“And as a follow-up, we can march down George Street in front of the city chambers on Monday,” Fenella added.
A chorus of “ayes” went up from the club. Annie didn’t even want to think of what Niall was going to say about that. She’d no doubt be in for the lecture of her life as well. In fact, she’d be lucky if he let her out of his sight to use the necessary room.
****
Annie didn’t see Niall until the next evening since her mother insisted she follow the doctor’s orders and stay in bed. She didn’t really mind having a breakfast tray brought up—dining in bed was a rare luxury, especially with a boardinghouse full of guests, but by the time the noon meal came, Annie was already restless. There was no way she could stay cooped up in one room for another two days.
Niall was seated at the dining table in the small room off the kitchen her mother used for their private meals when she entered. He stood. “Are ye well enough to be out of bed?”
“I will go stark raving mad if I have to stay inside four walls.” Annie motioned him to sit as she helped herself to mutton stew from the cauldron on the table. “Why are ye eating alone?”
“I wanted the peace and quiet,” he replied, breaking off a piece of bread. “I had two ships arrive today and every worker on the dock wanted to ken what happened last night. I could barely get them to unload the wares. When I got home, every boarder hounded me as well.”
“I suppose they are curious, especially since I’ve been tucked away out of sight.”
“Curious is putting it mildly. Owen said they were worse than London’stonscenting scandal.”
Annie looked around. “Where is Owen?”
“He and Aidan are making the rounds of clubs this evening.”
“Carousing? I’ve only met your brother once, but he dinnae seem the type.”
“He is nae. And they are nae. Carousing, I mean.”
“Then why are they visiting the men’s clubs?”
Niall chewed a bit of bread and swallowed before answering. “MacLean thought it might be wise to get the feel of things. See what pockets of unrest are still there.”
“That could lead to brawling.”
Niall shook his head. “That is why Aidan went with him. My brother prefers to negotiate and smooth things over when possible.”
Annie smiled. “Are ye sure he’s your brother?”
“I dinnae say he could nae fight,” Niall replied. “When we were lads, he could beat all of us. Well, except for Alasdair.”
Annie remembered Alasdair’s rescuing Bridget and herself. He’d arrived just in the nick of time, much like Niall had last night. She shifted uneasily in her chair. So far, Niall had been pleasant. That didn’t mean a storm wasn’t brewing and about to be unlashed.
“So let us talk about last night.” Niall laid down his spoon.
Annie nearly toppled off her chair. Had she spoken her thoughts out loud? He couldn’t have read her mind. “Ummm. It seems I owe ye a big thank ye.”
Niall watched her. “I doona want thanks.”
“Ah…the girls told me that ye were quite magnificent to watch.”
He shrugged.
Annie swallowed hard. “It was verra good of ye—and Mr. MacLean—to come to our defense.”
“We are Highlanders.”
As if that explained everything. Well, it probably did to him. But he wasn’t giving any quarter in this conversation. His eyes were turning even darker, like a squall line forming. She tried not to wiggle. “I doona ken why the men got so angry.”
Silence. Niall’s face could have been chiseled in stone.
She tried again. “We did have permission to speak at the meeting.”
