Page 171 of Bound By Honor
“The king is here?” asked Angus, not sure his friend had arrived.
“Aye,” said Duncan. “He arrived a few days ago. We are the scouts and will take you to him and the ladies.”
Inside the castle, they crossed the great hall to join King Robert, Sir Walter and their ladies. Angus had not seen Elizabeth de Burgh, now Queen of Scots, since she was at Dunseverick for the celebration of his marriage to Áine. He had never met the king’s daughter. Both were pleasing to look at; the queen was fair and the king’s daughter dark, like her father. Queen Elizabeth was obviously with child but not very far along by his judgment.
Without removing his arm from around his queen, the king made the introductions. “Elizabeth, allow me to introduce you to Lady Áine O’Cahan, the woman who prayed us to victory and encouraged me in my darkest hour. She is the wife of this man, my faithful friend, Sir Angus Og Macdonald, Lord of the Isles.”
Áine curtseyed before the queen, and Angus bowed over the queen’s hand.
“I am grateful to you both for all you did for my husband,” said Queen Elizabeth. “Robert is effusive in his praise for you and for your cousin, Sir Duncan.”
“Thank you,” said Áine, “though I take no credit. If I may say so, my queen, your beauty reminds me of your mother’s as it did when last I saw you. Your mother was a very gracious woman. I admired her.”
“I was in your father’s castle at Dunluce once when you were there,” put in Angus, “but you may not remember me.” Then, with a smile, he added, “I was there with my friend, Robert Bruce.”
“I was a child at the time,” said the queen, “concerned with childish things.” With a smile aimed at the king, she said, “and often into mischief, I am told.”
“You have yet to meet my daughter, Marjorie,” said the king to Angus and Áine, “but Angus knows well Sir Walter, her husband.”
Angus glanced at the young woman, who looked to be the same age as her husband. “Sir Walter is a man quick to act when he finds his heart’s desire.”
Sir Walter blushed and looked toward his wife.
She laughed. “He is much teased for that.”
Áine greeted Marjorie. “I often prayed for you and the queen to be released. I am grateful to God for answering my prayers, which were, doubtless, the prayers of many others.”
Sir Walter bent over Áine’s hand. “Your beauty was not exaggerated in the stories I have heard about you,” said the young Steward. “Angus is, indeed, a fortunate man.”
After the introductions were made, the king invited Angus and the other men to go outside with him so he could tell them of the improvements he was going to make to the castle. Angus left Áine with the women as the four men walked to the grass-covered bailey. There, the king stopped. “I intend to enlarge and fortify the castle, adding a curtain wall and towers. There exists a chapel but I want to improve it. I also thought to have a brewhouse for ale.”
Angus chuckled. “Your men garrisoned here will be pleased.”
“As I hope,” said the king. “I also plan to build some ships. A king who rules a country surrounded on three sides by water with long lochs needs ships.”
“We can help with that,” said Angus.
“Good,” said the king. “I thought you might. I like to think there will be days to reflect and plan, but the English and my brother’s ambitions in Ireland may not leave room for that.”
“Do you think you will spend much time here?” asked Angus.
“Some, however, I have a thought to build a manor house for Elizabeth and me somewhere in the west with a chapel and a garden but no stone walls.”
“When might you do that?” asked Sir Walter.
“I have no date in mind but it will be done. We need a place for ourselves and our children. But before that, I must make Scotland’s Church a priority. The priests and bishops stood by me, and I will see them richly rewarded.”
That evening at dinner, the king asked Duncan for the papers he had brought to the meal. Taking them from Duncan, the king said, “These are the charters confirming you in certain lands you already possess and in others I am giving you for your faithful service.” Handing a leather case to Angus, the king said, “In addition to those lands I have given you, Glen Coe, part of Lochaber, Morvern and the Isles of Mull and Tiree, I am confirming you in the Isles of Islay, Jura and Gigha and the Kintyre Peninsula. I also give you the Isles of Coll and Colonsay, and the mainland territories of Duror and Ardnamurchan.”
“You are most generous,” said Angus. Sharing a glance with Áine, an understanding passed between them. “We are overwhelmed.”
“You should know I have granted the MacRuairis the lands of Lorne, forfeited by the MacDougalls, Garmoran, the remaining part of Lochaber and the North Isles.”
“Christina will be pleased,” said Angus.
Later that night, Angus told Áine he intended to give his brother, John, Ardnamurchan. “It has a strong castle, Mingary, that will serve him well. And the peninsula, jutting into the western sea, is not only beautiful but of strategic importance to the lordship.”
“John will be delighted,” said Áine. “In which case, it seems time he takes a bride.”
