kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第14部分

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He　swallowed　unfortably。　〃As　for　motive。　I'm　afraid　I　have　that；　too。　Keeping　a　minor　on　the　throne　of　Torenth　lessens　the　chance　that　Torenth　will　move　against　me　in　anything　but　border　skirmishes；　at　least　until　the　new　king　is　of　age。　Liam；　Alroy's　next　brother；　is　only　nine。　That　gives　me　nearly　five　years　to　get　things　settled　in　Meara；　before　I　have　to　worry　seriously　about　Torenth　again　…　　maybe　more。　I　didn't　kill　Liam's　brother；　though。〃
〃I　believe　you；〃　Dhugal　said。
The　three　words　were　spoken　quietly；　with　little　inflection；　but　Kelson　knew　that　they　were　true。　Four　years　had　passed　since　he　and　Dhugal　last　had　met；　but　he　could　sense　that　the　old　closeness　had　not　weakened　with　the　passage　of　the　years　and　all　that　had　gone　on　during　them。　He　glanced　down　at　his　hands；　the　hands　which　literally　held　the　power　of　life　and　death　over　so　many；　then　shook　his　head；　knowing　he　would　never　be　able　to　put　aside　the　knowledge　of　his　power。
〃But；　enough　of　all　this；〃　Kelson　continued　more　brightly。　〃You　asked　about　Morgan；　and　Morgan's　wife。　He　married　Richenda　of　Marley　a　year　ago　last　spring。　They　have　a　little　daughter　who's　nearly　a　year　old　now。　Briony；　she's　called。〃
〃For　your　father；〃　Dhugal　murmured；　nodding　approvingly。　〃I　like　that。　But　Richenda　of　Marley　…　wasn't　she　the　Countess　of　Marley？　Didn't　you　just　say　you'd　had　to　kill　her　husband？〃
〃Yes。　But　she　wasn't　responsible　for　her　husband's　treason；〃　he　said　softly；　〃Nor　was　their　son。　I　confirmed　young　Brendan　in　the　Earldom　of　Marley　when　he　turned　six　this　past　summer。　I've　made　him　Morgan's　ward；　until　he's　of　age；　and　Richenda　his　regent。〃
〃And　what　will　he　say　when　he's　older；　and　he　leams　who　killed　his　father？〃　Dhugal　whispered。　〃Suppose　he　es　to　hate　you　for　it？〃
〃I　suppose　I　hope　that　by　then；　he'll　have　learned　why　I　had　to　do　it；〃　Kelson　said　with　a　sigh。　〃Bran　Coris'　was　one　of　the　first　lives　I　had　to　take。　Unfortunately；　it　won't　be　the　last。　At　least　I've　learned　a　few　things　since　then　…　　not　that　they'd　make　any　difference　if　I　had　to　do　over　again。〃　He　sighed　again；　a　gesture　of　finality。
〃But　that's　done。　There's　no　sense　brooding　about　something　I　can't　change。　One　thing　I　hope　I　can　change　is　the　reception　I　got　when　I　rode　in　here　an　hour　ago。〃
Dhugal　laughed　aloud；　the　solemnity　of　the　past　few　minutes　dispelled。
〃Now；　that　will　be　magic；　if　you　can　acplish　that。　You　saw　them。　Kelson。　They're　bordermen。　Most　of　them　have　never　been　to　court；　and　never　will。　You　can't　expect　to　earn　their　respect　overnight。〃
〃Not　overnight；　no。　But　I　do　have　an　idea　for　making　a　start；　perhaps。〃
Half　an　hour　later；　two　young　bordermen　emerged　from　the　tower　room　where　only　one　had　entered。　Dhugal's　ment　about　his　long　hair　the　day　before　had　given　Kelson　his　inspiration。　He　had　decided　not　to　hazard　a　great　kilt　such　as　Dhugal　himself　wore；　for　he　was　disinclined　to　trust　a　garment　which　depended　on　only　a　belt　to　discipline　so　many　pleats；　so　he　had　chosen　a　set　of　Dhugal's　rust…colored　border　leathers　instead　…　close…fitting　trews　and　sleeveless　doublet　over　a　saffron　wool　shirt　like　Dhugal's。　A　length　of　grey；　black；　and　yellow。　MacArdry　plaid　was　caught　across　his　chest　baldric　style　and　secured　at　the　left　shoulder　with　a　deeply　chased　silver　ring　brooch；　and　soft　indoor　boots　of　buckskin　encased　his　feet　in　fort。　Instead　of　the　golden　circlet　which　would　have　adorned　his　head　at　any　normal　court　function；　he　wore　a　border　bonnet　like　Dhugal's。　His　black　hair　made　a　borderman's　braid　shorter　by　a　handspan　than　Dhugal's　copper　one；　but　that；　plus　the　clothing；　transformed　the　king　from　a　polished　young　lowland　noble　into　a　darker　echo　of　the　chief's　son。　Now；　if　only　old　Caulay　would　play　along。
He　began　to　hear　the　skirl　of　pipers　tuning　as　he　followed　Dhugal　down　the　newel　stair　and　along　the　passage　toward　the　castle's　great　hall　…　dissonant　and　whining　at　first；　but　then　catching　and　carrying　a　traditional　border　air；　one　of　the　few　he　knew。　The　music　put　a　new　spring　in　his　step　as　he　and　Dhugal　emerged　near　the　entrance　to　the　hall；　and　he　could　hear　Dhugal　whistling　softly　under　his　breath。
Border　henchmen；　servants；　and　a　few　Haldane　men　alike　milled　in　the　anteroom　outside　the　open　doors　to　the　hall；　but　in　Dhugal's　pany；　dressed　as　he　was；　no　one　paid　Kelson　any　particular　notice。　Seizing　a　torch　from　a　fire…blackened　cresset；　Dhugal　led　him　through　the　press　and　quickly　through　a　nondescript　wooden　door　just　beyond　the　entryway；　signing　for　silence　as　he　continued　up　a　steep；　narrow　intramural　passageway　which　paralleled　the　great　hall。　When　Kelson　judged　them　to　be　about　halfway　along　its　length；　Dhugal　stopped　and　uncovered　two　narrow　squints　cut　at　different　angles　in　the　stone；　carefully　holding　his　torch　below　and　close　to　the　wall　to　shield　its　light。　Using　each　squint　in　turn。　Kelson　could　see　nearly　all　the　length　of　the　hall　below；　though　the　entrance　and　the　dais　at　the　other　end　were　out　of　range。
〃It　looks　like　most　of　your　men　who　aren't　on　duty　are　already　seated；〃　Dhugal　murmured；　gazing　downward　with　Kelson。　〃You　can　see　how　they've　all　kept　to　themselves；　though。　A　lot　is　going　to　depend　on　how　you're　received。〃
Kelson　nodded　as　he　studied　the　hall。　Since；　by　border　custom；　all　clansmen　were　more　or　less　of　equal　rank；　there　were　no　separate　arrangements　for　nobles　and　men…at…arms。　He　saw　Duke　Ewan　moving　down　the　hall　with　a　surly…looking　Conall　…　to　be　seated　at　the　high　table；　Dhugal　assured　him　…　but　other　than　them；　almost　all　the　rest　of　the　royal　entourage　seemed　to　be　crowded　on　either　side　of　a　long　table　parallelling　one　side　wall　…　carefully　isolated。　Kelson　noted；　from　the　rest　of　the　clansmen　and　their　women。　Hospitality；　it　seemed；　had　its　limits。
He　was　thoughtful　as　he　followed　Dhugal　farther　along　the　passageway　and　around　a　bend；　the　pipers'　jig　hardly　intruding　at　all　now　on　his　thinking　as　he　gazed　through　another　squint　looking　toward　the　high　table。　From　there；　he　was　able　to　survey　everyone　on　the　dias；　including　the　Earl　of　Transha。
Caulay　MacArdry　had　aged　in　the　three　years　since　Kelson　last　had　seen　him；　but　though　time　had　robbed　the　old　border　chief　of　much　of　his　mobility；　it　clearly　had　not　touched　his　other　faculties。　A　gillie　had　to　help　him　into　his　chair　at　the　high　table；　for　he　could　no　longer　walk　without　assistance；　but　the　arms　emerging　from　his　fine　saffron　shirt　were　still　corded　with　muscle；　tanned　nut…brown　from　the　high　summer　sun　and　wind　of　the　Transha　highlands。　Kelson　could　see　the　muscles　ripple　as　the　old　man　hefted　a　full　wineskin　and　drank　unerringly　from　a　stream　of　red　without　spilling　a　drop。
His　wiry　grey　hair　was　drawn　back　in　a　borderer's　clout　and　bound　with　a　ribbon　woven　in　the　colors　of　his　clan；　but　the　full　beard　flowing　onto　his　chest　still　showed　a　little　of　the　chestnut　gleam　of　his　youth。　The　brown　eyes　were　clear　and　alert　as　he　conversed　with　Duke　Ewan；　seated　on　the　other　side　of　Conall；　at　his　left　hand；　but　he　kept　glancing　at　the　far　end　of　the　hall　as　if　in　expectation。
〃Is　he　looking　for　us？〃　Kelson　asked　softly；　glancing　aside　at　Dhugal。　〃Hadn't　we　better　go　on　in？〃
〃Yes；　but　not　in　the　way　you're　thinking；〃　Dhugal　replied。　He　grinned　slyly　as　he　seized　a　fold　of　Kelson's　sleeve　and　drew　him　back　into　the　passage。　〃Let's　go。　Just　follow　my　lead；　and　do　what　I　do。〃
Soon　they　were　emerging　behind　the　screens　which　separated　the　kitchen　from　the　dais　in　the　great　hall；　Dhugal　nudging　the　king　through　one　of　the　bays　to　move　with　him　among　the　gillies　serving　the　high　table。　The　men　deferred　to　their　chief's　son；　but　they　hardly　gave　Kelson　a　second　look　other　than　to　avoid　running　into　him　as　he　stuck　to　Dhugal's　side。　They　were　too　busy　watching　Conall；　seated　on　the　chief's　left；　and　Jodrell；　who　had　pulled　up　a　stool　at　the　end　of　the　table　to　sit　and　speak　to　Ewan　between　them。　The　old　Duke　of　Claibourne　had　been　readily　accepted　among　them；　for　he　came　of　the　same　clan　system　as　themselves　and　understood　their　customs；　but　the　others　were　lowlanders；　like　the　knights　and　men…at…arms　seated　in　the　hall　below。　Conall；　defiantly　aloof　in　court　dress　and　the　silver　circlet　of　his　rank；　looked　particularly　out　of　place。
But　Kelson　sensed　Dhugal's　intentions　now。　As　the　younger　boy　worked　his　way　closer　to　the　high　table；　gesturing　toward　the　place　of　honor　at　old　Caulay's　right　and　easing　onto　the　bench　to　the　right　of　that。　Kelson　controlled　a　smile　and　followed。　With　casual　nonchalance；　he　slipped　into　the　place　between　Dhugal　and　the　old　man　and　leaned　an　elbow　on　the　table；　merely　raising　an　eyebrow　at　a　gillie　who　ducked　between　him　and　Dhugal　to　pour　wine　for　both　of　them　and　started　to　question。
Some　of　his　own　men　began　to　recognize　him　at　that；　however；　and　as　more　and　more　of　them　got　to　their　feet　with　much　clatter　and　scraping　of　wooden　benches　against　stone　floor；　the　motion　caught　old　Caulay's　attention。　As　he　turned　to　ascertain　the　reason　for　it；　he　was　astonished　to　see　a　strange　young　borderman　sitting　at　his　right　hand。　The　pipers'　skirling　wheezed　to　a　halt　as　all　eyes　turned　toward　the　MacArdry　chief。
〃The　Haldane　gives　fair　greeting　to　The　MacArdry　of　Transha；〃　Kelson　said　gravely；　inclining