The Renegade: A Tale of Robert the Bruce

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Book: Read The Renegade: A Tale of Robert the Bruce for Free Online
Authors: Jack Whyte
from the mainland takin’ over more and more from the few Norsemen still there. Old Somerled, who ruled Skye a hundred and more years ago, was Norse, and one of his line married John, chief of Clan Donald, who called himself the first Lord of Islay and was Angus Mohr’s father. And now Angus rules there.” Nicol smiled, his voice changing again. “And as far as I know, he has never met a Bruce in all his life. Nor any other Englishman, for that matter. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to you.”
    The boy’s eyes went wide with outrage. “I am no Englishman! I’m a Scot, born and bred right here in Carrick.”
    “Aye, but Angus is a Gael , and his folk have been here since before the Romans came. And mayhap you are a Scot, as you claim, but there’s more accident than intent in that. Your mother has the blood, God knows, but your father and all his folk are English by descent, though they will argue that their ancestors were Norman and French, with not a Saxon Englishman among them. To Gaels like myself and Angus Mohr, though, they are all alike. Ill-bred foreigners to a man, stumbling and mumbling in their awkward, illsounding tongues. And those of them who do have the grace to speak the Gaelic have been fortunate to be born here and thereby be gifted with the Tongue.” He scanned the horizon again. “Anyway, as I said, it will be interesting to see how Angus reacts to meeting you.I will introduce you as my kin, of course—my great-nephew, son of my brother Niall’s daughter—but he will see you immediately for what you are. I might name you, for the folly of it, plain Rob MacDuncan, but Angus Mohr will not heed that for a moment when it’s clear to his eyes that you are an incomer, young Robert Bruce of the House of de Brus.”
    He cocked his head, waiting for a response, but when it came, it was not what he had expected.
    “I know who Angus Mohr is, and you make him sound like an ogre,” the boy said. “But he can’t be that bad, because my mam likes him.”
    “He is an ogre, boy, and don’t you ever think otherwise. No man comes to be as powerful as Angus Mohr is by being kind and gentle. Besides, your mother can find a good word for anyone. That is why she’s my favourite kinswoman.”
    “Not everyone, not by a mile. My father has friends she won’t let in the house, so she’s not that tolerant.”
    “Friends? Or do you mean people who work for him? I’ve seen some of them myself and I wouldn’t let them into my house, either.”
    “Aye, but she has always liked Angus Mohr, ever since she was a babby. So he can’t be as black as you would stain him.”
    Nicol turned his head away to hide a smile and spoke towards the distant western hills. “Perhaps she may be right. We’ll see. But one way or the other, once we have the great man safely in hand, along with whoever might find honour in being with him, we will make our way up to Turnberry, where you will be a Bruce again—for a while at least, until they pass you back to me. It’s just a few miles north of where we are headed, and your mother will be waiting for you. Tomorrow is your tenth birthday after all, as you said, and ten years is a whole decade—worthy of celebration—so we’re taking you home to be with your family. You will remember the day you turned ten, though. You will recall it forever after as the day you met the King.”
    “The King? King Alexander ?”
    “Aye. Is there another that you know of? Alexander the Third, of the House of Canmore, King of Scots. You will not have met him before, I suspect, eh?”
    “No.” The boy was wide-eyed with wonder. “And he’s coming to Turnberry?”
    “Aye, he is. And he’ll be there for your birthday.” His grin grew wider and then he shrugged. “Mind you, he’s coming to meet with Angus Mohr as well. The two of them have matters to discuss. But he will know your face, from tomorrow on.”
    Rob was stunned, for he had never met anyone his own age who had met the

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