The Fire in the Flint Read Online Free Page A

carried behind his saddle when he travelled on business.
    ‘Have you been expecting this sort of trouble?’
    ‘I’d be a fool if I hadn’t, lass. It’s no secret that your husband Roger is the Bruce’s man, or that my brother found it too easy to sail for Bruges, perhapsthe result of some bargain with the devil himself. I’ve feared someone would tell the English or our own folk that they might find much of interest in here. Not to mention my smuggling spoil.’
    ‘Da bargaining with Longshanks? You’ve not said that before.’ Such a betrayal would be worse than Roger’s.
    ‘You didn’t ask and I’ve been gey glad for that. You’re learning that questions are dangerous.’
    ‘I think it more dangerous not to be aware that both my husband and my father are known to be caught up in all this.’
    Murdoch grunted as he crouched by the small chests belonging to the family. Margaret’s father’s casket was closed, but when Murdoch touched the lock it sprang open. ‘Forced open. It’s of no use now.’
    Margaret set the lantern on a ledge and joined him as he lifted the lid. Documents had been jammed in with no care.
    ‘They put these back in haste,’ she said, trying to steady her voice.
    ‘I agree. My brother Malcolm is tidy; it’s his only virtue. They also searched your husband’s casket.’ Murdoch turned it round to show her how the lid had been forced down on a parchment roll and the lock left unfastened.
    Their eyes met. ‘They did not bother tucking anything else back,’ Margaret said.
    ‘You are right about that, lass. I regret my ownhonesty. Now I cannot tell whether anything’s missing from either casket. And I don’t like not knowing.’
    ‘Who do you think was here?’
    Murdoch rose and shook out his legs. ‘My partner James comes to mind. He kens I have them here, and he might be spying for his kinsman.’
    ‘That is toom headed. He’s known all along you’ve chosen no side yet he’s never searched before.’
    ‘You’ve grown too fond of him, Maggie. I warned you.’
    Murdoch did not know about Margaret’s pact with James, but they made no secret of being friends.
    ‘He would not force locks, toss goods about, spill wine.’
    Murdoch grunted. ‘And why not?’
    ‘Why would he leave signs of a search? As your partner he knows whether you’re about the place and can explore as he pleases in your absence. He has no need for such haste.’
    ‘You said yourself that he followed Old Will out of the tavern,’ Murdoch reminded her.
    ‘I have you there,’ said Margaret, triumphant. ‘James was in the tavern at the time you suspect him of having searched the undercroft.’
    ‘He has many to do his bidding,’ Murdoch said with a little laugh.
    Margaret realised her folly. ‘You aren’t serious.’
    Murdoch shrugged. ‘You were so eager to defend him.’
    ‘I merely sought to prevent you from accusing an innocent man.’
    ‘Innocent is not a word I would use to describe Comyn,’ said Murdoch. ‘But this is not the place to discuss him. My real fear is that the English have been here.’
    So he knew he was not invincible. But it seemed to Margaret that her uncle acknowledged it too late. ‘You have perhaps been careless to hide all your goods in one place and let so many know of it.’
    ‘What I’ve been a fool about is what I stored here.’ Murdoch sighed. ‘Come, let us go out into the sunlight and warm ourselves.’ He handed her father’s casket to her and then took up both the lantern and Roger’s casket. ‘I have a better place for these.’
    A while later they sat outside Murdoch’s kitchen drinking ale with Hal, the sandy-haired groom on whom Margaret depended for much of the news gleaned in places where she would be conspicuous. He had little to do of late in the stable with so few coming to stay.
    ‘They say English soldiers have searched Old Will’s rooms,’ Hal said, his face averted as was his custom when speaking.
    ‘Searched his rooms?’ Murdoch