The Guardian Angel 4 [Chapter One]

CHAPTER ONE

Andrew had eaten and was off to the library as there was a lot to be done, the theory that Kevin had come up with had blown his own to pieces. The only thing he could salvage was his theory about the skeleton because the identity was written in the diary. However he was not going to knock the idea that the extensions were to do with the Jacobite Risings. Because the English armies were there fighting along with the Scottish the arms would be more lightweight.

He had taken the messengers pouch with him with the two letters in and scanned them and copied. Once it was done he folded them up and put them in the pouch once more. He laid the copies on the desk in front of him and looked at the mass of jumbled words. It is in code he thought and wondered if it was French, Latin or English. Right at the top was a single line of letters.

Andrew was just about to try and decipher the code but stopped and put his pen down when a thought struck him. If what Kevin had said was true? and he had no reason to doubt the authenticity? Who was the skeleton and how did he die? Surely whoever in the Jacobite times made the extension would have removed it if it been there on their entry.

Andrew put all the copies of the letters into his folder and into the briefcase then walked over to the cabinet and opened the secret drawer. He removed the diary and looked for the place where the death of Donald Macleod was mentioned. He turned over the pages until he saw the name mentioned once more and stopped. He spent over an hour translating until he had the full story.

“February 12th 1570”

“My younger brother Andrew arrived today after receiving my message, and he has brought with him two men servants to help with what I requested. On his arrival I found that the men where cousins of poor Donald Macleod, this was to ensure secrecy. I picked this time because I returned to the Campbell croft and the body of poor Donald has now deteriorated but frozen. It will be far easier to cover up and move tonight once we have all eaten.”

“I have just returned from Campbell’s croft where we removed the body of Donald. It is now on its way to the clan graveyard of the Macleod’s. There is now a body of a man that died about the same time in the prison where my brother is the governor. On my death my brother will take over the rank of Lord Stuart but the house will remain on my side of the family for generations to come. The secret will be safe with him in any further troubles.”

“It was important that we left the other body in the same position that we found Donald so that it looks as though he died there in the croft. We left the Macleod broach along with a claymore and dagger, with the armour piled in the corner. The replacement body is doing a more noble part in serving Queen Mary and Scotland in death, than ever he had done throughout his miserable life. I could not help myself from saying rest in peace as we left him in his locked tomb.

Andrew gave a sigh of relief knowing the puzzle had been solved partially. It was obvious that Lord Stuart’s brother was also up for a bit of skulduggery. He looked at the clock on the wall and printed the pace on the screen, it was late but he knew Douglas would still be in the lounge. He put the diary away in its safe drawer before picking up his briefcase and paper and leaving the room.

He knocked on the lounge door, and heard Douglas say enter before he pushed open the door. Douglas looked up and said, “Andrew, you look as though you have found something. Come and sit down and tell me all about it.”

He sat down opposite Douglas and said, “Did you know that the first Lord Ahearn Stuart had a younger brother called Andrew that was a prison governor. By looking at this entry in the diary, he was as secretive and in the conspiracies along with Lord Stuart.”

“What made you look at the diary tonight, because I thought I heard you say you were going to decipher those letters?”

“I was, Sir, but Kevin messed up a big theory and I needed answers to the dead body in the Campbell croft.” He passed the paper to Douglas and said, “When David Hamilton told Lord Stuart that he had found Donald Macleod dead from being stabbed. It never made sense when the pathologist we use could not find any sign of stabbing or being bludgeoned.”

The reason was it was not the body that should have been there. It has in a way cleared up one mystery, but opened another. The whiskey was laced with enough belladonna to kill a horse, what was it going to be used for? The other thing is did the secret room get emptied before it was filled with weapons for the Jacobite rebellion and when?”

“I have some questions I need to ask Kevin in the morning about the Campbell croft weapons.”

“You treat Kevin as an equal, Andrew, is there a reason because he has nowhere near the qualifications you have?”

“I know a great deal about the history of Scotland and the people. Kevin is a real authority on weapons and is constantly surprising Lady Lindsay and me because he is not blinkered. Just because we have given something a theory at a later date if he finds new evidence he is not afraid to admit he was wrong on a point and throw us all into despair.”

“He remembers all I tell him and he is constantly telling me things I don’t know. Today he really messed up three months of theories by taking us from the Queen Mary era into the Jacobite era. It was like he pulled down a shutter and said we are now in a different Scotland to the one you knew, wake up people. I like working with him because he has the same energy as me, and he is like me always looking for the obscure answer that others had overlooked.”

“There is something that I would like to ask you, my Lord, and if you say no I will leave it at that. It concerns the Campbell croft and this admittance of a conspiracy to fraud for obvious reasons. I need Kevin to think about what we found and what I know about the change. There are many questions that have been placed in front of me now that he might be able to help me with, but only if he has the same knowledge as me. I would like to show him this page out of the diary, and I know he will not tell a soul if I asked him not to.”

 “Andrew, I knew at some time you will have to make public that diary, or rather the contents. I would rather it be much later when we have scanned through it for more answers to my own family. I will agree to your request, but I would like to talk to Kevin tomorrow and give him this information personally. I have a very good reason for doing it this way that you will see tomorrow.”

“Have Kevin come here at nine in the morning and we can all talk.”

“Thank you, my Lord, but please don’t feel obligated in any way I can get around the problem if you do not feel comfortable.”

“Andrew, I thank you for those thoughts, but Scottish history is for all and not just the few. It will be fine, if you and Lady Lindsay trust Kevin then I will too.”

Andrew had just walked down the stairs into the kitchen and sat down drinking coffee. “Andrew, can you hear me, are we going to Eagles Flight this morning?”

“Send Dave and the crew up there to get the covers up so that we can remove whatever is in the secret room. I want you to come here because Lord Stuart would like to have a word with you at nine a.m.”

“Hello, Andrew, I will come to Eagles flight with you, so that you can bring me up to speed on developments. I will be there in fifteen minutes.”

He then heard Kevin telling Dave what was needed as he was sipping his coffee.

He was glancing through his notes when the front door bell went and Drummond walked out. On his return he said, “Lady Lindsay has arrived and in the lounge talking with Lord Stuart.”

“Good morning, Douglas, I am meeting Andrew and Kevin here to go with them up to Eagles Flight. From what I heard Andrew saying over the radio you are going to speak with Kevin. He is not in trouble with you is he?”

“Good heavens no, I would like him to do something for me.”

There was a knock and Drummond entered and said, “Andrew and Kevin are outside, my Lord, wishing to see you.”

“Bring them in, Drummond.”

Moments later the two young men were just inside the door and both gave a morning greeting to Lord Stuart and Lady Lindsay. “Kevin, Lady Lindsay has told me all about you and the way you have turned your life about. I am very impressed, and you should be very proud of what you have achieved. Come over to the fire with me I want to show you something.”

They both walked over and Douglas pointed to the sword and dagger. “Take a look at those and give me your opinion, and you may take them down for closer examination.”

Kevin lifted the sword out of its resting place and walked towards the window and gave it a thorough examination. There was no mistaking the look of excitement on his face as he scrutinised the weapon.  He then looked at them all staring at him and said, “You might not believe me, but I believe this is a sword belonging to a king. It has the royal armourers mark just below the hilt on the blade.”

“This sword has been made from the finest steel without any kind of blemish on the blade. There are no intricate designs on the blade that might make it weak, just the glass like polished steel.” He gave a slow swing with the sword and smiled. “It is perfectly balanced unlike many other swords of its type.”

“If what I say is correct and I don’t for one second think I am wrong. This is the sword that belonged to James the forth of Scotland, because I know where all the others are. My father told me that he had seen the one the English had and it was not a Scottish sword. He also told me of what his ancestors passed down through the generations, and that was the Kings sword was stolen from the battlefield at Flodden before the English captured it.”

“That is ridicules, Kevin, you must have got your facts muddled up.” Lady Lindsay said.

“No he is right on the button, Lady Lindsay.” He watched Kevin place the sword back in its resting place with shaking hands before he turned to face them once more. Douglas handed Kevin the translated letter Mary Tudor gave the first Lord Stuart.

Kevin read it and smiled before he said, “I am right, but that is not what has made me happy. The fact that I have had the chance to handle and swing the sword of state belonging to King James can never be matched. I had my hands on the hilt of the sword that King James held so many times in battle.”

He handed the paper back to Douglas and said, “I can understand why you have kept this secret, my Lord, and the secret is still safe with me.”

“Thank you, Kevin, but now I will show you a bigger secret. Andrew has been translating some letters belonging to the first Lord Ahearn Stuart. They will be made public at some point, but not before we have checked them all for secrets that need to stay secret.”

Douglas handed him the translation from the previous evening and said Andrew translated this last night. They watched him read the entry and start laughing.”So Andrew my revelation got to your brain as it did mine last night. I sat thinking about that find and the others. I think the only two secret rooms that the first Lord Stuart had anything to do with was the one at Steeple crag and the Campbell croft.”

“I believe that it is for that reason why the secret keys to the room are the same in both of those crofters, lodges. In the other two they are different from each other which are strange, but maybe it is not. We can now explain why there were Jacobite weapons in the one on the western boundary and the Campbell estate and I believe we will find the same at Eagles Flight. Laggan will also be a Jacobite find if there is a secret room there.”

“I think those five crofts and the one at Laggan were built at the same time, but the three that Lord Stuart never armed the extensions were not built until just before the Jacobite uprising. It is for that reason the stone is dressed and not natural. The back walls of the croft houses had been pulled down and rebuilt to place the secret doors in, and that is why they are different in design.”

“I cannot be sure but while you are delving into the first Lord Stuarts papers, Andrew. I would think he will have a plan of his two crofter’s houses, and that is why they are identical even down to the hidden door key. If there is a secret room in that crofter’s house in Laggan, I will bet my wages it should have something to do with the fire.”

“Say that all that you have said is true, Kevin, how do you work out about the fact the skeleton was left in the building while the arms were being changed?”

“I don’t think they were being changed, Andrew. I think the Jacobite conspirators took out what they thought was of no use like the cannon that we never found and replaced them with muskets and pistols. However, as for your question why the skeleton was not moved? Andrew who was Lord Stuart by that time knew all about it, and left it in its place of rest. It was by that time of no consequence to what was taking place. He locked the door and left the skeleton to its silent secret of guarding the past. We have to remember that the new Lord Stuart would most probably be a Jacobite because he was a Stuart and would conspire against the government forces.”

“I can see where you are coming from, Kevin, but why was the whiskey laced with belladonna.”

“Now look here, Andrew, I have taught you as much as I can, but you really must find some theories of your own.” Then Kevin burst out laughing that started Andrew and the rest laughing.

Andrew said “If that is all, my Lord. I will take Kevin to the kitchen for a coffee before we leave.”

“Yes do so Andrew, and while you are there could you ask Victoria to bring some coffee in for Lady Lindsay Morag and me.”

When they had left the room Lady Lindsay said, “Now you have seen firsthand how they complement each other. There was no argument just friendly banter. Every time either of them opens his mouth they have me riveted to the floor.”

“It appears by what he was saying, Kevin uses his brain in the evening as well. Just by reading that one piece of paper Kevin worked out in an instance what might have taken place. I see what you mean when saying they never argue or pull each other’s theories to pieces. They store what is said until they find something to prove or disprove what they say and think. He was also to the point with that sword, and although I already knew its authenticity he told me things I never knew. His face on realising it was the Kings sword will stay with me for a long time.”

It was two hours later when they all arrived near the croft at Eagles Flight. “We are about to check your theory out, Kevin, and I think it is going to be an interesting morning.”

Kevin just sat with his normal smile on his face drinking the coffee while waiting for Dave and the crew to finish. “I wonder how much Lord Andrew Stuart was involved with the Jacobite rebellion, Andrew.”

“Now that is a coincidence, because I was sitting here thinking on that same question. You are very clever, Kevin, and I am not saying that lightly. I really am glad that you are part of the team because your theories very seldom differ to mine except when you blow mine all to hell.” They both laughed this time just as Lady Lindsay pulled up beside them on the hard standing.

She left her own vehicle and got in the rear seat of theirs, “That wind out there is so strong, and cuts through you like a knife.”

Kevin passed the flask and cup to her as he said, “Dave was late getting here because of an accident on the road, he will be another three quarters of an hour before he is finished.”

“Andrew, why do you think the weapons were never used because they would have aided their cause? I am also in no doubt that the crown armies would have been this far north.”

“I have only one thought, and that is the people that knew where the weapons where was either dead or unavailable. There might not have been any conspirators in the area to inform the Jacobite army of the weapons existence. Either way these weapons were a great loss to those fighting in the skirmishes with the crown armies.”

“That is a good thought but what about the agents that looked after the crofts, they would have known of the existence. Lord Andrew Stuart would have left them in place or did something happen to change the way things were done? It would have had to be dramatic to take away the messenger trail.”

“I will take another look through the papers tonight and see what else I can find.”

“I don’t think we will find many weapons in this crofter’s house if we find any at all,

my Lady.”

“Whatever made you think like that, Kevin?”

“It is a new ball game we are playing. Last night I was reading about the Jacobite rebellion up here in the highlands. To be precise the battle at Killiecrankie in 1689 and where it is compared to the location of the croft on the western edge of Lord Stuarts estate and the one on the Campbell estate.”

Andrew looked deep in thought and said, “Yes but what does that have to do with your new theory?”

“Well the clans were rushing to get to Blair Atholl but would be arriving from all directions which would put the western boundary and Campbell hill out of reach. The closest stockpile of weapons is Eagles Flight and Laggan when travelling from the north. Because the Jacobite clans had been formed once and dispersed when they missed Mackay the first time they would have been in the right place to get the weapons to fight with.”

“You do have a very good point Kevin and we will soon know if you are correct, because it looks like Dave is ready, so we had better get to work.”

Outside the cold wind was blowing once more and it was cutting through their warm clothes. All three were glad to step inside the building. Andrew took the big metal key and opened the oven, and after inserting it in the hole he turned and heard a click. The whole of the fire place gave a jerk, and Kevin with the help of Andrew pushed it forward to expose the room behind.

There were weapons in the room but only a few and mostly swords. There was an empty barrel of gun powder and a scattering of lead balls on the floor. “It looks like they took the muskets and lead balls, before they filled their powder pouches and left. They left the swords because I would think that being highlanders they would already have one each.”

No one commented on what Andrew had said, because the room told them the same story. The remaining swords were in a tangled heap in the corner showing the weapons had been taken in haste. Andrew took pictures of everything and told Dave to put the few weapons in the trailer and take them back to the lock up in the yard.

Once the room was empty Dave helped Andrew push the fire place back in position and heard the click. “Once you are back at the yard, Dave, tag them for location before you lock them up and then have an early day.”

Once Dave had left, Kevin gave Andrew the big key to put in the motor. He locked the door when they left and then locked the security gate.

Andrew said, “I think we will leave the croft at Laggan until the New Year when hopefully the snow will have disappeared. I like that theory of Kevin’s and I think there is a very good chance after seeing the inside of this secret room the one at Laggan will be no different. Even if there was a secret room full of weapons we would not be able to transport them away if we cannot get the vehicle and trailer close.”

“I will see you two later when you get back to Stuart House and well done the pair of you. In fact I will meet you both back at the lab with Sarah, as I have news for you all.

“I will treat Kevin to breakfast in the restaurant on the way back so we will be a short time after you, my Lady.”

Lady Lindsay was let in through the door by Drummond that opened the door to the lounge for her. “That is bitter cold outside now, Douglas,” she said on seeing him seated with Morag. “I hope I am not disturbing you two.”

“You could never do that, Lady Lindsay, come and sit down you look frozen near to death.”

Once she was seated he asked, “How did things go this morning?”

“Things went well, but not as Andrew or me had expected. Kevin went home last night to read about the Jacobite Risings because he told us this morning. He refreshed our minds about the Battle at Killiecrankie and told us why there might only be very few weapons if any in the buildings on Eagles Flight and the same in the croft at Laggan.”

She then told them all that had taken place and Andrew’s response on the find.

“So, Andrew never argued the point about Laggan.”

“No, he took what Kevin said as fact because if you think about where these two places are in conjunction with the battle of Killiecrankie it would tie in. I am pleased that Andrew is my understudy, and I am even more pleased that because of Andrew, Kevin has turned his life about. Kevin has been waking up parts of my brain that had I think shut down. I will say it again; I have the best investigative team in the whole of the National Trust UK.”

It had taken two hours for Kevin and Andrew to return to the village where they parked outside the Trust lab and walked inside. Sarah was sitting near a bench looking through a microscope, and on seeing them she looked up and said, “This must be important for both of you to be here at the same time.”

“Lady Lindsay said we had to meet her here as she had something to say to all three of us.” It was as Andrew was speaking when Lady Lindsay walked through the door.

“Kevin looked at what she was doing and asked, “What are you looking at, my Lady?”

“It is a sample of that soil you swept up off the ground at the Campbell croft house; do you want to take a look?”

Kevin walked over and stood where she had been and looked through the lenses. “Dear God, “he exclaimed as he jumped back a few feet. “Andrew, can you see anything moving on my knees.” He asked.

Andrew looked down and said, “No, why are you asking?”

“Because I can see some damn great worms in this soil and I was kneeling in it.”

Andrew and Sarah and Lady Lindsay burst out laughing before Sarah explained and said, “There are microscopic insects on all things.”

He replied, “Is that right? Then maybe I should have washed my hands after touching that fish before eating. Now that I have that information it will put a new perspective on how I fish for trout and eat.” Once again Sarah and Andrew burst out laughing.

“Do you eat a lot of trout, Kevin?”

“I eat a fair amount but I like salmon as well, my Lady.”

“Salmon is not cheap though, Kevin.”

“You are so right, my Lady, and I am glad I get mine free.”

“You do, where from?” Lady Lindsay asked.”

“I have my own river and ponds, I also have my own breeding tanks, that            are very crude but they work for me.” 

“I think we will have a Trust outing tomorrow and you can show us your estate, Kevin. I have often wondered where and how you live.”

“Okay I will meet everyone here and we can go in the crew vehicle, I will give mine to Dave for the day. One thing you must remember, my house is tidy but don’t expect it to look like the lounge in Stuart House.”

“Right then, we will all be here at ten a.m. now I have something to tell you all. The new village hall will soon be finished, and I have been told the village curator will be moving to the new hall in three weeks. The trust has bought the old property and is going to turn it into a museum. You might have seen all the vans next door from time to time doing work. They have been replacing the security, window catches, and locks because of the contents that will be inside.”

“There will be two offices at the rear one each for Kevin and Andrew. You have no need of one, Sarah, as you are here right next door. It is because the museum will generate a lot of revenue for the trust and because of the contents why there will be security both day and night inside the building.”

“You three are its curators during the tourist season, so you had better get yourself up to date on your history.”

“Well I am trying my hardest, my Lady.”

“I was not referring to you, Kevin. I was talking to Lady Armstrong.”

First there was a look of shock on her face before Sarah looked at the grins and said, “I dare anyone to laugh.”