“I wish he hadna’ kissed me,” she cried. “A Macdonald o’ Glencoe!”
Breadalbane’s pale eyes flashed and narrowed, but he spoke quietly:
“The Macdonalds and I will come to issues yet, Peggy—and then—by Heaven! I shallna’ forget this.”
“Ah, I ken, Jock—but I would he hadna’ kissed me.”
Her face flushed and trembled; the Earl set his mouth dangerously as he marked her wrathful distress; he held his hand out to her and she very passionately caught hold of it.
“We’ve taken enough from these Macdonalds,” she cried. “I saw the plunder of a house of yours to-day—and murdered Campbells feeding the eagles—”
She swung round on him with tears gathering in her eyes: “Jock, ye are almost master in the Hielands; are ye going to leave this knot of thieves in your midst to harry and insult ye?”
“Nay,” cried Breadalbane fiercely. “I’m only waiting, ye ken—ye canna touch the Glencoe men openly—ye might as weel try to hunt the eagles off Ben Cruachan as the Macdonalds out o’ Glencoe—but if they dinna take the oaths—” He finished with one of his sudden smiles.
“Yea,” said the Countess Peggy breathlessly. “Ye’ll have the government behind ye then, they’ll be rebels and proscribed men—ye’ll have them in your hand, Jock. Ah, but do ye think they willna’ take the oaths?”
Breadalbane drew her down beside him and kissed her flushed forehead.