pang of guilt pricked her conscience over that. Despite what her personal resolutions were, the man was her father, and he did love her.
As if divining her thoughts, Glinis shot Moira a warning glare. Behave , her eyes seemed to say. Then she rapped curtly on the door. Without waiting for an answer she pushed it open and stepped through. Moira trailed in after her, her entrance meek.
“Yer Lordship.” Lady Glinis curtsied, and i mmediately her countenance softened. A warm smile came to her face as she took in the men in the room.
Moira cringed, for she had not expected such an audi ence. Besides the earl there were also Lord Albermarle and Eamon Douglas, Glendalough’s steward.
A third man stood against the far wall. She recognized him immediately as one of the riders she’d seen earlier that day by the brae. He’d been with another man then. As determined as she was to ignore the gossip and snide stares, she hadn’t noticed that he’d been in the great hall for the meal.
The man looked at her now with passive curiosity. A shot of hot pride bolted through her. She knew his type: full of himself and his good looks. Thought he could get any beautiful lass he desired. She disliked his kind thoroughly.
Moira lifted her chin and stared coolly back. She was determined that this stranger would be of as little consequence to her as she so obviously was to him.
“Yer Lordship .” She curtseyed properly to the ailing earl. A touch of hurt came to Lord Kildrummond’s eyes at the formal greeting, which Lady Glinis noticed. She pursed her lips disapprovingly.
“Moira, my sweetling. I’m glad ye’ve come.” The earl’s voice was raspy, and his breathing laboured, as if he’d worn himself out by those few words alone. Alarmed, Moira glanced uncertainly towards Lord Albermarle, with whom she enjoyed a friendly companionship.
“Aye, ye didna think he were so far gone, did ye?”
“Perhaps ye might come more often now,” Lady Glinis added crisply.
“Hush now.” Lord Kildrummond held a hand up for his wife. To Moira he said, “Will ye have a seat?”
The only available seat in the room was the bedside stool. Gingerly she moved towards it, noticing, as she arranged herself on it, that she was the only one sitting. Lady Glinis probably wasn’t too happy about that, she though miserably.
Standing , as he was, outside the group, Lachlan surveyed the interaction between the others present. He maintained an impartial expression, though curiosity tickled beneath the surface. Who was this lass, this plainly dressed, plain-faced lass, who seemed to be afforded such courtesy?
“I’d first like to thank ye for making the journey here this evening,” the earl addressed Lord Albermarle and Lachlan. “As ye ken, I’ve no’ long left in this world; I’ll be meeting my maker soon enough.”
“No’ too soon, we hope ,” Lady Glinis spoke earnestly.
“Nevertheless, I’ve an immediate concern wi’ making sure my lands and family are taken care of. Now we all ken what trouble the ki ng makes for Douglases, and wi’ these recent confiscations of Douglas lands, I’ve a concern that Kildrummond might come into his sights. We are no’ a wealthy people, but my lands are prosperous enough, and my people live in peace. I willna rest easy until I ken it’ll continue this way after I’m gone.”
“Lord Albermarle will see to that, yer Lordship,” Lady Glinis assured him. “I’ve no doubt he’ll manage the lands well enough.”
Lord Albermarle exchanged a glance with Lord Kildrummond.
“As it happens, my dear, I’ve spoken wi’ Edward already, and he accepts my decision that I’ll no’ be naming him my successor.”
Thi s shocked everyone in the room. Except for Lord Albermarle, who lowered his eyes.
“If no’ Lord Albermarle, then who—” Lady Glinis broke off, her eyes widening excitedly. “Ye dinna mean our Lachlan, d’ye? Is that why ye’ve summoned him?”
“Aye, ‘tis. Viscount
As if divining her thoughts, Glinis shot Moira a warning glare. Behave , her eyes seemed to say. Then she rapped curtly on the door. Without waiting for an answer she pushed it open and stepped through. Moira trailed in after her, her entrance meek.
“Yer Lordship.” Lady Glinis curtsied, and i mmediately her countenance softened. A warm smile came to her face as she took in the men in the room.
Moira cringed, for she had not expected such an audi ence. Besides the earl there were also Lord Albermarle and Eamon Douglas, Glendalough’s steward.
A third man stood against the far wall. She recognized him immediately as one of the riders she’d seen earlier that day by the brae. He’d been with another man then. As determined as she was to ignore the gossip and snide stares, she hadn’t noticed that he’d been in the great hall for the meal.
The man looked at her now with passive curiosity. A shot of hot pride bolted through her. She knew his type: full of himself and his good looks. Thought he could get any beautiful lass he desired. She disliked his kind thoroughly.
Moira lifted her chin and stared coolly back. She was determined that this stranger would be of as little consequence to her as she so obviously was to him.
“Yer Lordship .” She curtseyed properly to the ailing earl. A touch of hurt came to Lord Kildrummond’s eyes at the formal greeting, which Lady Glinis noticed. She pursed her lips disapprovingly.
“Moira, my sweetling. I’m glad ye’ve come.” The earl’s voice was raspy, and his breathing laboured, as if he’d worn himself out by those few words alone. Alarmed, Moira glanced uncertainly towards Lord Albermarle, with whom she enjoyed a friendly companionship.
“Aye, ye didna think he were so far gone, did ye?”
“Perhaps ye might come more often now,” Lady Glinis added crisply.
“Hush now.” Lord Kildrummond held a hand up for his wife. To Moira he said, “Will ye have a seat?”
The only available seat in the room was the bedside stool. Gingerly she moved towards it, noticing, as she arranged herself on it, that she was the only one sitting. Lady Glinis probably wasn’t too happy about that, she though miserably.
Standing , as he was, outside the group, Lachlan surveyed the interaction between the others present. He maintained an impartial expression, though curiosity tickled beneath the surface. Who was this lass, this plainly dressed, plain-faced lass, who seemed to be afforded such courtesy?
“I’d first like to thank ye for making the journey here this evening,” the earl addressed Lord Albermarle and Lachlan. “As ye ken, I’ve no’ long left in this world; I’ll be meeting my maker soon enough.”
“No’ too soon, we hope ,” Lady Glinis spoke earnestly.
“Nevertheless, I’ve an immediate concern wi’ making sure my lands and family are taken care of. Now we all ken what trouble the ki ng makes for Douglases, and wi’ these recent confiscations of Douglas lands, I’ve a concern that Kildrummond might come into his sights. We are no’ a wealthy people, but my lands are prosperous enough, and my people live in peace. I willna rest easy until I ken it’ll continue this way after I’m gone.”
“Lord Albermarle will see to that, yer Lordship,” Lady Glinis assured him. “I’ve no doubt he’ll manage the lands well enough.”
Lord Albermarle exchanged a glance with Lord Kildrummond.
“As it happens, my dear, I’ve spoken wi’ Edward already, and he accepts my decision that I’ll no’ be naming him my successor.”
Thi s shocked everyone in the room. Except for Lord Albermarle, who lowered his eyes.
“If no’ Lord Albermarle, then who—” Lady Glinis broke off, her eyes widening excitedly. “Ye dinna mean our Lachlan, d’ye? Is that why ye’ve summoned him?”
“Aye, ‘tis. Viscount
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