shocked.
Shaking his head at him, Hector said, “You have much to learn about women, lad. I’ve no doubt that Cristina and Isobel are even now urging Macleod to go in search of Adela, and that before any of us are much older they will be exerting themselves to send his grace’s entire armed force to find her. To be sure, if we knew who had taken her, or where they were headed, I’d have men after them now.”
“If only Macleod had set someone on their trail straightaway!”
“Aye, but recall that as he thought you were the abductor and she went willingly he had no good reason to follow. Moreover, he was furious with the pair of you for stirring scandal.”
“He did have cause,” Hugo admitted ruefully. “The lass was right to say I should have replied to her message.At the time, I thought she had no business interfering in her sister’s affairs, let alone mine, and did not deserve a reply. I never expected anything to come of it other than Adela’s marrying Ardelve.”
“An outcome, apparently, that caused you no distress.”
In light of Hugo’s recent recognition of his own arrogance, Hector’s gentle tone did not deceive him. But he had no desire to share his new awareness with the older man, who would doubtless disapprove of it even more strongly than Hugo did himself. Neither, however, would he prevaricate with a man he greatly respected.
“What I thought at the time bears no repeating, sir,” he said, meeting Hector’s stern gaze and feeling guilt wash over him again. With a sigh, he added, “Meeting Lady Sorcha has had a salutary effect on me. I own, sir, I am not proud of my actions or their lack.”
“Good lad,” Hector said, clapping him hard on the back. “You must be sure to thank her for the lesson when next you meet.”
“I’d rather wring her neck,” Hugo said with feeling.
Hector laughed. “I’ve felt that inclination myself with more than one Macleod sister.”
“I’ll warrant you have,” Hugo said, aware that Hector was not only married to Cristina but had fostered Isobel. “So what is to be done now?”
“We’ll wait until we know more,” Hector said. “As doubtless you are aware, my brother, the admiral, is the best-informed man in the Highlands and Isles, thanks to his vast network of informants. He has made it known that he seeks information about this business, so we should have news in a day or two.”
“Can we do nothing straightaway?”
“As to that, Sorcha told Macleod she overheard Lady Gowrie of Glen Finnan mention well-equipped men riding through the clachan of Kinlocheil with a beautiful woman riding pillion. They apparently said they were riding to Edinburgh.”
“Macleod got no more details?”
“As you may suspect, he is angry with Sorcha, and with Adela, too. He told Sorcha he did not want to hear more about the matter. I’m guessing he feels a fool for allowing them to ride off with Adela. Any man would. Moreover, he wants to avoid scandal, since he means to take a new wife soon.”
“One, I surmise, who also dislikes scandal.”
“No one likes it,” Hector said. “But Gowrie and his lady had departed by the time Macleod shared that information with us, so if you are eager for action, you might seek her out to discover what more you can learn.”
“I’m told that news flies quickly hereabouts,” Hugo said. “Tracking a rumor to its source could eat up a great deal of time.”
“A good point,” Hector agreed. “I prefer to let Lachlan call the tune myself, because the more information one has the less likely one is to dash off in the wrong direction, and his men provide him a continuous flow of news from all over Scotland. Still, I understand your impatience, and if Lady Gowrie knows anything more, I warrant you’d get more information from her than even Lachlan’s minions could.”
“I’d certainly try, sir, but I must consult with Michael first, because my first duty is to him.”
“He is on the wharf,” Hector
Shaking his head at him, Hector said, “You have much to learn about women, lad. I’ve no doubt that Cristina and Isobel are even now urging Macleod to go in search of Adela, and that before any of us are much older they will be exerting themselves to send his grace’s entire armed force to find her. To be sure, if we knew who had taken her, or where they were headed, I’d have men after them now.”
“If only Macleod had set someone on their trail straightaway!”
“Aye, but recall that as he thought you were the abductor and she went willingly he had no good reason to follow. Moreover, he was furious with the pair of you for stirring scandal.”
“He did have cause,” Hugo admitted ruefully. “The lass was right to say I should have replied to her message.At the time, I thought she had no business interfering in her sister’s affairs, let alone mine, and did not deserve a reply. I never expected anything to come of it other than Adela’s marrying Ardelve.”
“An outcome, apparently, that caused you no distress.”
In light of Hugo’s recent recognition of his own arrogance, Hector’s gentle tone did not deceive him. But he had no desire to share his new awareness with the older man, who would doubtless disapprove of it even more strongly than Hugo did himself. Neither, however, would he prevaricate with a man he greatly respected.
“What I thought at the time bears no repeating, sir,” he said, meeting Hector’s stern gaze and feeling guilt wash over him again. With a sigh, he added, “Meeting Lady Sorcha has had a salutary effect on me. I own, sir, I am not proud of my actions or their lack.”
“Good lad,” Hector said, clapping him hard on the back. “You must be sure to thank her for the lesson when next you meet.”
“I’d rather wring her neck,” Hugo said with feeling.
Hector laughed. “I’ve felt that inclination myself with more than one Macleod sister.”
“I’ll warrant you have,” Hugo said, aware that Hector was not only married to Cristina but had fostered Isobel. “So what is to be done now?”
“We’ll wait until we know more,” Hector said. “As doubtless you are aware, my brother, the admiral, is the best-informed man in the Highlands and Isles, thanks to his vast network of informants. He has made it known that he seeks information about this business, so we should have news in a day or two.”
“Can we do nothing straightaway?”
“As to that, Sorcha told Macleod she overheard Lady Gowrie of Glen Finnan mention well-equipped men riding through the clachan of Kinlocheil with a beautiful woman riding pillion. They apparently said they were riding to Edinburgh.”
“Macleod got no more details?”
“As you may suspect, he is angry with Sorcha, and with Adela, too. He told Sorcha he did not want to hear more about the matter. I’m guessing he feels a fool for allowing them to ride off with Adela. Any man would. Moreover, he wants to avoid scandal, since he means to take a new wife soon.”
“One, I surmise, who also dislikes scandal.”
“No one likes it,” Hector said. “But Gowrie and his lady had departed by the time Macleod shared that information with us, so if you are eager for action, you might seek her out to discover what more you can learn.”
“I’m told that news flies quickly hereabouts,” Hugo said. “Tracking a rumor to its source could eat up a great deal of time.”
“A good point,” Hector agreed. “I prefer to let Lachlan call the tune myself, because the more information one has the less likely one is to dash off in the wrong direction, and his men provide him a continuous flow of news from all over Scotland. Still, I understand your impatience, and if Lady Gowrie knows anything more, I warrant you’d get more information from her than even Lachlan’s minions could.”
“I’d certainly try, sir, but I must consult with Michael first, because my first duty is to him.”
“He is on the wharf,” Hector
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