Read Online Whence Came a Prince by Liz Curtis Higgs - Free Book Online
Authors: Liz Curtis Higgs
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sagging walls shored up and the dirt floor swept clean.
When they stepped inside, Lachlan took advantage of the privacy afforded them, lowering his voice to enhance the sense of secrecy. “Here’s the worst of it, gentlemen: Jamie thinks
he
is the one responsible for the fruitfulness of my flocks.” He grunted, nodding at their astonished faces. “ ’Twas my silver that bought the tups. And I believe they did most of the work.” A ripple of male laughter echoed against the stones, just as Lachlan had hoped. Before it subsided, he held up a cautionary hand. “The next is no laughing matter: Jamie has announced his intentions to claim half the lambs for himself and take them to Glentrool at Lammas.”
“
What?
” Malcolm’s gaze grew hard. “Who does this nephew of yours think he is? Taking all the glory and the lambs as well?”
Lachlan nodded grimly. “That’s the way of it.” He fixed his eyes on Malcolm. “What makes this especially disconcerting, lad, is that I intended
you
to be my heir.”
“Me, sir?”
“Aye.” Lachlan reveled in their startled faces, now certain of how they would respond to his proposal. “If, heaven forbid, something should happen to prevent you from claiming Auchengray, your brothers would inherit in your stead.”
Gavin swallowed with some effort. “Wh-what are you saying, Mr. McBride?”
“I’m saying that I’ve chosen you as my heirs. Though I can ne’er replace your father, I will gladly see to your well-being and protect your fortune as if Were my own.”
Disbelief gave way to amazement. “Can you mean this?” Malcolm stared at him, then at his brothers. “ ’Tis more than we could hope for, with no claim on our mother’s land and no land of our own.”
“It’s settled then.” Lachlan’s chest swelled with pride at his own benevolence. “We should commit the details to paper as soon as possible. If I allow this nephew of mine to swick me out of half my lambs, he will in fact be stealing a large portion of your inheritance.”
“Nae!” Three voices rang in anguished chorus, Malcolm’s the loudest. “Is there nothing we can do to stop him, sir?”
“Well …” Lachlan paused, as though considering his answer. Never mind that he’d rehearsed this speech for days; he meant his plan to seem newly hatched, formed at their bidding. “There
is
one thing that might be done.” When he leaned forward, the brothers followed suit, their heads drawn together like Gypsies huddled round a campfire. “Duncan Hastings, my overseer, is away this evening. The timing is … ah, providential.”
Eight
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
A LFRED , L ORD T ENNYSON
H as the hour grown too late for you, lass?” Though her father smiled across the supper table, his words cast no warmth in her direction.
Rose pretended to stifle a yawn. “ ’Tis just the warm June weather making me drowsy.”
In truth, Rose had not been listening to Lachlan’s blether. For the last several minutes her gaze had been fixed on Jamie’s hands: stabbing at his smoked mutton, slicing the cold meat with fierce intensity, spearing a bite of strawberry with his fork. He was angry—no,
furious
—about something. Every vein in his neck stood out, as though he were daring someone to cross him. Was it the red-headed brothers carelessly wiping their mouths with the backs of their hands that heated his blood? Was it Morna Douglas’s irritating voice? her father’s condescending manner?
Or am I the one who has vexed him?
Her skin chilled at the thought.
Please, may it not be so!
Jamie had returned to the house before the others, stamping about in a foul mood and waking her from a sound nap. “Whatever is the matter, Jamie?” Rose had asked him when he barged into their room breathing threats. “Are you unhappy with me for not writing Leana? I will do so at once.”
“Nae, lass,” he’d said, his temper cooling. “This has naught to do with your
When they stepped inside, Lachlan took advantage of the privacy afforded them, lowering his voice to enhance the sense of secrecy. “Here’s the worst of it, gentlemen: Jamie thinks
he
is the one responsible for the fruitfulness of my flocks.” He grunted, nodding at their astonished faces. “ ’Twas my silver that bought the tups. And I believe they did most of the work.” A ripple of male laughter echoed against the stones, just as Lachlan had hoped. Before it subsided, he held up a cautionary hand. “The next is no laughing matter: Jamie has announced his intentions to claim half the lambs for himself and take them to Glentrool at Lammas.”
“
What?
” Malcolm’s gaze grew hard. “Who does this nephew of yours think he is? Taking all the glory and the lambs as well?”
Lachlan nodded grimly. “That’s the way of it.” He fixed his eyes on Malcolm. “What makes this especially disconcerting, lad, is that I intended
you
to be my heir.”
“Me, sir?”
“Aye.” Lachlan reveled in their startled faces, now certain of how they would respond to his proposal. “If, heaven forbid, something should happen to prevent you from claiming Auchengray, your brothers would inherit in your stead.”
Gavin swallowed with some effort. “Wh-what are you saying, Mr. McBride?”
“I’m saying that I’ve chosen you as my heirs. Though I can ne’er replace your father, I will gladly see to your well-being and protect your fortune as if Were my own.”
Disbelief gave way to amazement. “Can you mean this?” Malcolm stared at him, then at his brothers. “ ’Tis more than we could hope for, with no claim on our mother’s land and no land of our own.”
“It’s settled then.” Lachlan’s chest swelled with pride at his own benevolence. “We should commit the details to paper as soon as possible. If I allow this nephew of mine to swick me out of half my lambs, he will in fact be stealing a large portion of your inheritance.”
“Nae!” Three voices rang in anguished chorus, Malcolm’s the loudest. “Is there nothing we can do to stop him, sir?”
“Well …” Lachlan paused, as though considering his answer. Never mind that he’d rehearsed this speech for days; he meant his plan to seem newly hatched, formed at their bidding. “There
is
one thing that might be done.” When he leaned forward, the brothers followed suit, their heads drawn together like Gypsies huddled round a campfire. “Duncan Hastings, my overseer, is away this evening. The timing is … ah, providential.”
Eight
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
A LFRED , L ORD T ENNYSON
H as the hour grown too late for you, lass?” Though her father smiled across the supper table, his words cast no warmth in her direction.
Rose pretended to stifle a yawn. “ ’Tis just the warm June weather making me drowsy.”
In truth, Rose had not been listening to Lachlan’s blether. For the last several minutes her gaze had been fixed on Jamie’s hands: stabbing at his smoked mutton, slicing the cold meat with fierce intensity, spearing a bite of strawberry with his fork. He was angry—no,
furious
—about something. Every vein in his neck stood out, as though he were daring someone to cross him. Was it the red-headed brothers carelessly wiping their mouths with the backs of their hands that heated his blood? Was it Morna Douglas’s irritating voice? her father’s condescending manner?
Or am I the one who has vexed him?
Her skin chilled at the thought.
Please, may it not be so!
Jamie had returned to the house before the others, stamping about in a foul mood and waking her from a sound nap. “Whatever is the matter, Jamie?” Rose had asked him when he barged into their room breathing threats. “Are you unhappy with me for not writing Leana? I will do so at once.”
“Nae, lass,” he’d said, his temper cooling. “This has naught to do with your
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