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Charles shrugged. “Well, someone did. She has not denied that he is the one who…well…”
“The bastard.” Robert paced his chamber, barely able to contain his anger. “And the cur has not offered for her, ye say? He left her to fend for herself?”
“I do not believe he has been consulted on the matter, Robbie.”
“What are ye saying? Surely my father…”
Charles shook his head. “We both know that the earl is not himself these days. He took it badly when he found out about the bairn. Flora is banished, to the abbey at St Mary’s.”
“What? Why? She should be at home.” This tale just became worse and worse. “Dear God! That is a bleak place to spend a winter.”
“Aye, I ken that. I sent my Mattie there, tae keep Lady Flora company.”
Matilda was Charles’ wife and a close friend to Flora. She would be of some comfort, Robbie knew that, but even so…
Charles grimaced and continued with his account. “Things are not right at Roxburghe. The earl is more and more confused, so much so that I advised Angus to confine him to his chamber for his own safety.”
“Angus?” Robert buried his face in his hands. “Angus is leading the clan?”
“Aye. In your absence, he is next in line.”
“But…” Robert raked his fingers through his auburn hair and gritted his teeth. Charles was correct. Angus was the next in line, but the man was an oaf. He had not the sense to lead a trip to the privy, let alone a clan. Their coffers would be emptied. Disputes would be unresolved or exacerbated. He dreaded to think of the state of their larders, especially if Flora was not at hand to oversee matters. “If Father is too ill to be out and about in the castle, why has Angus not taken it upon himself to bring Flora home? My father has probably forgotten about having banished her in the first place.”
“I said as much to him, but he refuses. He insists that the laird’s orders must be obeyed—”
“Angus always applied a selective approach to loyalty.”
“Aye. But ’tis personal, also. The Marquis of Otterburn held him captive for nearly half a year. Angus despises the man, and when he learned that he is probably the father of this babe, he took the view that Lady Flora deserves to be punished for consorting with our enemy. He refuses to allow her to return to Roxburghe.”
“That is not his decision to make,” Robert growled.“If there is to be a reckoning with Otterburn, and, by God, there is, I shall take the matter up with him. Not with my sister.” He started to throw his possessions into a satchel. “You did well to come for me, Charles. I shall not forget your service to my family. On fast horses, and assuming a fair crossing, how long will it take us, do you suppose, to reach Scotland?”
Less than two weeks, as it turned out. The weather was kind to them, and Robert was able to secure passage on a merchant ship bound for the port of Dundee. He set foot on Scottish soil by the start of March and immediately purchased two mounts. He and Charles set off for the MacKinnon lands in the borders, arriving at Roxburghe two days later.
Robert dismounted and gazed about him in dismay. The normally neat and well-disciplined keep was in uproar. Livestock wandered freely in the bailey. The courtyard looked as if it had not seen a broom for several months. No grooms had rushed to tend to the horses when he and Charles had dismounted, and it fell to them to lead their own animals to the stables.
There, the chaos continued. Soiled hay lay trampled underfoot, so the floor was reduced to a squelching, stinking mess. The water troughs were either empty or filled with some disgusting slime. Not one of the twenty or so horses housed within had fresh oats, and it appeared to Robert as though none had been groomed for weeks. Since Flora left, probably.
No stable hands were to be seen, so he and Charles set to replenishing the food troughs and bringing fresh water from the well. He could have wept when he saw the state of his own prized stallion. Zeus was missing a shoe and had injured his fetlock, doubtless by trying to escape from his stall. The warhorse needed regular exercise. He would go crazy if kept confined to his stable day after day, week after week.
They would return to the stables to see matters properly set to rights, but first, he needed to see for himself what the state of affairs was within the keep itself.
He found his father’s great hall in much the same state of disorder as the stables, though here, at least, there were servants who could be set to work.
“You, get these floors swept and fresh rushes down.” He summoned the frightened servants to him. “Clear all of this mess away and bring me fresh food. Where is the cook?” He gestured to the high table, cluttered with the debris left behind from God only knew how many meals. “Why has it been left to get in this state? Where is Angus?”
One of the lads—Colin, if Robert remembered correctly—bowed and stammered his response. “Lord Angus be in ’is chamber, sir. Shall I run an’ get ’im?”
“No. I shall do that. Where are the rest of the servants?” So far, all Robert had seen were a handful of startled maids, a few lads, and Colin.
“At Byrness, my lord. Sir Angus said they was needed there.”
“He sent our servants to tend his own dwelling? And what of the stable hands?”
“The same, my lord. Or sent back tae their villages. Sir Angus didnae see the point in payin’ for a large household if he didnae have tae. Wi’ just the earl here, an’ ’im not comin’ out nae more…”
“Jesu…” Robert could hardly credit the greed and stupidity of his cousin. Just a few weeks in power, and look at the state to which he had reduced their mighty keep. “Colin. I need ye tae go at once to Byrness an’ bid all our servants to return at once. An’ any ye see in the villages on your way, tell them the same thing. I want the entire household back here an’ puttin’ all o’ this tae rights.”
“Aye, my lord. I shall set off at once.” Colin sprinted across the grimy rushes to do his lord’s bidding, leaving a grim-faced Robert to deal with the man at the heart of this carnage.
