did not ask Sir Henry to bring me?”

“I did not!” That was vehement.

She smiled faintly.

“At least, I see, you are honest in some things, my lord!”

“Are you saying that I am dishonest in others, madam?”

“It may be that I used the wrong word, sir. Should I have said frank?

Open? Single-minded?”

“You have no very high opinion of me!”

“I do not deny it. Have I reason for it? Am I mistaken about you, my lord? I sent you a letter.”

“Aye. I received it. Scarce a letter, it was. An insult, rather!”

“I asked a question then, too. That I might, perhaps, think the better of you. And you did not answer.”

“How could I answer such a thing? You asked if I was a man I Or a clerk? And should you thank God to have escaped me!”

“So at least you read my letter.”

“More than once. To see if there was any kindness hidden in it.

But I found none.”

“Kindness? You looked for kindness, then? From me?”

“Women can be kind, can they not? Understanding. There was no understanding, there.”

“What did I fail to understand? You could have told me, in answer.”

He drew a long breath. It was on the tip of his tongue to speak, to explain something of his position, what he was seeking to do.

But he could not, dare not. He shook his head.

“It is of no matter,” he said curtly.

“What is of matter is why you are here. What made Percy bring you? It is concerned with me, for sure. What does he want?”

She sighed a little.

“I told you, I do not know. Is it important?”

“It could be. Did he not tell you. Give you some reason? Some task?

Perhaps to question me?”

“Think you I am Henry Percy’s spy, sir? His informer?”

“You could be. Without intending it. Why bring you? Or his wife? It is a strange time and place to bring women. And to set you here, by me.”

“It was the Bishop who did that. But I can leave you, sir, and gladly, if you please?”

He ignored that.

“Either he would have you to learn something from me. Or else to sway me. Why ?”

“That I should sway you, my lord! If he thinks so, he knows little of either of us! And what should I learn from you that he cannot ask himself? That I would tell him?”

“If I knew, I would not be asking. It seems, however, that he does not trust me.”

“And is that so strange? Men who change sides so quickly are seldom trusted.”

He bit his lip.

“Can you not conceive that I may have reasons?

That I may be more honest than you think? You, who sit secure in

English halls. In Edward’s goodwill. When a kingdom is at stake, woman!”

She eyed him closely at that, and said nothing.

Fearing that he had blurted out too much, he frowned, and changed his tack.

“Percy himself is perhaps unsure of Edward’s goodwill. with reason. If Edward returns quickly from France, heads may fall. You are close to Edward. Could it be that he would use you to gain Edward’s favour?”

“I cannot think that King Edward looks on me so warmly. I believe I may have disappointed him.”

He weighed that.

“But you are his goddaughter.”

“Is that important? In this matter? Might it not be more important that I am James the Steward’s niece? By marriage.”

“Hal” Bruce sat up.

“I had forgot. His wife is Egidia de Burgh.”

“My father’s sister. And, now I think on it, Henry Percy has mentioned the fact to me, of late. More than once.”

“This makes more sense. The Steward led this late revolt. I have been close with him. He is now being taken to join Surrey’s array, making for Dundee. Where we are going. Now that there is no king in Scotland, and Buchan the Constable lies low in the North, the Steward is the greatest officer of the realm.”

“And is he not this William Wallace’s lord? Wallace his vassal?”

“So—you know of also! Aye, Wallace’s small lands are held of the Steward.”

“Henry Percy said as much.”

“I think, then, that we get down to the roots of it now. On how the Steward and myself may make common cause with Surrey, much depends in Scotland. And Surrey’s and Percy’s reputations with it. And you, my lady, it is thought might weigh heavily with us both.”

She shook her corn-coloured head.

“It is a weighty edifice to build out of so little!”

“Perhaps. But let us make some test of it. Tomorrow, if we leave you behind here at Carlisle, I will accept that I may have misjudged. But if you are carried with us northwards, into Scotland, then I am like to be right.”