[00:00.64]Chapter 10, Blood of the Innocent.
[00:05.37]Lady McDuff was beside herself.
[00:10.32]How could her husband just disappear, leaving her to cope with the castle, the servants and the children?
[00:19.80]Lord Ross, her cousin, did his best to console her.
[00:24.91]You must be patient, he said.
[00:29.52]Patient, she sighed.
[00:32.79]He wasn't very patient, was he?
[00:37.73]He wouldn't have left without good reason, pleaded Ross.
[00:44.83]How can you have a good reason to leave your wife and babies?
[00:49.95]asked Lady McDuff.
[00:52.46]Ross looked for the right words.
[00:55.31]This was a difficult situation.
[00:59.99]These are dangerous times, he said.
[01:04.15]I can say no more than that.
[01:09.81]So Ross departed, leaving Lady McDuff no happier.
[01:15.70]James, her young son, ran to her.
[01:19.71]Where is daddy? he asked.
[01:24.59]Daddy is dead, replied Lady McDuff, hugging him close.
[01:30.88]No, he isn't dead, protested the little lad.
[01:36.27]He is, I tell you, said Lady McDuff.
[01:41.38]James clung to his mother's skirts and buried his face.
[01:46.35]Lady McDuff stroked his fine hair.
[01:49.97]How will we survive, little one? she asked.
[01:56.32]I will kill birds, replied James.
[02:00.86]I will kill mice, and I will kill deer and bring them home for supper.
[02:11.10]Lady McDuff smiled rily at her young son's innocent hopes.
[02:17.33]Mommy, asked James, suddenly serious.
[02:22.77]Was daddy a traitor?
[02:28.58]I, said Lady McDuff.
[02:32.21]He was.
[02:34.87]What is a traitor? asked James.
[02:41.94]Someone who swears to love and honor, replied his mother bitterly, and lies.
[02:51.58]So, if you swear and lie, said James, they will hang you.
[02:59.27]That's right.
[03:01.54]And who will do it?
[03:04.87]The honest men.
[03:07.97]That's stupid, protested James, because there's more liars than honest men, so they could gang up on the honest men and hang them instead.
[03:21.39]Lady McDuff laughed.
[03:24.30]Her son had his own special logic.
[03:28.11]You couldn't argue with it.
[03:31.58]How you prattle, you monkey, she laughed.
[03:39.18]Without warning, a strange man burst into the room, red-faced and panting.
[03:46.04]Bless you, fair dame, he spluttered.
[03:49.66]You don't know me, but please take my advice.
[03:55.10]Get out of here while you can.
[04:00.49]The man made his apologies and left as quickly as he came.
[04:08.30]Lady McDuff was shocked and confused.
[04:12.20]Run away? she said.
[04:15.93]What, I've done nothing wrong.
[04:23.68]Lady McDuff's hesitation was fatal.
[04:28.44]Next second, the room was full of men, grim faced and armed to the teeth.
[04:36.24]Where's your husband? barked the first.
[04:42.62]Lady McDuff kept her nerve and stood her ground.
[04:47.46]Nowhere so foul that you might find him, she replied.
[04:53.32]He is a traitor, snarled the man.
[04:59.13]Suddenly, James leap towards him, little fists flying.
[05:04.94]You're lying, you pig faced goon, he cried.
[05:09.81]What, you traitor runt? snapped the man.
[05:15.30]He drew his knife and with one horrifying blow ran the young lad through.
[05:23.56]He's killed me, Mommy! cried James.
[05:28.58]Run!
[05:31.76]But there was no escape for Lady McDuff or her servants or any of her children.
[05:41.15]The butchers did not finish their work till the bodies floated like driftwood in the castle moat.