Amanda Scott (32 page)

All the links he had seen before had none, but then, most of those lay near the sea on the east coast of Scotland.

The previous day’s rain had left MacDrumin’s overgrown course damp, and the featherie was heavy and sluggish. They had to take care not to slice it to bits with their clubs, for a new one cost four or five shillings. They were at the beginning of the second hole now. MacDrumin had won the first easily.

The laird swung, connected solidly with the featherie, and sent it sailing straight toward the green. “The devil fly away with the thing,” he exclaimed a moment later. “It’s hit a sheep! You lads, put down those clubs and chase the pesky critters off. And do it before one of them eats my featherie!”

The boys carrying their clubs obeyed at once, and Neil ran to help them. When the laird strode forward to supervise their activities, and Maggie drew Diana aside to show her a favorite view, Rory found himself standing alone with Rothwell.

He had made no effort to single the earl out before, for after Diana’s fury and her charge that he did not understand the rules of hospitality, he had found himself reluctant to press the issue. When MacDrumin had cheerfully agreed—the morning after the incident in Rory’s bedchamber—to let him manage his own affairs, Rory’s dilemma grew. And it gnawed at him, for despite his unwillingness to deal with Diana as she deserved, he took his judicial duties seriously. He did not think he could overlook MacDrumin’s illicit activities, but the more he thought about what duty demanded of him, the less he liked it.

“I want a word with you, sir,” he said more abruptly than he had intended.

Rothwell’s eyebrows shifted upward. “A serious matter? MacDrumin tells me you’ve taken a fancy to Mistress Diana, and I have noted a certain amount of tension between the pair of you myself. If you are wondering if I’d recommend such a union, I can say without equivocation that I would.”

Rory smiled wryly. “You did it yourself, in fact, since you are English, sir, and married a Highlander. But perhaps your political views were not so unlike.”

“Were they not? I seem to recall that they were vastly unlike. She was a devoted admirer of the prince, I’m afraid.”

“Bonnie Prince Charlie?”

“Yes. It is not common knowledge, and I’ll beg you not to repeat it, but she met him in London when he was there two years ago. Fortunately, he did not live up to the vision she had created of him, which made matters rather easier for me.”

Rory decided it would be tactless to suggest that Maggie might have entertained Rothwell’s suit because he was wealthy, and marriage meant her father and their tenants could go on living in Glen Drumin. Having taken MacDrumin’s measure, he was as sure as he could be that whatever Maggie had thought, the wily laird would have considered that factor carefully. Deftly he changed the subject. “It was not marriage between factions that I wanted to discuss, sir.”

“But something of a serious nature, nonetheless.”

“Aye. I don’t know if you are aware that I have the honor to sit on the Scottish Exchequer Court.”

Rothwell nodded. “I did not like to ask, since no one mentioned it, but I did recognize your title and thought I recalled a connection to the Exchequer. The attorney general of England is a good friend, you see, and of course you work closely with Scotland’s lord advocate, I believe.”

“I do. I’m glad you know, because you will understand that I cannot remain blind to certain of the laird’s activities.” He watched Rothwell closely. He did not think a man of his reputation would take an active part in smuggling, but he thought it was possible that the earl suspected, or even knew, what MacDrumin was up to.

To his surprise, Rothwell chuckled. “What’s the old reprobate up to now?”

“He is smuggling whisky.”

“Is he? What makes you think so?”

“I heard him say as much to none other than the local bailie.”

“So he tricked Goodall again, did he?”

Rory stared at him. “You knew?”

“Oh, yes, it’s Andrew’s notion of interesting entertainment, I’m afraid.”

“Unlawful entertainment. He has failed to pay duty on that whisky, sir.”

“He does not have to pay duty,” Rothwell replied mildly.

“Why the devil not?”

“When I took over here, I felt much as you do,” the earl said, watching the boys chasing a last rebellious sheep from the green. “I soon came to realize that without means to support themselves, the people here would starve, and few courses of action presented themselves to me. I could let them starve, or I could support them—the last being a very expensive choice, as I am sure you must agree.”

“Yes, but—” He fell silent at a gesture from the other man.

“I came to realize in time that the whisky itself suggested a third possibility. It is excellent whisky, as you know, and once I saw that many wealthy Englishmen agreed with that evaluation, I realized we could sell it in London for enough money to keep body and soul together up here.”

“But the duty,” Rory said. “What of the duty?”

“I was willing to pay it,” Rothwell said with a reminiscent smile, “but Andrew sees it as no less than extortion by the Crown, since Highlanders have been making the stuff for centuries. I came to agree with him, and fortunately was able to get one of the few waivers that were going, for Glen Drumin.”

“Then why does he delight so in slipping the stuff past the authorities?”

“Because the mental exercise amuses me, of course,” MacDrumin said, emerging from nearby shrubbery. “Those dratted sheep. They do an excellent job of keeping the green smooth for putting, but they are a devilish nuisance all the same.”

Rory said, “What do you mean, the mental exercise amuses you?”

MacDrumin grinned. “Ned took all the fun away, don’t you see? So I make wagers with Francis Goodall, and so far he’s paid me a grand sight more than I’ve ever paid the government in duty. Ned here don’t approve, so I try to have all my deliveries finished before he arrives. Nearly didn’t make it this time. It’s your turn, lass,” he said to Diana who had approached with Maggie while he was speaking.

Rory saw that she looked dumbfounded.

“Do you mean to say you were never in danger of being arrested for smuggling?” she said, looking accusingly at MacDrumin.

“Nay, lassie. Did you think I was?”

“Aye,” she said, looking daggers at Rory.

He could read her mind clearly. She had nearly given herself to him, hoping that by doing so, she could protect a man who needed no protection.

Rory wanted to smile at her, even to take her in his arms and hug her, but he could not do so, and he thought it just as well. By the look of her at that moment, she would rather have killed him than hugged him.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkled with wrath, and she advanced upon the tee with an angry stride. He almost felt sorry for the innocent featherie when she whacked it hard enough to send it to the far side of the green.

Diana was furious. She felt as if she no longer knew if she was on her heels or on her head. Knowing she ought to be grateful that MacDrumin was no longer in danger, she felt as if he were the one who had angered her. She had thought she knew herself. Now she was not at all certain about that.

She had heard her mother swear fealty to King George and what amounted to an English government. What other members of the Maclean clan would think of that, she did not want to think about. But worse than that, she had nearly given herself to a man who was loyal to that government and to the Duke of Argyll, and who stood opposed to most of which she had long held dear.

As they walked toward the green, she realized that Maggie had made matters even worse. As they had stood enjoying her favorite view, when Diana admitted with a sigh that she had never expected to see her mother turn away from the true line, Maggie had said, “I met him, you know—the prince.”

Awed, Diana had instantly demanded to know what he was like.

Maggie had shrugged, looking sad. “He was not what I expected, Diana, not in the least. He was drunk, for one thing, and vulgar. He could think only of himself, like a spoiled child. I wanted to smack him.”

“Y-you are happy in your marriage.” In Diana’s mind, the statement had not seemed in any way a
non sequitur.

“Ned is wonderful,” Maggie had replied. “I do miss Glen Drumin, and I don’t care much for London. But I adore Ned and would not be happy away from him, so I adapt. Still, it’s grand to be back in the glen again.”

Recalling her words now, Diana wondered what it was like to adore a man.

“Where’s the jam pot?” MacDrumin demanded, pulling her from her thoughts. “This irksome hole is in a puddle from the rain. I’ll need to cut another.” He already had his clasp knife out, and one of the lads handed him an eagle feather to mark the new hole.

They played golf one other time before the Macleans and Rory left Glen Drumin, and MacDrumin won again that time. But no one minded, and when they took their leave, Diana found that she was sorry to go. She had made new friends in Maggie and Kate, and the impudent laird amused and delighted her. He had said nothing at all about the incident in Rory’s bedchamber, and so she had relaxed, thinking that most of her worries were over.

Except for the fact that Lady Maclean contracted a slight cold, the journey back to Maclean House passed without incident. When they rode into the yard, Mary came running to meet them.

Diana greeted her with delight. “How we’ve missed you,” she exclaimed as Rory helped her to dismount. Dugald and Neil assisted Lady Maclean.

“Faith, but I’m glad you’ve come home,” Mary said, rushing to hug Diana. “I’m afraid I’ve got the most awful news for you, though. Red Colin’s gone and got the sist rescinded. We’re all to be evicted on Friday!”

N
EIL CURSED, AND DIANA
stared at Mary in disbelief. “We’re to be evicted?”

Nodding, Mary said, “Colin must have left for Edinburgh the same morning you did, the day after we presented him with the sist. James learned just two days ago, on Monday, that he went there to submit a plea against our sist, and that one of the lords of session agreed to rescind it.”

“Just like that? But how could that be?”

“I don’t understand the details,” Mary said with a sigh. “All I can tell you is what James told me. He was furious.”

“Of course he was,” Lady Maclean said, coughing. “He has every reason to be. I tell you, it would be a public service if someone would shoot Colin Glenure.”

“Mam, please.” Diana glanced at Rory and saw him frown. “What is it?” she asked. When he did not respond immediately, she said grimly, “You might just as well say what you are thinking. I know he is your kinsman, and all, but—”

“He is just doing his duty,” Rory said calmly. He turned to Mary. “Do you recall exactly what James of the Glen told you?”

“Most of it,” she said, frowning in concentration. “Red Colin returned here on Saturday, but he had already left for Maryburgh when James got a letter from his advocate in Edinburgh. That came Monday afternoon. The letter said that after James had got his sist, he apparently carried away something called the Bill of Suspension. Is that important, sir? James was in such a tirrivee when he told me about it that he did not make much sense.”

“Yes, it’s important,” Rory said. “The sist is just the document you and the others presented to him, the court’s order to let you stay on this land.”

“We know that,” Mary said. Diana and Lady Maclean nodded in agreement.

“The Bill of Suspension,” he went on, “contains all the arguments James made in court to win that sist. They were written down at the time, then confirmed, and James should have filed the papers containing those arguments with the court. Since they were missing, Glenure was able to present his case to a different judge against an absent defense. By the time James’s advocate learned what was happening, the proceeding was doubtless over and done. Where is Glenure now?”

“He and that nephew of his, Mungo Campbell, went to Maryburgh on Monday,” Mary said. “They must get formal eviction notices.”

Diana said bitterly, “The brass of the man! I’d have expected him to stay here to gloat if he’s won so easily. Why must he go to Maryburgh for notices? If the court in Edinburgh has already ruled …” Bewildered, she looked at Rory.

“An Edinburgh court cannot order evictions in Argyll,” he said. “It can delay such actions or set them aside, but notices must be obtained from the sheriff of the shire where the evictions will take place, or from one of his substitutes.”

“You certainly seem to know a great deal about these things,” Neil said, looking at him suspiciously.

“He certainly does,” Diana agreed.

Rory was still watching Mary. “What has James done about this?”

“Don’t tell him,” Diana snapped. “He will only pass it on to Red Colin.”

Mary’s lips twisted wryly. “I daresay it won’t matter if he does, you know. As I said, poor James found this out only two days ago. He’s been scurrying to and fro ever since, trying to find someone who will help us, but no one is leaping to do so, and Term Day is only two days away. Red Colin will be back here tomorrow.”

“How do you know that?” Diana demanded.

“Because yesterday the landlord of the Kentallen Inn, who is himself set down for eviction, received a message telling him he must prepare to entertain Red Colin and his party tomorrow evening.”

Diana sighed, feeling deep depression creep over her. “What can we do?”

Lady Maclean said bluntly, “We will fight, that’s what. That wretched man is putting people off lands they have owned since the dawn of time, and we are not the only ones with nowhere else to go. He ought to be put down, like a rabid dog.”

“Mam, you mustn’t say such things! And you should get into the house, out of this wind. She’s caught a cold, Mary.”

Ignoring her, Lady Maclean looked bitterly at Rory. “I don’t care if you do tell your wretched kinsman what I said, young man, Argyll ought to help the people who live in Appin country. It’s part of Argyllshire, after all, and none of us can harm him or his odious English friends anymore.”

Diana held her breath, but Rory said mildly, “I don’t doubt that you are right about that, my lady.”