Page 126 of Long Live the King

They all looked really gorgeous.

The men were wearing dress coats and kilts, their hair natural, combed and curled. Fraoch had his slicked back from his face. They all were looking very handsome.

The tables were set with fine tablecloths and napkins, china, silver tableware, and wine glasses. Finally, the Earl entered withhis son beside him, steadying his arm as the Earl was quite old by now.

They were both wearing wigs. The Earl’s was very high. They both had rouged cheeks and looked ridiculous beside the natural faces and hair of Sean and Liam and the men traveling with Magnus.

It took a long time for introductions and welcomes. The Earl and John moved and spoke slowly, used to taking their time, methodical and stately, and expecting all around them to hang on their words. They went around the circle, meeting all. We were very hungry, but had to listen to John say, “Lord James, ye are an architect, ye say?”

“Yes, a builder.”

John nodded. “Good, good.” A long breath. “Hae ye seen the cathedral in Edinburgh?”

“No, is it grand?”

“Verra.” Then he asked, “Hae ye seen the shipyard in Glasgow?”

“No, is it big?”

James had a look on his face, ‘rescue me!’

Lizbeth deftly diverted John’s attention to Zach and then Zach found himself nodding while John said, “Lord Zach, ye are a chef, hae ye studied in Paris?”

Zach said, “No, never been.”

John said, “Good, good.” And opened his mouth to ask another question, when Lizbeth intervened, “Should we sit?”

We all moved to the very long table, the men all stood behind their chairs while the ladies were seated. Then the Earl sat at the head, and all the men sat down. John sat beside his father, and they both immediately began comparing the table to their settings and fine dinners in Edinburgh.

Lizbeth, sitting near them, rolled her eyes.

The Earl and his immediate family sat at the high end of the table, then Lady Mairead; Sean and his wife, Maggie; Liam and Lizbeth, with Magnus beside her, sat across from Lady Mairead. All the rest of us were positioned down the table by social standing. James whispered, as he moved down the chairs to sit with Zach, Emma, Quentin, Beaty, and Sophie, “We’re the fun end.”

I whispered, “I’m jealous.”

Lochie, Fraoch, and Hayley sat between us and the fun end.

Lady Mairead gazed up and down with her chin raised, a wee bit of a sneer.

I could tell she was irritated at the affront to her son, Magnus, the king, sitting so far away from the Earl.

But Magnus shook his head. “Tis fine, Lady Mairead, nae worries. Ye daena need tae mention it.”

She huffed and whispered, “The more and more I think of it, the more I want tae buy Sean a title. A small barony would be well done, I think.”

Magnus said, “Aye, we ought tae do it first thing, his sons are growin’, they need a placement.”

CHAPTER 53 - LOCHINVAR

BALLOCH CASTLE, 1710

Iwas torn between bein’ famished and wantin’ tae go. A bowl of chowder was put in front of me, I said, “Och nae, it smells so good, I am hungry, and yet, I am ready tae go, ye ready tae go, Fraoch?”

“Ye ken ye ought tae finish yer chowder, ye never ken when ye will get another warm meal.”

Magnus said, “We will go as soon as dinner is over, Lochinvar. Ye said ye were hungry, fill up.”

“Fine,” I ate the chowder, then the poached salmon with two slices of eel pie, wishin’ twas peach. Then I ate stewed grouse, followed by custard with brandied cherries on the side.

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