grandfather, Lord Stewart by her side.
She explained to the laird the necessity of combining the keep’s men-at-arms with the men who had come with Fingal Stewart. “The two groups should be blended into one underneath the command of Clennon Kerr, Grandsire. But since our captain has never been able to choose a second in command, I would suggest that Lord Stewart’s captain, Iver Leslie, fill that position. Clennon Kerr must be consulted, of course, but it needs to be done sooner than later,” Maggie told her grandfather.
“Aye,” the old man agreed. “It will also help my new grandson to be accepted by all here if we make the two groups one.”
“Your new grandson?” Maggie said sharply.
“He’s yer legal husband, lassie, which makes him my grandson,” the laird answered her pleasantly. He signaled to Busby, and when he had come to his master’s side, the laird said, “Fetch Clennon Kerr to me.”
“Aye, my lord,” the majordomo said, hurrying off.
Several minutes passed in silence, and then Clennon Kerr came bowing to the laird, to Lord Stewart, and to Maggie. “Ye wish to see me, my lord?”
The laird explained, and when he had finished, his captain nodded in agreement.
“Aye, my lord, ’twill suit me well. I have watched Iver Leslie in the weeks he has been here. He is a disciplined soldier,” Clennon Kerr replied. “And now that ye have made this decision, my sisters will have to cease nagging at me to promote this relation or that,” he chuckled. “And no one can claim I have favored my close kin over any other.”
“Busby!” the laird called, and when Busby came, he was sent for Iver Leslie.
Iver, who had been dicing with his Edinburgh companions at the end of the hall, gathered up his small winnings and hurried to the side of the laird of Brae Aisir. “Ye wished to see me, my lord?” he asked, bowing politely and casting a quick look at Lord Stewart.
“With yer master’s permission, and that of my own captain, Clennon Kerr, I have decided to make ye second in command of the keep’s men-at-arms.”
Iver’s face showed genuine surprise. “My lord, surely one of yer own could fill this position better than I,” he said. “I am honored, and will of course accept, but I should not take another’s legitimate place.”
“I am related to everyone in Brae Aisir,” Clennon Kerr told Iver. “How can I pick one of my relations over another without causing offense? The laird has made his decision, and I am frankly relieved.” He held out his big hand to Iver Leslie, whose equally large hand clasped it in friendship.
“Busby!” the laird called. “Drams of whiskey all around.” Then he looked at the two soldiers. “ ’Tis settled then. The decision was mine, Clennon Kerr. Yer sisters cannot blame ye, and the rest of yer kin will be relieved, I’m thinking.”
Busby himself brought the tray with the dram cups of whiskey. A health was drunk to the laird’s wisdom. The matter was settled but for one thing.
Going to stand at his place at the high board, the laird called out, “Hear me all within this hall and the sound of my voice. I have appointed Iver Leslie to be the keep’s second in command after Captain Clennon Kerr. Now let’s have a round of ale to celebrate, laddies.”
And the serving men were at the trestles filling the tankards. A health was drunk to the two captains. Then the hall settled back down into its usual evening routine. The laird questioned his granddaughter as to the hunt that day and the state of the larder.
“The larder is filling nicely. A few more weeks and we’ll have it done,” Maggie said. “By the beginning of December for certain, Grandsire.”
“Set the date for yer contest, then, for December,” Dugald Kerr said. “The sooner, the better, my lass.”
“And if it snows?” she asked him mischievously.
“We’ll clear the road for ye, lass,” he promised her.
There was no point in arguing with him any longer, Maggie
She explained to the laird the necessity of combining the keep’s men-at-arms with the men who had come with Fingal Stewart. “The two groups should be blended into one underneath the command of Clennon Kerr, Grandsire. But since our captain has never been able to choose a second in command, I would suggest that Lord Stewart’s captain, Iver Leslie, fill that position. Clennon Kerr must be consulted, of course, but it needs to be done sooner than later,” Maggie told her grandfather.
“Aye,” the old man agreed. “It will also help my new grandson to be accepted by all here if we make the two groups one.”
“Your new grandson?” Maggie said sharply.
“He’s yer legal husband, lassie, which makes him my grandson,” the laird answered her pleasantly. He signaled to Busby, and when he had come to his master’s side, the laird said, “Fetch Clennon Kerr to me.”
“Aye, my lord,” the majordomo said, hurrying off.
Several minutes passed in silence, and then Clennon Kerr came bowing to the laird, to Lord Stewart, and to Maggie. “Ye wish to see me, my lord?”
The laird explained, and when he had finished, his captain nodded in agreement.
“Aye, my lord, ’twill suit me well. I have watched Iver Leslie in the weeks he has been here. He is a disciplined soldier,” Clennon Kerr replied. “And now that ye have made this decision, my sisters will have to cease nagging at me to promote this relation or that,” he chuckled. “And no one can claim I have favored my close kin over any other.”
“Busby!” the laird called, and when Busby came, he was sent for Iver Leslie.
Iver, who had been dicing with his Edinburgh companions at the end of the hall, gathered up his small winnings and hurried to the side of the laird of Brae Aisir. “Ye wished to see me, my lord?” he asked, bowing politely and casting a quick look at Lord Stewart.
“With yer master’s permission, and that of my own captain, Clennon Kerr, I have decided to make ye second in command of the keep’s men-at-arms.”
Iver’s face showed genuine surprise. “My lord, surely one of yer own could fill this position better than I,” he said. “I am honored, and will of course accept, but I should not take another’s legitimate place.”
“I am related to everyone in Brae Aisir,” Clennon Kerr told Iver. “How can I pick one of my relations over another without causing offense? The laird has made his decision, and I am frankly relieved.” He held out his big hand to Iver Leslie, whose equally large hand clasped it in friendship.
“Busby!” the laird called. “Drams of whiskey all around.” Then he looked at the two soldiers. “ ’Tis settled then. The decision was mine, Clennon Kerr. Yer sisters cannot blame ye, and the rest of yer kin will be relieved, I’m thinking.”
Busby himself brought the tray with the dram cups of whiskey. A health was drunk to the laird’s wisdom. The matter was settled but for one thing.
Going to stand at his place at the high board, the laird called out, “Hear me all within this hall and the sound of my voice. I have appointed Iver Leslie to be the keep’s second in command after Captain Clennon Kerr. Now let’s have a round of ale to celebrate, laddies.”
And the serving men were at the trestles filling the tankards. A health was drunk to the two captains. Then the hall settled back down into its usual evening routine. The laird questioned his granddaughter as to the hunt that day and the state of the larder.
“The larder is filling nicely. A few more weeks and we’ll have it done,” Maggie said. “By the beginning of December for certain, Grandsire.”
“Set the date for yer contest, then, for December,” Dugald Kerr said. “The sooner, the better, my lass.”
“And if it snows?” she asked him mischievously.
“We’ll clear the road for ye, lass,” he promised her.
There was no point in arguing with him any longer, Maggie
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