Highland Master by Hannah Howell Read Free Book Online

the land was given fairly, and by royal decree, so Sir John really doesnae have a right to cry foul. They ken the history of it all far better than he does, I am thinking. We have also helped them as often as they have helped us in the past.”
    “Firmly joined then.”
    “Aye, in so many ways. I dinnae understand why Sir John has taken it into his head that he should have this land. None of the previous lairds of Gormfeurach bothered. There was ne’er any trouble. I begin to think Sir John has nursed his sense of injustice for many years and, once Boyd was dead, felt he had a chance to put things back to what they were.”
    “So he sends men to burn your fields?” Brett frowned, thinking that she was not telling them everything, but decided he would just let her tell them what she wanted to now, and press for more later.
    “Burn our fields, steal our harvests, steal our livestock, and such as that. He wants me to give up. He wants me to walk away, I am thinking.”
    He also wanted her to marry him, but Triona was reluctant to admit that. Something told her that these men would find Sir John’s insistence that she marry him so he could take Banuilt as his own as appalling as she did, but she could not be sure. The very last thing she needed at the moment was men telling her to do as Sir John wanted so that her people would not suffer. It was what most men would do, and she did not know these men well enough yet to be certain they would not do the same.
    Guilt often made her consider giving in, but she could still banish it easily. She knew Sir John and she knew he would be a bad laird for her people. His own people were not fond of him, but loyalty to the clan and love for their home kept them under his thumb. He was a vain, greedy man, and she knew without any doubt at all that he would be very bad for Banuilt. Unfortunately, his attempts to beggar them and starve them were also bad for them all.
    “He has ne’er openly attacked ye or any of your people, has he?” asked Brett.
    “Nay. He has spilled nay blood o’er this. He wants us to bend to him, to come to him because we are broken and starving. Then he, in all his gracious charity, will take the reins.” She winced, knowing she sounded as angry as she felt, her bitterness over the situation leeching into her words.
    “Go and get some rest, m’lady. Ye have told us enough.”
    “So ye will be taking Arianna somewhere else?” She tried not to show her disappointment, understanding that they had to think of her cousin first.
    “Nay. We will stay. As ye said, nay blood has been spilled, nay direct attack against the people has occurred, so there is nay real threat to our cousin. I think Sir John Grant needs ye to hand the land over to him, there being nay other way he can get it without bringing trouble down upon his own head. We will stay and we will do our best to make him change his mind.”
    She blinked, unable to believe what he was saying. “Ye mean to help us?”
    “Aye, we do,” he said firmly, and all his companions nodded in agreement. “We shall stay until this is settled. One of the first things we shall do is begin to train your men. Mayhap a strong garrison will help. After all, Sir John didnae cause ye trouble ere the garrison left, did he?”
    “Nay, but they left soon after Boyd died, when the fever had finally waned, so I cannae say for certain that their presence would have made any difference.”
    “They should ne’er have deserted their posts.”
    “I understand why they did. We have ne’er had any troubles here, nay for a verra long time, so the need for their protection of the land was nay one that was clear to see. And, during and right after the fever struck, we lost so much that the temptation of gaining some coin to bring back the life they had kenned was more than they could resist.”
    “So they stole your horses and emptied your armory and went away.”
    “Weel, it wasnae truly theft. I didnae tell them nay to take