Page 153 of Bound By Honor
Angus found the task at hand to be one of his liking. “When do we sail?”
“The king will come to Dunyvaig a fortnight from now in one of Campbell’s galleys.”
“That gives me time to add to the fleet,” said Angus. “I will send some of my captains to the other isles to gather ships and men. This is one battle that should draw our Irishmen in large numbers.”
By the time the king arrived on Islay, it was mid-May. Beached at Lagavulin Bay were thirty galleys, and Dunyvaig was overflowing with armed men and galloglass.
“I see you are prepared, as I expected,” said King Robert, who climbed down from the galley that was beached, not in the bay, but on the shingle in front of the castle itself.
“’Tis a great adventure and a worthy cause you have called me to, Rob. I would not miss it!”
It was good to have his friend back at Dunyvaig, and that evening the hall was crowded with Angus’ captains as well as the king’s contingent. Many of Angus’ Irishmen wanted to shake the king’s hand.
Over dinner, Angus remarked to his friend, Rob, “It has been seven years since you first came here. ’Twas before you launched your campaign to take back Scotland. Think of all you have accomplished.”
King Robert nodded. “I can see God’s hand in it all.” Looking past Angus to his wife, the king added, “He has answered your prayers, Lady Áine.”
“I thank Him for that, my lord, and continue to pray for you. I ask God to give you an independent Scotland to rule and return your wife, daughter and sisters back to your arms.”
“Thank you, my lady.” Then, looking around the hall, he asked, “Where is your eldest son, Alexander?”
“Fostering in Ulster with my brother, Dermot O’Cahan,” said Áine.
“How old is he now?”
“Thirteen,” said Angus. “Next year he is due to come home. Lord Dermot tells us his training goes well. He is good with a sword, as I knew he would be. Beyond that, from scholarly Dermot, he has learned to love reading.”
“As you know, I, too, love to read,” said the king. “Many a time a good book has entertained my men and me as we waited for a battle to come.”
Angus laughed. “I do remember you reading to us a romance about the Saracen knight, a giant of a man named Fierabras.”
“One of my favorites,” said the king. “Does your son read in French?”
“We all do,” said Áine.
“Well then, I shall see he has the poem from me.”
“He will treasure it.”
The next day, with the sun rising and King Robert and his small band of knights aboard Angus’ galley, the fleet sailed to the Isle of Man.
On the 18thof May, they put in at Ramsey on the northeast shore where miles of sandy beaches made an ideal landing place. The king issued orders to the men to fan out over the isle, asserting his authority.
Returning days later, they spoke of meeting little resistance. “We have all but taken the isle,” said Sir Neil Campbell.
“There is a priory I would visit on our way to Castle Rushen,” the king said to Angus. “’Tis but a half-mile from the harbor at Douglas. The prioress, Lady Catherine, is also the Baroness of Douglas, and an interesting woman.”
The next morning, they sailed south to Douglas Bay on the east coast of Man. Leaving most of the men with the beached ships. Angus and the king, together with his inner circle and a contingent of galloglass, walked the half-mile to the monastery of nuns.
The convent was surrounded by beautiful well-tended gardens where the elegant Lady Catherine met them. She invited the king and his inner circle to spend the night at the priory, which they decided to do.
Over a dinner of cod baked in herbed butter sauce, roast beef and very good red wine, Angus learned the prioress’ thoughts on the king’s claim to the isle.
“My title comes with authority over lands, revenues and people,” she said, “but I must still swear fealty to the Lord of Man, which, at the moment, is Dungal MacDouall, late of Galloway. He has not been long on the isle, and I have yet to swear fealty to him.” Angus had to wonder if she was delaying the oath for dislike of the man.
“He has not been here long,” said King Robert, “because I have just expelled him from Dumfries Castle, another stronghold he held for the English.”
The dignified Lady Catherine smiled at hearing the king’s words. “Then you will understand when I tell you the only resistance you are likely to encounter on the isle will be from the English at Castle Rushen, which MacDouall commands.”
