Pretender at the Gate, Page 4

journey.

  “They should have blankets at the very least,” I told Sir Robert. In response to his questioning look, “the old man is ill and frail. He took the death of his son very poorly and has not enjoyed good health. If he is to be questioned in Edinburgh, he needs a blanket at the very least.”

  Sir Robert searched my face for a full minute before he shouted to one of his men to find two blankets for the prisoners. I felt uneasy under his stare even though I had nothing to hide. I was only being a decent Christian.

  I watched as Phil gratefully accepted the blankets through the bars from one of the castle servants. The doors on the back of the carriage shut tight with a bang and Magnus’s shoulders slumped.

  “We will feed and water the horses before we leave,” Sir Robert commented over his shoulder before he raised his voice above the growing din. “Mr Magnus Clunes and Miss Philomena Clunes you have been remanded in custody in order to face charges of conspiracy against the Crown, conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to defraud the English Government. Any attempt to free them will be seen as evidence of their guilt and the perpetrators will also hang.”

  The charges rang out over the heads of the gathered villagers in Markinch. Most of them wore expressions of shock and sympathy. They called out to Phil and Magnus to be strong. Some of the villagers looked at me with hostility, others with pleading in their eyes.

  All I knew as I turned away from Phil’s frightened face was I needed to clear their names, if for nothing else, because I love her.