Breadalbane gave her a cold glance.
“Let a man judge o’ a man’s affairs,” he said curtly, “I’m no’ needing your advice on matters o’ policy.”
He turned to leave the room, but the Countess swung round and caught his coat.
“Nay, Jock,” she cried, with tears in her eyes, “dinna leave me in anger—forgive me—’tis only that I couldna’ bear to think they should live to—to laugh at ye.”
“I’m no’ angry with ye, Peggy,” smiled the Earl, “and for the Macdonalds—dinna fear; they willna’ lang be troubling us.”
CHAPTER VII
THE POISON OF THE KISS
The three Macdonalds trudged in silence over the flat moors beyond Loch Awe. Behind them lay Kilchurn Castle, black against the vapors of Ben Cruachan, the mist-soaked standard of England hanging red and gold above it.
The heavy gray sky seemed to hang low enough to be touched with an uplifted arm; there was no wind; a few flakes of snow fell slowly. Makian walked a little ahead of his two sons, and reflected on the absolute failure of his attempt to wring money from Jock Campbell: it had been a bold attempt and there was little wonder that it had not succeeded. Whether they took the oaths or no, Makian was very sure that they would not get a guinea of the English money; it was a bitter wrong, he thought, that the government should have chosen for its agent a man with whom so many clans were at feud. He meant to take the oaths: the letters Ronald had delivered had frightened him as well as others; he was shrewd and wily; the tribes favorable to King William; the Frasers, the Macnaughtens and Grants had warned him that submission would be the wiser part.
He knew he would have his sons against him, their hate of the Campbells overweighed every consideration of prudence he could bring forward. He decided he would wait: there was time yet. Let some of the others come in first, let Keppoch of Glenroy, Glengarry or Lochiel lend their pride before he lowered his.
Ian and Ronald followed him in silence; though Makian had condoned his son’s saving of Breadalbane as a piece of prudence that had preserved their lives, Ian felt bitter about it and turned a sullen face on his father.