Page 63 of Highland Renegade
“It wouldna have been wise of ye to split up,” Carr said, “and if we hadna heard from ye, we would have had to send riders out searching.”
“Aye,” Fiona agreed. “’Tis just as well ye didna follow them.”
“But I could have found out where they went,” Devon said stubbornly.
“I suspect I ken,” Ian said grimly. All eyes turned to him. He sighed. “Bute lies south of Inveraray. Argyll must have sent the earl a message.”
The brothers exchanged glances.
“And it would have come from London—”
“Parliament is nearly ready to convene—”
“Which means something is in the wind—”
Emily frowned. “What are all of you talking about?”
They all paused. Finally, Ian spoke. “Since the Earl of Bute is the former prime minister—”
“Yes, I know,” Emily said. “I have met him on several occasions.” That caused the brothers to exchange glances. “What of it? His son is in Parliament and I am sure he likes to stay informed as to what is happening.” She looked around. “Why would that be important to you?”
Ian hesitated. “Lord Mount Stuart is sponsoring a petition to reinstate the MacGregor name and restore our rights.”
“You have mentioned that.” Emily lifted her hands, palms up. “There could be any number of reasons why the Duke of Argyll sent a message to the earl.”
“True, but why would the duke also send a message to Kilchurn? Or mayhap receive one from his brother?” Carr asked. “The Campbells could be planning to protest the petition. They have never favored our clan rising again.”
“Then that makes them the enemy, does it not?” Juliana asked.
“No!” Lorelei exclaimed. “We are invited to their ball.” She gave Emily a wistful look. “I had so wanted to go to a ball.”
“And ye will.” Alasdair smiled at her. “And I’ll be looking forward to dancing with ye, before I have to leave for Ireland.”
Lorelei brightened. “I would enjoy that.”
Emily frowned at her sister, then looked at Ian. “Do you think it wise that we attend if they are plotting something?”
His brothers burst out laughing and even Devon smiled.
“Did I say something humorous?”
Ian grinned. “In a way, ye did.”
“I do not understand.”
“Battles are won by kenning what your opponent is planning,” he said. “And what better way to do it than by entering their own lair?”
Carr nodded. “Where we will have several sets of eyes and ears. If something is amiss, we might be able to find out what it is.”
“Then that means we are going to the ball?” Lorelei asked. “For sure?”
Emily sighed, even as Alasdair assured her sister they would attend. Her sister had a kind heart, but sometimes, she wondered if Lorelei would ever grow up.
…
“I doona think it wise to take the Sassenachs to Kilchurn’s celebration this weekend,” Broderick told Ian the next afternoon as he came in from the fields.
The last thing he wanted to discuss was Campbell’s ball. He was dirty and itching from stacking barley sheaves all day. He needed a bath—and a dram of whisky—but both his uncles and Devon had been waiting for him near the door to the Great Hall. He was too filthy to suggest the sitting room directly across the way—Maggie would chastise him like a bairn—so he motioned for the three of them to follow him down the hall to the library. At least the chairs in there were leather and cleanable.
