The Earl came, very softly, nearer, but he made no attempt to interpose when Ronald strode up to the woman.
“Helen Fraser!” he cried passionately, “what do ye under a Campbell’s roof? Ah, God, ye broke bread with me and I cannot forget—I forgive that ye turned on me, Helen Fraser.”
She cut him short:
“I am Margaret Campbell,” she said, very white, “and that man’s wife.” She pointed to Breadalbane with a smile of unutterable pride and before the glitter of her green eyes Ronald fell back.
“But—ye broke bread with me,” he stammered like a stricken man—“and ye are—Jock Campbell’s wife!” He glared round him with bewildered eyes: they were all silent, held in a tense hush. The Countess glanced at her husband, then back to the magnificent figure of Macdonald.
He stared at the Earl with wide eyes, stormy and inscrutable; he spoke very slowly: “So I have kissed Jock Campbell’s wife!” and he laughed, as if there were tears in his voice.
The thing was done; with a sound like a rip of silk the Earl’s sword was out and the light ran down the length of it before the eyes of the Macdonalds.
“Take the steel’s welcome to Kilchurn!” he cried in their own language “Thieves and liars! do ye think Campbell o’ Glenorchy is to be insulted in his own castle?”
In a second the Highland dirks were out and the Countess had cried to Ardkinglass: “Call my cousin, Colin—in the name of God haste!”
He dashed from the room and she flung herself forward, with eager eyes on her husband.