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It was, however, a full half hour ere the Duke of Albany appeared a period of time which Rothsay spent partly in moody silence, and partly in idle talk with MacLouis and the Brandanes, as the levity or irritability of his temper obtained the ascendant. At length the Duke came, and with him the lord High Constable, whose countenance expressed much sorrow and embarrassment.
"Not while Douglas is at large, and in possession of his power," answered Albany. "But, noble earl, come with me, and I will show you at what disadvantage you stand." Douglas dismounted, and followed his wily accomplice in silence. In a lower hall they saw the ranks of the Brandanes drawn up, well armed in caps of steel and shirts of mail.
MacLouis gazed at the Duke for an instant; then, with a kindling eye and determined look, said to the King, who seemed deeply engaged in his mental devotion: "My liege! a minute or two since you left a word one word unspoken. Let it pass your lips, and your pleasure is law to your Brandanes!" "I was praying against temptation, MacLouis," said the heart broken King, "and you bring it to me.
Their captain, making an obeisance to Albany, seemed to desire to address him. "What now, MacLouis?" said the Duke. "We are informed the Duke of Rothsay has been insulted, and I can scarce keep the Brandanes within door." "Gallant MacLouis," said Albany, "and you, my trusty Brandanes, the Duke of Rothsay, my princely nephew, is as well as a hopeful gentleman can be.
She was come of a great race this Mhari nic Cloidh, a race that has given the old names to glens and to burns, a race that led the Brandanes of the Kings; but she was old and lived alone, except maybe when the young lassies would be doing the scouring of her blankets, tramping like all that, and among the lassies was the saying that Mhari nic Cloidh had the gift.
The Brandanes are the King's immediate retainers and household servants, and an hundred of them is but a small guard round his Grace, when yourself, my lord, as well as the Earl of Douglas, often ride with ten times the number."
"Is he strongly accompanied?" said the King. "Do his people enter the inner gate?" At the same moment, Albany whispered the King, "Fear nothing, the Brandanes of your household are under arms." The King nodded thanks, while the prior from the window answered the question he had put. "The Earl is attended by two pages, two gentlemen, and four grooms.
"True, MacLouis," said the King, eagerly, "and will succeed, poor child, to his brother's perils! Thanks, MacLouis thanks. You have reminded me that I have still work upon earth. Get thy Brandanes under arms with what speed thou canst. Let no man go with us whose truth is not known to thee.
And then, here is his Grace of Albany, so jealous in his care of your Highness's person, that he calls your Brandanes to take arms when a dutiful subject like myself approaches the court with a poor half score of horse, the retinue of the meanest of the petty barons who own a tower and a thousand acres of barren heath.
He was about to use the privilege of his rank and birth to enter the royal apartment, when MacLouis, the commander of the guard of Brandanes, gave him to understand, in the most respectful terms, that he had special instructions which forbade his admittance. "Go at least, MacLouis, and let them know that I wait their pleasure," said the Prince.
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