The Recruit Read online

  Part of her had known this day would come. As the daughter of a Scottish earl and the widow of another—even one hanged for treason—she was too valuable an asset to ignore forever.

  But she hadn’t expected this. Nay, she couldn’t do it.

  She stared at Sir Adam, her fingers clenched in the black wool of her gown. “The king wishes me to go to Scotland?”

  Her old friend nodded. “To Dunstaffnage Castle in Lorn. Bruce”—the Scottish barons who’d sided with the English refused to call him King Robert—“is holding the Highland Games there next month.”

  Mary knew the former MacDougall castle well. She’d been there once with her husband years ago on a visit to his sister who had married the MacKenzie chief and resided at Eileen Donan Castle, which wasn’t too far away.

  “You will be part of our truce delegation,” the bishop added. Mary couldn’t believe the king would grant the recently released prelate—and man so closely tied to Bruce—permission to go to Scotland and negotiate on his behalf. It was like handing the prisoner the keys and telling him to make sure to lock up after himself. Unlike her, Lamberton didn’t have a son in England to ensure his “loyalty.”

  “The king has granted permission for you to represent the young earl’s interests,” Sir Adam explained.

  Mary eyed him sharply. Surely Edward had to see the futility in sending her to plead on her son’s behalf for lands in Scotland? With a few notable exceptions such as the Balliols, Comyns, and MacDougalls, Robert Bruce had taken great care not to forfeit the lands of the earls and barons who still stood against him like Davey, in the hopes of eventually bringing them back into the fold and winning their allegiance. But neither would he recognize the claim—and the right to the rents—for those who refused to do him homage. Essentially, they were at a stalemate. Davey was a Scottish earl in name without the lands in Scotland to show for it.

  Edward had to realize she would have little hope of success—not while David remained in England. There had to be another reason. “Is that all?”

  Sir Adam’s mouth thinned, unable to hide his displeasure. “He knows how fond Bruce is of you.”

  Ah, so that was it! Edward wanted her to spy. Aware that the bishop seemed to be watching her intently, she kept her expression impassive. “How fond he used to be of me. I have not seen my former brother-in-law in many years. Even were I inclined,” which she was not, “he’s hardly likely to confide in me.”

  “I told him as much,” Sir Adam said with a shrug as if to say, but you know the king. Fortunately, she didn’t, and had done her best to keep it that way. “But Edward is determined that a woman join our group. He thinks a feminine voice would set the right tone for our negotiations, and who better than Bruce’s former sister by marriage?”

  More like, who could be counted on to return? “So I’m to soften him up to accept Edward’s terms, is that it?”

  Lamberton couldn’t quite bite back his smile at her blunt assessment. “In a manner of speaking, yes.”

  “I thought you would be pleased,” Sir Adam said, studying her with a worried frown on his face. It was an expression she’d grown quite used to over the past few years.

  “I am,” she said automatically. She knew she should be. Three years ago she’d wanted nothing more than to go home. But she was surprised to realize there was a part of her that didn’t want to go. A large part of her that didn’t want to stir up painful memories.

  There was nothing left for her in Scotland. Her brother Duncan had died with Bruce’s brothers over two years ago in the failed landing at Loch Ryan when Bruce made his bid to retake his crown. All that remained of her family was her son and her nephew, the five-year-old current Earl of Mar, who had been captured with his mother, Bruce’s sister, and the rest of the queen’s party at Tain. But both of them were in England. Like her son, the young Earl of Mar was a favored prisoner in Edward’s household.

  But why now? Why after nearly three years had the king decided to notice her? Just when she’d found some small modicum of peace far from the battlefield of war and politics, he wanted to drag her back in. Resentment she hadn’t even realized she had came bursting forward. Hadn’t they taken enough from her? Why couldn’t they just leave her alone?

  Aware that both men were watching her with troubled expressions, and knowing she didn’t have the words to explain what she was feeling, she attempted to cover her reaction. “I was merely hoping you’d brought other news.”

  Sir Adam guessed to what she referred. “The king is quite fond of David. He doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to relinquish him. A decision as to which of his barons will have the Earl of Atholl as his squire has not been made. But I think there is a good chance Percy will win the honor.”

  Her fingers clenched even harder. It was almost too much to hope for. Lord Henry Percy, 1st Baron Percy, had just purchased the Castle of Alnwick in Northumberland. Her son would be so close. “Do you think …”

  She couldn’t bring herself to say the words.

  Sir Adam finished for her. “I don’t see any reason why you should not be allowed to see him as often as his duties permit. That is—” He stopped.

  But she guessed what he was about to say. “That is as long as I do Edward’s bidding.”

  He shrugged apologetically. “Davey—the earl—is most eager for you to go on his behalf.”

  Her heart leapt with embarrassing eagerness. “Did he say so?”

  Sir Adam nodded. “He has not forgotten that it was you who petitioned the king two years ago to return the English lands that had been forfeited upon Atholl’s death.”

  It was the only time she’d ever purposefully brought herself to the English king’s attention. With the help of Sir Adam and Sir Alexander Abernethy, who’d raised the coin to pay off de Monthermer, who’d been temporarily given the earldom, her petition had been successful. Her son had half his patrimony—the English half.

  If she’d ever had a thought to refuse, she knew she could not. Her son had never asked her for anything before. This was her chance to do something for him. He was nearly ten and three, and still almost a stranger to her. The divide between them would only widen as he approached knighthood. This might be her last chance to bring them closer.

  It was time to hold to her vow to see her son restored to the earldom. And perhaps this was a chance to hold to her other vow as well. There was one question that had haunted her the past three years, despite the improbability: Could Janet have somehow made it back to Scotland? It seemed unlikely, and Lady Christina had assured her the men had returned to the Isles alone, but Mary had never asked Robert if he knew anything. Now she could.

  Echoing her thoughts, the bishop urged gently, “It is time, lass.”

  Mary met the prelate’s gaze. The years of imprisonment had not been kind to William Lamberton. Like her, he was thin to the point of gaunt. But his eyes were kind, and oddly understanding. His words tugged at her, almost as if he were trying to tell her something.

  Resolved, she nodded. “Of course. Of course, I shall go.”

  Perhaps it wouldn’t be as painful as she feared. It could be worse. She’d thought when Edward finally remembered her, it would be to try to marry her off to one of his barons. She shuddered. Being a peace envoy to Scotland was infinitely more palatable than that.

  She had no intention of spying for Edward, but she would do her duty and return to her quiet life in England, hopefully with more opportunities to see her son.

  Sir Adam looked much relieved. He took her hand, patting it fondly. “This will be good for you, you’ll see. You’ve been too long alone. You’re only six and twenty. Far too young to lock yourself away.”

  Having heard similar words a few hours earlier, Mary bit back a smile. No doubt the proud knight turned respected statesman would be surprised to realize how much he had in common with a merchant. Sir Adam didn’t approve of her choice of attire either, but she suspected he’d guessed the reason for it.

  “I haven’t b