Pat McIntosh - The Harper's Quine

‘I’ll let the harper decide that,’ said John Sempill generously. ‘He’ll likely be more confident leaving it with someone else. Of course if it’s someone he chooses, he can settle the bills,’ he added.

‘That’s clear enough.’ Gil drank off the rest of his wine and gestured towards the makeshift court. ‘Is there anything else you wish to tell me? Shall we proceed?’

Sempill nodded, and walked heavily over to sit beside his mistress. She had decided to grace the occasion in tawny satin faced with citron-coloured velvet, which clashed with Sempill’s cherry doublet and gown and turned her brother’s green velvet sour. A large jewel of topazes and pearls dangled from a rope chain on her bosom, and more pearls edged her French hood. Finding Gil watching her, she favoured him with a brilliant smile, showing her little white teeth, and tucked her arm possessively through Sempill’s. Gil was reminded sharply of his dream. Well, Hughie is certainly gone now, he thought.

Gil took up position at the end of the bench, beside his client, and nodded to his uncle. He should, he realized, have been wearing a gown. The green cloth gown of a forespeaker, buttoned to the neck like his grandfather’s houppelande, would have been favourite, but failing that his decent black one, which he must have left in the garden, would have lent dignity. Too late now, he thought, hitching his thumbs in the armholes of his doublet. Perhaps I can imagine one. Or full armour, in which to slay dragons.

‘Friends,’ said David Cunningham, rapping on the table with his wine-cup. ‘We are met to consider a proposal made by John Sempill of Muirend, concerning a bairn born to his lawful wife when she had been living with another man, namely Angus Mclan of Ardnamurchan, a harper — ‘ Ealasaidh stirred and muttered something. ‘Who speaks for John Sempill?’

‘I speak for John Sempill.’ Gil bowed.

‘And who speaks for Angus Mclan?’

‘I am Aenghus mac Iain. I speak for mine own self.’ The harper rose, clasping his smallclarsach.

‘And I speak on behalf of the bairn. Is this the child? What is his name?’

Ealasaidh, rising, said clearly, ‘This is the boy that was born to Bess Stewart two days before Michaelmas last. His name is lain, that is John in the Scots tongue. Yonder is his nursemaid, who will confirm what I say.’

Nancy, scarlet-faced, muttered something which might have been confirmation.

‘Very well,’ said David Cunningham, ‘let us begin. What is John Sempill’s proposal for this bairn?’

‘John Sempill of Muirend proposes,’ said Gil, from where he stood by Sempill’s side, ‘to recognize the bairn as his heir. If he does so, he will settle its mother’s property on it — ‘At his elbow, John Sempill glared defiantly and pointlessly at the harper. Beyond him, Euphemia suddenly turned to look at her brother, who did not look at her. ‘so that it may be supported by the income deriving. The bairn will be fostered with someone agreeable to Angus Mclan, and the said Angus will be responsible for any extra disbursements not covered by the income.’

‘Ah!’ said Ealasaidh. The harper made a hushing movement with the hand nearest her.

‘It is a good proposal,’ he said. ‘It is a fair proposal.’ Euphemia stirred again, and her brother’s elbow moved sharply. ‘There is things I would wish to have made clear. I may choose the fostering, but who chooses the tutor? Is it the same person? Does Maister Sempill wish to order the boy’s education, or shall we give that to his tutor? And how if Maister Sempill changes his mind, one way or the other? Is the boy to be wrenched from a familiar fosterhome to be reared by the man who cut off his mother’s ear?’ Euphemia giggled, and her brother’s elbow jerked again. ‘Is his foster-father to find himself unable to feed a growing child because-the- income has been diverted?’

The old boy can talk, thought Gil. Euphemia and her brother were glaring at one another.

‘I speak for the bairn,’ said David Cunningham. ‘I stipulate that once the fosterage is agreed, John Sempill and Angus Mclan both swear to abide by the agreement. Likewise once a tutor is agreed both swear to abide by that agreement. Both these oaths to be properly notarized and recorded. And when the property is transferred it is entered into the title that John Sempill renounces any claim to it.’

Boxed in, thought Gil. He bent to say quietly to his client, ‘Well? Do we agree?’

‘Aye, we agree,’ snarled Sempill. ‘I need this settled.’

‘We agree,’ said Gil.

‘I am agreed also,’ said the harper. Euphemia was now sitting rigidly erect, staring over Ealasaidh’s head. The lines between her insignificant nose and pretty mouth were suddenly quite noticeable.

‘Then let us consider,’ continued Canon Cunningham, ‘where the bairn is to be fostered. There is an offer from Maister Peter Mason, master builder of this burgh, to foster him in his household.’

‘He’s offered?’ said John Sempill suspiciously. ‘Why? Why would he do that?’

‘I have taken a liking to the boy,’ said Maistre Pierre, his accent very marked. ‘Regard it as an act of charity, if you will.’

Alys smiled at her father. Sempill breathed hard down his nose, and the Official, looking from one side to the other of his makeshift court, said, ‘What do you say to this offer, Maister Mclan?’

‘It is a generous offer,’ said the harper, ‘for that I know well it was made before the matter of the boy’s income was mentioned.’ At Gil’s side John Sempill cursed under his breath. ‘I am agreeable. I will abide by this arrangement.’

‘And I,’ said Sempill harshly.

‘And I propose,’ said the harper, before David Cunningham could speak again, ‘that Maister Gilbert Cunningham be named the boy’s tutor, to stand in loco parentis until he be fourteen years old and to. see after his fostering and rearing and his schooling and leaming.’

There was a pause, in which the baby made a remark. Ealasaidh answered him in soft Gaelic.

Well, thought Gil. And where did Mclan learn Latin tags?

‘I hardly think I am the best — ‘ he began.

‘On the contrary,’ said the harper. ‘You are a man of learning, well connected in this diocese, well able to judge if the boy is being managed as he ought. I am greatly in favour of it.’

‘Yes,’ said John Sempill happily. ‘I agree.’

Gil, detecting the note of revenge, kept his face blank.

‘Then we are past the first hurdle,’ said the Official, ‘for both these suggestions are agreeable to me as the bairn’s adviser. The next point to consider is the property which John Sempill will settle on the bairn, renouncing any claims which might proceed from his marriage to the bairn’s mother.’

‘Aye,’ said John Sempill sourly. ‘Only I don’t have the papers for it, since Bess took them when she left my house. Not that it’ll do ye much good,’ he added.

‘It was not your house,’ said Ealasaidh, not quite under her breath. The mason sneezed.

‘I have seen the papers she had,’ said Gil. He produced the inventory and tilted Alys’s neat writing to the daylight. ‘There is a house in Rothesay and two farms at Ettrick. The house I believe is let to a kinsman of the Provost of Rothesay’s wife, who is not keeping it in repair. The farms are also let. The rent on the house is five merks, a hen and a creel of peats yearly, the rent on the farms is five merks and a mart cow, with a half-merk mail yearly. Each,’ he added.

‘Eh?’ said John Sempill. ‘Each? Do you mean Bess was getting that much rent all this time?’

‘Surely not,’ said Euphemia in her high, pretty voice. ‘That would be fifteen merks a year, let alone the — ow!’