Devil in Tartan (Highland Grooms #4)(77)

The laird leaned back in his chair and templed his fingers. “Either you are the most na?ve lass I have every encountered, or verra canny. Anyone may call a deed what she likes, aye? But in the end, ’tis your actions that speak. You took our ship without consent. And as a result, it is now lost to us and at considerable expense.”

Lottie’s pulse began to pound in her ears, dreading what he would say next.

“This morning I sent a messenger to Port Glasgow with the news that we’d lost the ship. I sent another messenger to request a justice of the peace. He’ll hear our complaint and determine what is to be done with your clan, he will. We might expect him in a fortnight.”

“It was all my doing, milord,” Lottie said. “Not theirs.”

“No’ true,” Mr. MacLean said. “We all had a hand in it.”

“Aye, but I am the one who commanded it, in the name of my father the chief,” Lottie said.

The laird put his hands against his desk and pushed himself to stand. “Do you bloody fools think I care who of you made the decision? You all participated, and you’ll all be judged for it. You’ll remain here, under guard, until the justice of the peace arrives. You are forbidden from leaving Balhaire.”

Lottie’s breakfast began to rumble disagreeably in her belly. She put her hand on Mr. MacLean’s arm to steady herself. “We’ll return to our rooms, then?” she asked uncertainly.

“I think that best,” the laird said coolly, and waved a hand, dismissing them. Lottie gave him a small curtsy, then turned around, gesturing her men to the door. She stole a glimpse of Aulay just before walking out of the room.

He was standing at the windows, his back to her.





CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

THE MOST PRESSING issue for the Mackenzies was how to pay for the loss of cargo. “This is precisely what I feared, aye?” Aulay’s father said when they’d reviewed the books. “We were in no position to assume that risk.”

Aulay bristled, but held his tongue. His father might as well announce his disappointment in Aulay before his brother Rabbie and brother-in-law, Marcas.

“We are agreed, then?” Rabbie asked, pressing forward. “We’ll see if we have any interest in the cattle, and if no’, we’ll put Arrandale on the market.” Arrandale, the house Cailean had painstakingly built with his own two hands, where Rabbie and Bernadette and their children lived now. Either solution was so substantial that Aulay’s head spun with the enormity of it.

Even worse was the worry that etched itself into his father’s features as the day wore on. It aged him, and when he closed his eyes to rub his temples, Aulay felt shame upon guilt surging through him.

That evening, he rode to Arrandale with Rabbie to see his nieces and nephew and Bernadette. And, truthfully, to escape the worry and weariness in his father.

“You astound me, Aulay,” Bernadette said, embracing him at the door. “No matter how difficult the voyage, you always emerge from it unscathed.”

“Unscathed?” Aulay said and laughed derisively. “I’ve lost all, Bernadette.”

“Quite the contrary. You saved every life on that ship, didn’t you? You are to be commended.”

Commended. What a strange word. If anything, Aulay felt utterly diminished by what had happened.

After Bernadette had retired for the evening, Rabbie produced a bottle of whisky.

Aulay rolled his eyes. “Is that a jest, then?”

“For God’s sake, ’tis no’ Livingstone whisky,” Rabbie said cheerfully, and chuffed Aulay on the shoulder. “This whisky is the best Scotland has to offer. From Skye.”

“Skye?” Aulay said, and looked up, confused. He wasn’t aware of any legitimate still on the Isle of Skye. “MacDonalds’?”

“Aye.” Rabbie laughed. “Did you think they’d allow the Campbells to have the trade? They’ve a few of their own hidden stills. More than a few, as it happens.” He laughed and winked at Aulay as he poured a tot for him, pushing it across the table. “Speaking of well hidden... I’ve no’ seen a lass as bonny as the Livingstone lass, on my word, I’ve no’. No’ even my own wife, who is bloody well bonny.”

Aulay swallowed the whisky.

“’Tis hard to believe she’s remained tucked away on a tiny little island. By all rights someone ought to have come along and married her, aye? I’m a wee bit surprised the Sassenach didna discover her after ’45.”

A cold shiver ran down Aulay’s spine. He couldn’t stand to think of that. He didn’t know what Rabbie suspected, but he’d not mentioned anything between him and Lottie. Not because it was an emasculating tale—although it was definitely that—but because it felt too personal. She had singlehandedly destroyed his life and at the same time, shown him a side of himself that went so deep that he still couldn’t make sense of it.

“Will you be all right, then, brother?” Rabbie asked.

The question surprised Aulay. “All right?” He thought about that. “There is no use for me here, Rabbie. I’ve no use beyond the sea, have I?”

Rabbie leaned over and squeezed his shoulder affectionately. “I once stood in your shoes. I thought my life was no’ worth living.”

“Aye, I remember it well.”