on false grounds."
"Aye. They accused him of deeds he never committed—well, some he did, but naught to merit his fate. He was dragged to the gallows, hung until he scarcely lived. They took him down and—" Blair stopped. "I cannot say the rest, not here in this holy place."
"Tell me," James growled.
Blair murmured low, detailing cruelty and courage, while James listened in silence. His blood surged with sorrow and rage. A single arrow could have saved his friend untold suffering, had he only had the courage to—he clenched his hands, felt his spirit harden within him, as if the last tender feeling turned to stone.
"Martyr," John was saying. "His death will spark the Scottish cause to more fire, just when King Edward thought to extinguish it forever."
"True. John, join us again in the Ettrick Forest."
"An outlaw's life does not suit me now. I came here for peace, and to write an account of a great man's life. The truth of Wallace's deeds must be known. You belong in the forest, James, not I. You left our holy order years ago to join a cause you believed in. You were knighted on a bloody Scottish field, while I remained behind and took priestly vows."
"Yet we both ended up forest rogues. We need your weapon hand and your good sense once again. There are only a few who support me now. You must have heard the rumors."
"I know that you are hunted. I know Wallace was betrayed by Scotsmen—the lord of Menteith, for one. I hear he fled into England to be rewarded by Edward."
"Another rumor is that Wallace was betrayed by Sir James Lindsay of Wildshaw."
"Jesu! That I had not heard."
"So those who once gave me their support now turn their backs on me."
"You would never betray Will."
For a moment James wanted to confess what he had done while in English captivity, and the tragedy that had been the result. But he could not say it aloud. First he had something to do.
"I mean to find the man who arranged Wallace's capture," was all he said.
"Menteith?"
"He is one of them. I seek another. Ralph Leslie. He caused the death of one of my cousins, and has my cousin Margaret in his keeping. He commands a garrisoned castle, but I cannot get to him, or free her, with only four men at my back."
"There were once fifty and more following your command."
"Most have lost faith in me."
"I have faith in your purpose—but that is not enough men for the task. Where is Leslie?"
"King Edward made him constable of Wildshaw Castle."
"Ah. So you do have a quarrel with the man."
"Aye," James ground out. "He has my castle—and my cousin Margaret in his custody. I mean to offer a trade for her."
"What would he want so badly?"
"The prophetess of Aberlady," James said.
"You have her?" John asked in surprise. "Black Isobel of Aberlady?"
"I mean to get her," James answered smoothly.
"The English king will be furious if she is harmed. He values her."
"I will not harm her, just take her. Edward hates me already. I do not fear him."
"He wants her brought to him, so that she can divine for the English."
"Exactly. A valuable hostage. She predicts good tidings for the English, and bad fortune for the Scots. And she set a noose round my neck with her pretty tunes. But Leslie will trade Margaret for this so-called prophetess."
"Why would he want her?"
"She is his betrothed."
"A risky scheme, even foolhardy. Let your head rule, not your anger."
"I am a pilgrim and I seek wisdom from the prophetess of Aberlady. I doubt she speaks the truth, since she is paid for her words by the English, so they say."
John Blair frowned. "I heard that her father—Sir John Seton, a rebel knight—is in English custody now. Be careful—there could be English guards with her."
"I am in need of her counsel," James drawled. "And I want a hostage."
"If you keep her half so well as the hawks you train, she will be safe."
"I have learned much from hawking. Patience achieves goals."
"Honor and revenge are at cross purposes."
James stood. "Black Isobel
"Aye. They accused him of deeds he never committed—well, some he did, but naught to merit his fate. He was dragged to the gallows, hung until he scarcely lived. They took him down and—" Blair stopped. "I cannot say the rest, not here in this holy place."
"Tell me," James growled.
Blair murmured low, detailing cruelty and courage, while James listened in silence. His blood surged with sorrow and rage. A single arrow could have saved his friend untold suffering, had he only had the courage to—he clenched his hands, felt his spirit harden within him, as if the last tender feeling turned to stone.
"Martyr," John was saying. "His death will spark the Scottish cause to more fire, just when King Edward thought to extinguish it forever."
"True. John, join us again in the Ettrick Forest."
"An outlaw's life does not suit me now. I came here for peace, and to write an account of a great man's life. The truth of Wallace's deeds must be known. You belong in the forest, James, not I. You left our holy order years ago to join a cause you believed in. You were knighted on a bloody Scottish field, while I remained behind and took priestly vows."
"Yet we both ended up forest rogues. We need your weapon hand and your good sense once again. There are only a few who support me now. You must have heard the rumors."
"I know that you are hunted. I know Wallace was betrayed by Scotsmen—the lord of Menteith, for one. I hear he fled into England to be rewarded by Edward."
"Another rumor is that Wallace was betrayed by Sir James Lindsay of Wildshaw."
"Jesu! That I had not heard."
"So those who once gave me their support now turn their backs on me."
"You would never betray Will."
For a moment James wanted to confess what he had done while in English captivity, and the tragedy that had been the result. But he could not say it aloud. First he had something to do.
"I mean to find the man who arranged Wallace's capture," was all he said.
"Menteith?"
"He is one of them. I seek another. Ralph Leslie. He caused the death of one of my cousins, and has my cousin Margaret in his keeping. He commands a garrisoned castle, but I cannot get to him, or free her, with only four men at my back."
"There were once fifty and more following your command."
"Most have lost faith in me."
"I have faith in your purpose—but that is not enough men for the task. Where is Leslie?"
"King Edward made him constable of Wildshaw Castle."
"Ah. So you do have a quarrel with the man."
"Aye," James ground out. "He has my castle—and my cousin Margaret in his custody. I mean to offer a trade for her."
"What would he want so badly?"
"The prophetess of Aberlady," James said.
"You have her?" John asked in surprise. "Black Isobel of Aberlady?"
"I mean to get her," James answered smoothly.
"The English king will be furious if she is harmed. He values her."
"I will not harm her, just take her. Edward hates me already. I do not fear him."
"He wants her brought to him, so that she can divine for the English."
"Exactly. A valuable hostage. She predicts good tidings for the English, and bad fortune for the Scots. And she set a noose round my neck with her pretty tunes. But Leslie will trade Margaret for this so-called prophetess."
"Why would he want her?"
"She is his betrothed."
"A risky scheme, even foolhardy. Let your head rule, not your anger."
"I am a pilgrim and I seek wisdom from the prophetess of Aberlady. I doubt she speaks the truth, since she is paid for her words by the English, so they say."
John Blair frowned. "I heard that her father—Sir John Seton, a rebel knight—is in English custody now. Be careful—there could be English guards with her."
"I am in need of her counsel," James drawled. "And I want a hostage."
"If you keep her half so well as the hawks you train, she will be safe."
"I have learned much from hawking. Patience achieves goals."
"Honor and revenge are at cross purposes."
James stood. "Black Isobel
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