Two Brothers

About the Book

This is the story of the visit to Provence that had been suggested by King Alexander to help Roderic recover from his illness caused by the mugging on castle hill. Roderic needed a companion for the journey and he learned to appreciate his younger brother, Kenneth Malcolm, in his visits to Kintail. Their father Kenneth MacKenzie took them on learning sessions through the Kintail hills and mountains, and taught them both sailing on their lochs and seas. They also learned more about each other and felt they would do well together on the long months that the trip would take. Roderic had a letter of introduction to the Count of Provence who was well known expert in Provencal stories and songs and enjoy the experience. Kenneth Malcolm would visit the University of Paris and the University of Oxford to see which he would attend. The King of Scotland would take them with him to France where they would meet his mother, Marie de Coucy, Queen of Scotland, and visit the magnificent Chateau de Coucy as her guest. She would show them Paris and then get them on to a barge to begin their great adventure to the south of France. They would earn their way with their music.

About the Author

My name is Mildred M. MacBride, and I have written four books about the late Middle Ages in Scotland. This book continues the experiences of the MacKenzie family. They have been given land for their help in winning the 1263 War against the Norse. They are using some of that land to build a village to relieve the crowded conditions of the present village by Eilean Donan Castle. The story focuses on one of the children born to Moira and Kenneth MacKenzie just before Moira died from the dreaded “Sweating Disease” which had no cure. They were twins and the girl, Margaret Moira, is suffering from what we now call “lack of attachment.” She feels the loss of her mother and can find no substitute. She mistreats her twin, Kenneth Malcolm, and almost everyone else. Her loving grandmother is unable to help the child. She is offered the chance to be the foster child in her mother’s wealthy MacDonald family on Islay. She is pleased with the offer, but finds she is not part of the family group She grows up somewhat, finds friends and learns to appreciate her Kintail family. She finds some one who loves her and wants to give her all the “things” she thought she wanted. She inherited the beauty of her mother, and she is becoming as kind and compassionate as was her mother. She understands that making someone else happy is the best life she could have. The torment of her childhood is healing. The other books are: “Three Women of Kintail” “Lady Janet” ` “Genny MacKenzie and her Bairns”