Twas difficult tae sleep as I was anxious tae resume searching. I had visions of what might be happenin’ tae her, alone, unable tae understand the words spoken around her, too cold tae be able tae survive without help, needin’ food. What might be happenin’ tae her... Twas verra difficult tae find enough peace of mind tae rest.
At first dawn the snow had stopped. A cold wind blew, but twas not ice cold as the day before. The ground was covered in a blanket of snow and in the clearing Bella’s body had been completely covered in freshly fallen snow. I wouldna be able tae bury her body until the spring thaw.
I set the first of m’beacons, unsure if I would be able tae return. I used a small chain tae raise it high in a tree and locked the ends. Twas hidden nicely. I packed my gear, loaded the horses, and then ate a quick breakfast of military rations of a cold oatmeal in cinnamon and raisin flavor. I armed myself with as many guns as I could hide on m’person, and wore the customary dirk sheathed at my waist and m’claymore strapped tae m’back.
Then I rode tae the gate and demanded entry for m’morning meeting with Sir Colin. The guards made me wait while they messaged Sir Colin, but then finally opened the gates and allowed me entrance.
This was a formidable feat: enterin’ a stranger’s castle without men at m’side. Guards walked alongside me as I led m’horses intae the courtyard and tied them near a trough for water.
The courtyard was ringed by mud and half-timbered buildings of varying heights alongside each other with mismatched thatched roofs. Their windows looked down on the courtyard as if twas a village square, though right in the middle, a tower house was bein’ constructed, scaffolding around it. The stone bein’ laid about three stories tall, though only the exterior looked finished.
Even with the snow of the night, there were already masons around beginnin’ the work of the day. Drawin’ from a pile of stone, with heavy-loaded carts bein’ pushed tae the construction and crossin’ empty for another load. Men were climbin’ and loading and orderin’ from one end of the courtyard tae the other.
There were so many men here that it sent a chill through me that I would hae tae search room by room in hunt of her. The guard formed around me and took me tae meet Sir Colin.
Thirty-four - Magnus
A guard knocked on the front door, and a man’s voice called for us tae enter.
I was led up the thin stairs tae the top floor and entered a short-ceilinged, sparsely decorated room. I ducked tae enter.
I was introduced as Lord Magnus Campbell tae Sir Colin the Gray, who was a diminutive man, with a long white beard. “Where are ye from?”
“Riaghalbane. Tis a verra long distance away. M’wife, Lady Campbell and I have been travelin’ tae visit her family...”
“Oh? And they are?”
“Campbells. Of Argyll.”
He nodded. “I ken a few of them, I haena heard of ye.”
I shrugged and dinna speak more on it.
In the middle of the room stood an ornately carved desk. Upon it was an inkwell and quill pen. A parchment with an unlearned writing scrawled across it. A crude drawing of a tower in the middle of the page. As he spoke he followed my eyes to the marks. “I am building a tower house, here, on the banks of the Tay where I once heard a blackbird sing... Dost ye hae a fine tower house, Lord Magnus?” He turned toward the windows and looked out over the construction. The sounds of building were loud even up here in his office, bangs and clatter and the raised voices of men.
“I hae a number of fine castles, actually, throughout Riaghalbane. They are verra grand. Will ye be addin’ tae yer walls? Buildin’ them of stone? Ye must build them stronger and taller, ye are a great deal unprotected with timber walls.”
“Och, aye.” His face grew concerned. “Are ye travelin’ alone, Lord Magnus?”
“Nae, I hae been travelin’ with men, they hae gone farther along while I am in search of m’wife.”
“Oh, yer wife?”
“Aye, she is missin’ tis why I hae—”
He considered his drawing while I spoke. “Dost ye prefer a wall tae a tower?”
“I do. The walls hae tae be strong for protection.”
“I daena agree, I think the tower tells the villagers that ye are above them. As a lord I would think ye