Page 74 of Highland Renegade
They arrived at Kilchurn Castle as the sun was setting. The first thing Ian noticed after alighting from their carriage was a much more elaborate one standing near the stables, with gleaming brass spokes, mahogany door insets, and a ducal crest.
Rory came to stand beside him as Devon rode up and dismounted. “Looks like Argyll will be here, after all.”
“I wonder why he’s come up from Inveraray for a harvest ball,” Devon said. “Seems like he’d be holding one of his own.”
“I doona ken,” Ian replied. “The dragoons took him a message—”
“Mayhap his brother requested he come,” Carr said as he and Alasdair joined them.
Ian frowned. “Aye, but why?”
“’Tis the question, isn’t it?” Alasdair asked rhetorically. “First, we get an invitation—”
“Ye doona think we were invited because Lady Woodhaven is at Strae Castle? English protocol?”
Alasdair shrugged. “It could be, but Henry may have seen it as an opportunity to use her as well.”
Rory snorted. “Campbells have always been ones to take advantage.”
“I’ll nae argue with that,” Carr said.
“Use Em…Lady Woodhaven in what way?” Ian watched as the ladies were met at the entrance to the castle and they disappeared inside. He didn’t want to think of Emily being a pawn in some devious game of political chess.
“She is English. Argyll spends more time in London than he does in Scotland.” Alasdair looked speculative. “If he’s been privy to inside information about our lands possibly being restored—some of which were given to the Campbells—”
“Takenby them, ye mean,” Rory said.
“Aye, we can thank Mary, Queen of Scots for that,” Devon added.
Alasdair nodded his assent to both of them. “Either way, Argyll might want to convince the countess to stand with them…”
Carr looked at Ian as Alasdair’s voice trailed off. “Especially since some of the land from Lady Woodhaven’s deed might be included,” he finished.
Ian was silent. Emily wanted the MacGregors to have their name and honor restored. He knew that. But did she know that she could possibly lose the land given to her? King George had awarded her the castleand its holdings,but if Parliament decreed thelandsbe restored, Emily would have no source of income to maintain the castle, even if she kept it. And, after what she’d told him, he knew how important it was that she provide for her sisters.
Would she stand with the Campbells if it came to that? Ian grimaced. The worst part was he couldn’t fault her if she did. He understood family. Wasn’t he trying to do the same thing, not only for his brothers and sister, but also for his clan? The matter of having to make a choice between her needs and his clan’s seemed to be looming closer, even without Devon’s clamoring.
“’Tis only speculation on our part,” he said. “Nae use inviting trouble where none may be.”
“Think again.” Rory pointed toward another carriage with a crest, turning into the drive. “That is the Earl of Bute arriving, nae?”
“Hmmm,” Carr said, “it seems the clouds are gathering.”
“But are we in for a storm?” Ian asked. “Lord Mount Stuart said his father supports the bill. Mayhap he will speak in our favor to Argyll.”
Devon gave him a look as if he were daft. “Have ye been reading faerie tales lately? Ye ken things never turn out right for MacGregors.”
Not wanting to upset his brother, Ian just shrugged. Besides, it was hard to argue the point, given their clan had been outcast or labeled outlaws by no less than eight monarchs for the past two centuries.
“Well, then, as our Irish relatives would say, ’tis time for our luck to change,” Carr said with a smile.
Alasdair nodded. “Aye, and I’ll be leaving soon to gather our clansmen in Ireland, as we discussed.”
Devon pointed to the carriage. “I doona see Mount Stuart with the earl.”
They fell silent as they watched the man descend and be greeted by Argyll himself. No one else alighted from the carriage and the footman closed the door, motioning for it to be taken away.
“Do ye still think it bodes well for us?” Devon asked. “The former Prime Minister and the Duke of Argyll meeting in secret?”
