Page 52 of Sinful Scottish Laird
“What in bloody hell is he doing here, then?” his father demanded.
“He’s come for her. They courted before her marriage to Chatwick.”
“No’ bloody likely,” his father began, but Cailean shook his head.
“He didna know me, aye? He was surprised. Drew his sword.”
His mother gasped. “Oh my. Why has he come?” she repeated, sinking down onto a settee. “I don’t like it, Cailean, not at all. Why would a captain of the Royal Navy suddenly appear so very close to Arrandale?”
“Lady Chatwick believes he has resigned his commission,” Cailean said. “I think his appearance is a war tactic—”
“A war tactic!”
Cailean held up his hand. “In the war of fortunes. What I mean is that I think he has come, has inserted himself between a woman he loves and open sea—that is to say, between her and any other suitor, aye?”
“Between any other suitor and her fortune.” His mother snorted. “A man in search of a fortune plays to win, doesn’t he?”
“Aye, that he does,” his father said thoughtfully.
“Invite him, then,” she said to Cailean.
“Pardon?”
“Invite him to thefeill.”
“Màthair,think of what you are saying,” Cailean calmly suggested. “Any number of people at thefeillwould gladly slit his throat.”
“They’d no’ do it at Balhaire,” his father said.
“No, never,” his mother agreed. “Your father and I learned a very long time ago that it is better to keep your enemy close. Otherwise, one cannot know what he is about. And if there is even the slightest chance that he might be sending English troops down Lochcarron for Arrandale—” She shuddered, then vigorously rubbed her arms. “They won’t come near Balhaire,” she said firmly.
“No’ unless they mean to start a war,” his father agreed.
Cailean didn’t disagree. To attempt any retaliation in the midst of so many Scots—many of them Jacobites—would be grounds to take up arms.
“And have a pair of guards with you, darling,” she said. “I can’t bear the thought of you at Arrandale alone with someone like him so close. I’ll speak to Rabbie and Cat about it. We’ll need to welcome them here, which will take a bit of persuading with the clan.” She stood up to leave, but before she went out, she put her hand on Cailean’s cheek. “Do have a care.”
“Aye,” he said and kissed her cheek.
He watched his mother leave, then turned to his father, who moved as if he meant to stand. With a sudden grimace, he caught himself on the edge of his desk and bowed his head.
“Athair,”Cailean said, alarmed, starting for the desk, but his father waved him off.
“It’s naugh’ to worry over,” he said and rubbed his leg.
Cailean could see the pain etched into his father’s face. “I’ll ring for—”
“No,” his father said curtly. “I donna want to upset your mother, aye? She worries enough as it is. I’ll need you on hand to start the games,” he said and eased back in his seat. He sighed, leaned his head back a moment, then opened his eyes and smiled at Cailean. “Now then,” he said. “Let’s discuss thefeill.”
Cailean listened to his father,but he couldn’t stop his thoughts from rushing. It was clear that he would be needed at Balhaire in his father’s stead sooner rather than later. He was beginning to feel as if his life had been tossed into the air by a fierce ocean wave and then smacked back down onto the deck, scattering into pieces he would have to quickly gather before he lost them all.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I cannot describe the joy in my heart upon seeing Robert after all these years. He is of course older, as am I, but still very much himself, as he proved to me by embracing me and kissing my cheek in earnest happiness at finding me well.
Our acquaintance has been very much renewed and in many ways, it is as if the years have melted away and meant nothing. We have talked of everything. He asked if my husband was good and honorable, and I assured him that Clive was a good husband. Robert never married as I had supposed he might have done, but said rather that after he was forced to let me go, he had married the sea. I don’t remember it in precisely that way, but then again, many days have passed since then and memories do fade.
Robert had heard various and sundry things about me over the years. He knew of Ellis’s birth. Of Clive’s illness. Of my mother’s death. But he’d not heard of Clive’s passing until only recently, and he said he dreamed that night that an angel told him to come straightaway, all the while knowing that a journey into the Highlands would be particularly perilous for a captain in the king’s Royal Navy.
