Unspeakable by Dilys Rose

Author:Dilys Rose [Rose, Dilys]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781911332152
Publisher: Freight Books
Published: 2017-03-09T00:00:00+00:00

A Game of Hell

Glorious my arse! says Sir Patrick, thumping his glass on the table and setting the many candles in the room aquiver. As if a Stadtholder o the Low Countries has ony richt tae the Croun.

And oor James incumbent on the hospitality o the King o France, says Lightfoot, from the head of his own sumptuous table.

Wha’d choose tae be indebted tae such a skittish monarch?

Or subject tae the whim o ane.

An indignity.

It’s a mercy, mind, that he can still practise his faith. It wid be a sad day when a crounit King couldna practise his faith.

Ower the water, or itherwise.

Sensing controversy brewing, Lady Mary signals to her housekeeper for more dishes to be brought to the table.

Nae maitter he’s a Catholic?

Nane at aw.

It’s a sin agin God if a King canna practise his ain faith withoot fear o reprisal.

Nae cause tae bring God intae the talk. There’s nae men o the claith at the table!

This last retort raises guffaws and renewed quaffing of Lightfoot’s claret.

There’s nae mony guid men o the claith in the kirks forby, says Sir Patrick. I hear frae my coachman that the minister o Duddingston Kirk wis thrawn oot. Taen pity on the man, the parishioners let him pack a bag and quit the manse unharmed. Then, on the highway he wis set upon wi staffs and cudgels and left for deid.

By the parishioners?

No, no. By fanatical Cameronians, accordin tae John Barr, and the man has a grand recall for whit’s reported in the Sheep Heid.

Some say the minister took shelter in a priesthole then set sail for France. Ithers that he’s biding his time until the wind changes. Wheniver that might be.

We’ll need tae inspect oor priestholes, says Lightfoot. Wha kens how mony outed ministers we might find!

Laughter ripples round the table, causing the candleflames to dance and shadows to play on the faces of the diners.

Whit happened tae the minister’s woman? asks Thomas, his voice see-sawing between a boy’s pitch and a man’s.

Wha kens? says Sir Patrick. Why d’ye ask aboot the minister’s woman when the man wis beaten wi staffs and cudgels?

The minister is oor uncle, says Thomas, but his woman has mair Christian charity in her.

Bessie Begg gied us kebbock, says Anna. And beets and peas.

I’d hope it tae! says Lady Hester. And talkin o food, she continues, in a somewhat brittle tone, I hear the French King has the maist marvellous dinners. As well as the quintessence o entertainments, wi musicians at his beck and ca’ frae dawn till dusk. Even on the hunt, the royal trumpeters follow the King on horseback, tralooin as they gang.

My dear, says Sir Patrick, there’s mair tae bein heid o state than makkin music.

Indeed, she continues, jewels glinting in the shivering candelight, décolletage as moist as the slices of roast swan on her plate, King Louis is ower fond o dancing forby. At Versailles, I hear he has his ain ballet maister tae instruct him in pliés, jetés and arabesques for an

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.