“Niall,” Joseph said, stepping forward. “Perhaps ye ought to listen—”
“Ye keep out of this old man,” Niall snarled at Joseph. “Ye should never have let her go in the first place.”
“Let her?” Joseph replied, his eyebrows climbing into his hairline. “Have ye ever tried stopping Miss Douglas doing anything? And I didnae even know she’d gone until young Samuel Grant came to tell me.”
Charlie glared at the two of them. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here! Did Samuel tell youwhyI’d gone? Did he tell you what MacAllister’s men did to his brother?”
“Aye,” Niall breathed. “He did. And I’ve sent Flora to go help in his care. I dinna like this any more than ye do, Charlotte, but going storming over there isnae the answer.”
“Oh? So what is? Letting him get away with it?”
“Nay, lass, it’s lettingmedeal with it.”
“It doesn’t matter anyway, because MacAllister wasn’t there,” she retorted. She hesitated, glancing between Niall and Joseph. “But I did find something interesting. Something that pertains to what we discussed yesterday.”
The slight narrowing of his eyes showed that Niall understood what she was referring to. He turned to Joseph. “Leave us. I would speak to Charlotte alone.”
“Anything that pertains to Boyd MacAllister I need to hear—”
“And if there is anything ye need to know I will tell ye.”
Joseph scowled, clearly annoyed. He gave the slightest bow to the two of them and then walked past Charlie and out of the door.
“I think you’ve upset him,” Charlie observed.
Niall sighed. “Then he will be the latest in a long line.” He looked at her, his gaze intense. “Dear God, woman, what were ye thinking?”
“That doesn’t matter now. What does matter is what I found at MacAllister’s estate.”
“Ye went trespassing?”
“No, his housekeeper, Angela let me in. She’s really nice, actually. But whilst she was outside I did do a bit of...snooping.” She stepped closer and lowered her voice. “There’s a room at the back of the kitchen. I had a look inside and found these.” She pulled out the pamphlets and shoved them at him.
Niall took them and glanced at each one. “So? Everyone has copies of these. They give them out like sweets in the capital.”
Charlie shook her head. “You don’t understand. He doesn’t just have copies, he’smakingthem! There were hundreds of pamphlets in that room along with a printing press. Don’t you see? He’s the one printing those pamphlets that are given out like sweets!”
Niall crumpled the pamphlets in his fist. “Devious bastard,” he said under his breath.
“Not just devious,” Charlie said. “Dangerous. Look at those pamphlets in your hand. Look at what they say.”
Niall uncrumpled the pages and read them. His eyes narrowed. “I’m not surprised. He’s never made his opposition to the Articles a secret. The status quo suits him just fine.”
Charlie pointed to one of the pamphlets in Niall’s hand. “See that? He’s saying the people should rise up to defend Scotland. That’s not just an opinion, it’s incitement to rebellion. This is evidence that can be used against him!”
Niall shook his head. “Nay, lass. It isnae. It’s just one of a hundred pamphlets that oppose the Articles that get circulated every day. Just as there are hundreds of others that support it. I might not like the man but he’s entitled to his opinion just like anyone else. This doesnae prove anything.”
Charlie stared at him. “You know he’s involved in something illegal! You’ve been investigating him yourself! Are you really telling me you’re not going to take this to your superiors? You’re not going to look into it? Who knows what else you might find hidden at his estate. You have to at least go and look!”
“And how would I do that?” Niall asked. “Any unlawful entry to his property and I’d be up before the magistrates before ye can blink. I’ll need more evidence than a few angry pamphlets if I’m to persuade my superiors to stick their necks out.”
Charlie opened her mouth and closed it again. “But what about what his men did to Albie?”
Niall grimaced. “Technically Albie was trespassing and his men were in their rights to do what they did.”
“What? You cannot be serious!”
Niall placed both hands on her shoulders. “I’m sorry, Charlotte. I dinna like it any more than ye do, but this is the way things are. Boyd MacAllister is dangerous and I need ye to stay away from him. Promise me.”
