Page 165 of Claimed Highland Brides

Fiona looked from one to the other as her other siblings waited to hear her verdict. “Ye’re sure o’ this?” Her voice was gentle, and her eyes were soft as she looked at Aileen.

“Aye.”

Fiona sat back with a sigh. “Vera weel then. May I be the first to offer ye my congratulations then.”

“Thank ‘e.” Aileen smiled.

Daividh got to his feet. “A toast to the newlyweds!” He lifted up his glass of whisky. “Slainte!”

“Slainte!” the room echoed in response.

The servants brought in the smoked pheasant, and everyone tucked in happily, and for some time, there was hardly any conversation. As dessert was brought in, however, Barclay cleared his throat. “As we are so newly family, I hesitate to bring this up, but time is of the essence.”

Daividh blinked at him. “D’ye mean the matter ye wanted to speak wi’ me aboot?”

“Aye.”

“Go ahead, then.” Daividh gestured for him to continue.

Barclay took a deep breath. “I mun’ arrange a meeting wi’ my step-uncle and see wha’ conditions he will come up wi’ to leave my home. But I mun meet him wi’ sufficient force to be persuasive in my argument, ye ken?”

Daividh nodded. “Ye want to borrow some o’ our men.”

“Aye.”

“Have you spoken with your uncle? Has he agreed to meet with you?” Delwyn asked.

Barclay shook his head. “I intend to send him a letter in the morning.”

“Verra weel. We shall wait to hear his reply, and once that is done, we shall plan,” Daividh chimed in.

“Aye, that seems like a plan.”

“Good.” Fiona nodded resolutely. “In the meantime, we can have ourselves a little celebration of your marriage.”

* * *

To his surprise, a reply to Barclay’s letter was delivered by midday the day after he sent his own.

“Gilroy has agreed to meet me at a neutral location,” he informed Daividh. “He says we should converge at Drumacree, at the house of the ‘widow.’” Barclay looked up with a furrowed brow. “Do ye ken this widow?”

Daividh nodded thoughtfully. “I believe I do. I am surprised that yer uncle would choose her abode for a meeting, however.”

“Why is that?”

Daividh looked away. “If’n it is the same woman, she is known as something of a witch.”

“Hmmph. My uncle is a superstitious man. He has always been known to be so.”

“If it is Aifric, that is good because she can be trusted not to allow him to try anything underhanded,” Jamesina said.

Barclay nodded his understanding. “Good.” He turned to Daividh. “Shall we set oot in the morning?”

“Aye. Fiona and I will join ye and Aileen, and we will take a small retinue of men.”

“What of us?” Diego pointed between himself and his brother.

“’Tis best ye stay here. We dinnae want to give him any reason for hostility, ye ken?”