“Yes, Lulach, run, run like the wind!” cried Aasta, and the lad ran off.

Kenric was about to follow him, when Aasta drew him back.

“One will serve as well as two, my lord,” said she, “and methinks it were better that you sped back to Rothesay.  Lulach will not fail.”

“But I have yet another purpose, Aasta,” said Kenric.  “I would find the base villain, Roderic of Gigha.”

“’Twas he whom Dame Elspeth followed,” said the girl, “and he has gone to the abbey of St. Blane’s, there to confess his sins.”

“Alas!” said Kenric; “then if he has taken sanctuary I am powerless to molest him, for even though I would willingly lay him dead at my feet, yet it were sacrilege to spill blood in the precincts of the abbey.”

“But you are weaponless, my lord.”

“I have my dirk,” said he, showing the weapon in his belt.

“As well take a hazel wand as that poor thing,” said she.  “This man in his late contest with your noble brother has slain a sprightlier swordsman than yourself, Earl Kenric.  Ah, had I but known of his coming, this traitor had not served our island as he has done!  ’Tis true, I might not have done aught to save the life of Earl Hamish your father, but had not yon churl Duncan Graham failed me yesternight Earl Alpin at least might have been spared.”

“Now, with what grim sorcery has Dame Elspeth been bewitching you?” he exclaimed, drawing back a pace.

Aasta’s fair cheeks and towering white neck blushed crimson, and she looked down at the grass about her feet.

“Yesternight,” continued Kenric, “in passing through the shadows of the forest I suddenly encountered a wolf, and as I was about to draw my bow, lo! the wolf disappeared, and in its place it was you, Aasta, that I beheld.”

“Ah, it was you, then, that appeared?” said Aasta.  “Alas, my lord, I mistook you for one of the Norsemen of Earl Roderic’s following, and I fled.”

“Methinks it was a strange fancy that led a maid into the dark forest at such an hour,” said Kenric sternly.  “What manner of witchery led you there?  But you spoke of Duncan Graham, and now I mind me that he too would have gone forth to the Rock of Solitude had I not warned him against so bold an adventure.”

“My lord,” said Aasta, growing very red, “there is no man in all your castle more faithful than Duncan, and I trust that you will deem him no less true when you know that twice ere yesternight he has held tryst with me.  It was his purpose, had not these misfortunes befallen your house, to have sued with my lord your father that I might be freed from the bondage of my thralldom, and if that boon had been denied him, he would even have purchased my liberty, that I might thus have been more worthy to become his wedded wife.”

“Aasta,” said Kenric, “I sought not to draw these secrets from your heart.  And if it be that Duncan loves you and would have you to wife, then, believe me, it is not long that you shall remain in thralldom.”