Page 1 of Sutherland's Secret
Prologue
ABERNATHYPRIORY,SCOTLAND
JUNE 1746
“What the bloody hell is Campbell doing here?” Colin MacLean growled. “I’ll no’ have anything to do with anything that has a Campbell involved.”
“Easy,bràthair.” Brice Sutherland caught Colin by the neck of his shirt and pulled him away from the door he was heading toward. Colin tended to act first rather than think first. Brice, on the other hand, was curious to see what this clandestine meeting was all about, although he had his suspicions, and he didn’t like them one bit. “Let’s see what Graham has to say first,” he said.
Nearly a fortnight ago Brice had received a missive from Alasdair Graham, one of the oldest and most respected Highland chiefs. It said naught of what he wanted, only that he required Brice’s presence on this day in this priory.
Brice had hesitated in deciding whether to come. ’Twas not a good time right now, but if Graham requested his presence, then it had to be important. He’d been surprised to discover that there were a dozen other chiefs here as well. A gathering of Highland chiefs was very dangerous, indeed.
Just six weeks past, the Scottish Jacobite army had been defeated by the English in the Battle of Culloden. Ever since the English had been killing, arresting, and imprisoning any Jacobite supporter they could find. No, it was not a good time for the chiefs to gather for a secret meeting. If they were discovered, they would be put to death.
Colin grumbled beneath his breath and leaned against the wall, his hand on the butt of his pistol and his eye firmly fastened on Campbell, who sat off to the side, his back to the wall. Brice eyed Campbell as well. It was never wise to trust a Campbell.
MacLean shifted beside him. “Sinclair is here,” he muttered with a tip of his chin toward the man.
Brice nodded to Evan Sinclair, who nodded back. The gathering was a mixed bunch, part English sympathizers, part Jacobites, and part clan chiefs, like Brice, who had not fought on either side of the Battle of Culloden.
“What do ye make of this?” MacLean asked.
“Interesting,” Brice said.
MacLean grunted.
A door at the far side of the room opened. Every chief, including the English sympathizers, tensed. More than one hand went to the hilt of a sword or the butt of a pistol. A few even stood in readiness. Alasdair Graham stepped through the door. Those standing sat, and all hands relaxed from weapons, but all eyes watched the elder chief curiously.
He made his way through the silent room until he stood before them. “No doubt ye are wondering why I brought ye here.”
There were murmurs of agreement. Brice remained silent.
“I don’t have to tell ye that this meeting must be kept secret. If the English discover we have met…Well, we all know the consequences.” Graham paused to eye the inhabitants of the room. “Much thought went into this meeting and whom I could trust,” he said.
Jacobites glared at English sympathizers, who glared back.
“As ye can see, I drew no lines. I have invited clans from both sides of the war, and I expect every one of ye to behave civilly.”
“The man is daft,” Colin muttered.
“I think we can all agree that the atrocities perpetrated against our people by the English are unconscionable,” Graham said into the silent room. “Our women and children need our protection. They’re being abused and slaughtered. Our men are being arrested for no reason.”
One chief, Drummond, pounded on the arm of his chair. “Death to everySasannach,” he bellowed. His outcry was followed by loud cheers, the loudest coming from Colin.
Graham held up his hand. “I did no’ call ye here to propose more war. We have no’ the resources, the men, or the weapons to fight the English in that way. But we can protect what is left of Scotland and those who cannot protect themselves.”
“What do ye want from us?” someone called out.
“I want ye to be the watchers, theTèarmannair,the Protectors. I want ye to devote what men ye can to patrolling our countryside, no’ to engage the English but to watch over those who have no voice and no arms against them.”
Brice had been correct. He wanted nothing to do with this. What Graham was proposing would cost manpower he didn’t have, not to mention putting his life and the lives of his men in grave danger. He liked Graham’s plan and admired his initiative, but where in the hell would he get the men?
There was a loud murmur of assent. Heads were nodding; men began speaking to one another about where they should patrol.
“Why invite a Campbell?” MacLean shouted, causing all conversation to come to a halt. Many glared at Campbell. For his part, Campbell stared impassively back with cold black eyes.
Graham looked at MacLean in disappointment. “Because Campbell has as much to lose as ye do if the English proceed as they have been. Because for once Scotland and its chiefs need to unite against a common enemy instead of fighting among ourselves for petty offenses.”
