Page 151 of A Rogue in Firelight
“Unthinkable, all of it,” Sir Hector said.
Ronan shook his head, sad to hear it. “I cannot say I am surprised.”
“We need evidence, of course,” Sir Hector said. “But it is sobering to realize they were scheming to take others down, and now seem determined to undo each other.”
“Corbie feared he would not inherit Strathniven without marrying Ellison,” Hugh said. “He admitted it. And Pitlinnie wanted your distillery, and your glen, and went after those.”
“What a tangle,” Ronan said. “It will take a long while to sort through that unsavory mess.”
“Eventually we will see what a jury decides,” Hugh said.
“The line is moving again,” Sir Hector said. “Sir Willie Collins. He is so rotund that someone mistook him for the king the other day and bowed to him. Got quite the laugh!”
Chuckling at that, Hugh leaned toward Ronan. “You know Pitlinnie wanted to buy Glenbrae. Sir Evan has refused the offer.”
Ronan raised an eyebrow. “I thought it was done even before we were in Jameson’s chambers.”
“Not fully signed. But Sir Evan refuses to consider Pitlinnie now. He has had another offer for Glenbrae which would absolve the debts on the property.”
“Ah.” Ronan felt a new twist of grief at the thought of losing Glenbrae.
“I cannot say much, but the offer would dissolve the debts and still give you full rights to the glen and the distillery.”
“Me? To run the distillery, perhaps?”
“This party would gift Glenbrae back to the Darrach estate.”
Ronan narrowed his eyes. “Lady Strathniven?”
“I did not say that,” Hugh teased.
“I am stunned. So grateful. I just heard about the petition for the earldom.”
“Aye, to restore the earldom of Strathniven and rejoin it to the estate of Darrach and Glenbrae. Lady Strathniven petitioned the king. She did not want you to know. A surprise, see.”
Ronan huffed, still astonished. “She said nothing of any of it.”
“Then be surprised when she does, hey? She is very pleased with herself over it. The Crown still needs to approve it, though the Lyon Court will move it along.”
“This is beyond my dreams,” Ronan said. “I did not dare hope the old estate that belonged to my family would ever come back together.”
“Not guaranteed yet, but aye, it could happen. You would have to give up the title of viscount. Scottish peers are not permitted to hold more than one title. But you would be earl.”
“Restoring the original estate would be a huge benefit. But what of Lady Strathniven?”
“She confided to me that she would be happy to rent from you.”
“I could never take rent from her. I would give it to her for free. Peppercorn rent,” he said, remembering the old tradition. “A token. She might like that.”
Hugh laughed. “A bunch of heather every summer. We will write it into her lease.”
“She would love that. So much to think about. So many changes. I am a married man, a viscount—it is a lot to take in.”
“And a free man,” Hugh drawled.
“Most of all, a happy man,” Ronan murmured as his friend clapped his shoulder.
“They are calling your name,” Sir Hector said, pushing Ronan ahead of him.
