Page 32 of A Torn Allegiance
Lady Annabeth’s soft intake of breath let her know their conversation was overheard.
But before she could correct herself in front of one of theton’s greatest gossips, Prince Hayes clucked. “You shouldn’t tease me so. Lady Annabeth will have you thinking I’m of the worst repute.”
Lady Annabeth’s eyes widened, and she looked between the two but seemed satisfied with the answer.
Prince Hayes turned his attention back to Lady Annabeth, but Elsie was grateful for a moment to consider her exchange with him. How could a man be so perceptive? And what was she to think of his relations with Lord Everly?
Their tour continued throughout St. James’s. The afternoon passed in a grand blur. At times, Elsie’s mind wandered, but she could not feel bored, no matter how dull some of the descriptions given of some truly grand pieces were. The ever-shifting attention of Prince Hayes’s arm, his hand, the whole side of his body, kept her as entertained as she had ever been.
At the finish of the tour, Lord Gallach approached.
Elsie didn’t know him well, but she knew his wife to be a firm tenant supporter. She moved to stand at the lady’s side, far enough from the prince and Lady Annabeth so as not to be heard. “And what do you think of Lord Everly’s presence at the luncheon?”
“I’m well but greatly disturbed by it, to be sure.”
“I wondered at it myself,” she admitted. “He seems perhaps determined to discuss his ideas for Scotland no matter where he goes.”
“He certainly does. Not a moment into the first course, and he was campaigning for his sheep. Your friend was greatly interested in everything he had to say.”
“Was he?” Elsie’s heart twisted in disappointment, even though she already knew Prince Hayes to be greatly interested. Being reminded, hearing everything she suspected verified by one who would know, was disappointing all over again.
“They will be meeting at White’s with a group to discuss the situation.”
“Oh, to be able to listen in.” The words left Elsie’s lips before she could stop them. But, though most women would have been shocked at her desire to attend the men’s club, Lady Gallach didn’t even blink. “I am sending Lord Gallach, but he tends to be close-lipped about these matters.”
Before Elsie could respond, Lord Gallach returned to his wife’s side, and Prince Hayes greeted Lady Gallach. “Do you know Lady Annabeth?”
The introductions were made, and then Prince Hayes left the group with Lady Annabeth still on his arm, presumably to walk to her carriage. Lord Gallach drifted off to begin conversation elsewhere.
“The prince is rather too quickly taken with her, isn’t he?” Lady Gallach won a fraction more of Elsie’s allegiance.
“Perhaps he is.” Elsie turned away from their retreating forms, waving her hand in dismissal. “But I must hear more about the plight of the clans, the tenants. I heard many are leaving their estates.”
“It’s been so terrible: the blight and the lack of rain. It seems the people will never have a respite from tragedy.”
“Must they be thrust from their lands? If sheep were the only option, why force the tenants to leave?”
“Sheep are not the only option.” Lady Gallach’s very nostrils flared. “They eat everything in sight.”
Before she could adamantly spew forth any manner of diatribe that would be useless to Elsie because she already mightily agreed with the woman, Elsie stemmed her by asking, “Do you know what other estates in the Lowlands are acquiring sheep?”
“Most are not, as yet”—Elsie was relieved to hear it—“but that Lord Everly would like to brand the sheep and connect the land and share it for grazing. He says it will allow for larger herds.” Lady Gallach shook her head. “But it will create a destruction of crops as well, if the sheep are to roam the lands of those who are still planting.”
Elsie shook her head. “I wish I knew what should be done.”
“Done? There is nothing to be done, not by you and me. We must hope the men will move forward with their heads and thinking intact.”
Elsie disagreed that the decisions should all be left solely to the men, but she did not say as much. Misunderstandings such as Lady Gallach’s, that she could do little, were the reason so little was accomplished. At least, in Elsie’s mind. But that was neither here nor there. The woman obviously readily shared her thoughts with her husband, and that was important since they, too, were estate owners in the general Lowlands area of the Argyll land.
Lord Gallach returned, and he and his wife were next to exit the doors for their carriage, which left Elsie alone, to consider the eccentric and passionate woman’s words. How odd to care so deeply and yet desire to do so little.
Elsie’s father arrived.
“Where is Mother?” she asked.
“She is coming.” Father glanced in the direction she’d gone. “I believe she was asking more questions about the latest painting from Italy.”
“Oh?” Elsie’s interest grew.
