hornets of Satan across the whole of our poor Scotland," said Mr. Renwick cheerfully.
"Yes, yes, but don't fret, Isobel," my uncle said hastily. "Trust only in the Lord and all our ways will be safe."
My aunt's hospitable instincts quickly swept all other thoughts from her mind, and for the rest of that long afternoon we were set to chop up onions, pluck hens, stir pots, cut slices of salt beef, smooth the linen table cloth with hot stones, and shake out the heather of the girls' bed for Mr. Renwick to sleep in (which made Annie pout at the thought of the night she'd have to spend beside me on the parlor floor). The domestic tasks were so normal, and we were so conscious of the fame of our visitor, that I forgot for long quarter hours at a time the danger that surrounded us. Then the memory of Lieutenant Dunbar and his threatening henchmen would come back to me, and my heart would give a thump of fright. But the fear died down quickly. Mr. Renwick cast about himself a ring of brightness, a wall of light and faith and confidence that felt stronger than the ramparts of the stoutest castle.
Every now and then, I would make an excuse to cross the yard on an errand to the storehouse. I lingered as long as I could to catch snatches of Mr. Renwick's voice. He was always the one who was talking, and Uncle Blair sat speechless beside him, his hands resting on his knees, his face turned toward his guest with an expression of complete absorption.
"...and so the meeting was a blessed one, brother, with hundreds of faithful souls bearing witness to the Lord. We posted our men, fully armed, around the whole congregation. We knew that our enemies were scouring the hills for us, but they stuck together in one troop, too afraid of our muskets to risk going in ones and twos. We saw them coming over the hilltop, and they saw us too, but at the very last minute..."
"Maggie!" my aunt's voice came from the kitchen. "Where's the girl gone? Hurry up with that butter!"
The next time I managed to sneak outside, Mr. Renwick was saying, "...after that, our men went to meet them, and there was some musket fire. Two of theirs met their deaths, but—praise the Lord!—we got off without a scratch, and..."
But I heard a clatter from the kitchen and wouldn't dare to anger my aunt by waiting to hear more.
The feast we had prepared was ready at last. My uncle gave up his stool at the head of the table to Mr. Renwick, who was then persuaded to say grace. His prayer lasted for at least a quarter of an hour, and although I sensed that my aunt was growing restless with the fear that her dinner was spoiling, I could have gone on listening to Mr. Renwick's beautiful, fluid voice for hours. Afterward, though, I couldn't remember a word of what he'd said.
In spite of my aunt's efforts, Mr. Renwick ate very little and coughed frequently between mouthfuls. The talk between the men was all of politics. I felt my dinner curdle in my stomach as Mr. Renwick described the new laws brought in against those who refused to renounce the Covenant and who would not swear loyalty to the king.
"You mean that you can be sentenced and hanged just for attending a prayer meeting in the hills?" Ritchie demanded, his cheeks burning with indignation.
"Yes, young man. Satanic laws whispered into the ears of earthly princes by the Prince of Darkness himself," Mr. Renwickr eplied.
Uncle Blair shook his head sorrowfully.
"And how many of our men are dangling from the gallows at Paisley Cross?"
"Many. Too many. But their murderers will not go unpunished, for God is a man of war," Mr. Renwick answered, the softness of his look contradicting the violence of his words.
From time to time as the meal progressed, I glanced at Annie and saw that she was using all her tricks on Mr. Renwick, trying to catch his eye, then dimpling and lowering her own. I saw too, with triumphant satisfaction, that he was taking no more notice of her than if she'd been one of the soot-blackened cauldrons hanging on the hooks by the fire. I wouldn't have demeaned myself by behaving like Annie, but I had to admit a little disappointment that Mr. Renwick took not the slightest notice of me either.
When the bowls and platters had