Page 35 of Captured By the Cruel Highlander
“M’Laird, may I disturb ye for a few moments? I have a council matter I wish to discuss with ye.”
Adam glanced back at Doughall, who still had his feet up and looked as though he was minutes from falling asleep.
“Aye,” he replied. “I’m nae doin’ anythin’ important.”
“I heard that,” Doughall grunted.
Adam closed the door quietly behind him as he walked out into the corridor. To his surprise, he noticed his mother hovering nearby. She appeared to be admiring a tapestry, but he wasn’t fooled. Moira Kane no longer had any influence over the council’s decisions and was taking a while to adjust to the new reality.
“What did ye want?” Adam asked Lucas.
The little man pulled a letter from his coat. “The Young family has returned with a number of new requests, M’Laird.” He handed over the letter. “Given their recent visit as representatives of Clan McPherson’s old residents, I felt it was important that this was handed to ye in person.”
Adam frowned at the letter in utter bewilderment. He opened it quickly, reading through a list of requirements that seemed reasonable enough but written in a way that suggested they were repeated requests.
“Clan MacPherson?” he asked cautiously. “Me faither absorbed a fair portion of their lands into ours. But that was years ago.” He frowned at Lucas. “What do ye mean, their ‘recent’ visit?”
Adam noticed his mother moving closer to them now, and he started to feel uneasy.
Why is she getting involved in council matters again? I have been quite clear on this!
“M’Laird, I believe this is the third time the family has made the journey. After they were integrated into the MacNiall lands, there were a number of disputes with the neighboring MacPherson villagers. Their properties have sustained damage, as I understand it. Food has been withheld—they have been denied access to the drinking wells. The MacPhersons dinnae like that they are still close to their borders.”
Adam was stunned. He had no knowledge of this issue. It had been over a year since the MacPherson agreement had been signed—a gnarly issue that dragged on after his father’s death for many months. He had been told it was resolved.
“Are the Young family still here?” he asked.
“Nay, M’Laird. They were asked to leave and were told that their requests would be reviewed in due course.”
Adam crumpled the note into his fist, looking over at his mother, who seemed decidedly guilty all of a sudden. “And who, may I ask, told me people to leave before I had a chance to consider their requests?”
“Lord Barclay, M’Laird,” Lucas said, looking slightly alarmed at Adam’s expression.
“Maither!” Adam shouted. Moira Kane flinched. “I will have a word with ye. Lucas, gather the council immediately.”
Lucas scurried off.
Moira walked over to Adam. Any trace of guilt had faded from her face as she attempted to look down her nose at him.
He brandished the note and raised his eyebrows. “What is the meaning of this?” he asked, spinning on his heel and stalking down the corridor, forcing her to follow him at a gentle trot.
“What do ye mean?” she asked defensively. “It is what he says. They have made demands, and ye are considerin’ it.”
“How can I consider somethin’ for a third time when I didnae even ken about the first and second requests?”
“Ye cannae be apprised of everythin’ that goes on within the clan, Adam. Ye are naive to think that the council would inform ye of such trivial matters.”
Adam stopped, turning to her angrily. “Trivial? Some of these requests are for a plot of land to grow crops. How do our own farmers nae have land, Maither? Tell me!”
Moira opened and closed her mouth helplessly for a second, then shook her head, her anger spiking. “They are nae our people,” she protested.
Those words confirmed exactly what Adam had suspected. With a growl of rage, he set off again, storming through the corridors toward the council chambers.
As he entered, he saw Lucas standing in a room full of men, many of whom were rising from the long table in the center.
So, the council is meeting without me knowledge.I’m goin’ to put a stop to that right now!
“Sit down,” he barked, and every man in the room complied.
