The Balmoral Incident by Alanna Knight Read Free Book Online Page B

and valets.
    Vince had his own quarters in the castle assigned to members of the household. In addition they contained his surgery for daily consultations and dispensing medicine for minor ailments. He was also used to being on call if needed by sick tenants on the estate.
    Even as he was seeing us installed, two maids werehurrying across from the royal kitchens with food provided after our long journey. Silently they moved into the kitchen and in due course we were served with soup, venison stew and steamed pudding after which they cleared the table and as silently departed back with the debris of our meal.
    ‘What about Thane?’ Meg demanded anxiously.
    ‘Not to worry,’ said Vince beaming on us over his cigar smoke, the inevitable and satisfying end to every meal. ‘The kennels are across there in the stable block and food will be brought to him. He’ll get his share, don’t worry, the dogs are particularly well fed.’
    A consoling prospect, although the groom was alarmed at Thane’s size. ‘Like feeding one of the ponies, madam,’ he said, looking at the contents of the bowl.
    I assured him that would do very well. Thane had quite a small appetite for such a large animal. He was used to sharing our meals at home, but I often wondered if he added to it by other things; I said ‘things’, trying not to identify them as wild creatures he caught and ate on Arthur’s Seat, especially when Mabel put it all into words.
    ‘That dog should be in the kennels. Does he not go out and hunt?’
    Mabel always referred to him as ‘That Dog’, regardless of the fact that he had a name. Patiently trying to explain that he was a hound not a dog was something Meg did regularly but without the least success.
    Vince asked: ‘Well, how do you like it, Meg? This will be your home for a month.’
    ‘A whole four weeks,’ she sighed.
    ‘Yes, right until the Highland Games. After that HMleaves for London and there is a general exodus of visitors until next year.’
    Meg was hugging Thane and conveying this information to him. Vince and I had decided to keep a watchful eye on him until he had time to settle in and get used to the terrain around us.
    ‘He might even be mistaken for a wolf,’ said Meg nervously.
    ‘There haven’t been wolves in this part of the world for a very long time,’ said Vince consolingly, but as he explained to me, there were gamekeepers armed with rifles and a strange, huge, grey animal might provide a target, especially a hound of the breed noted for hunting deer.
    We found we were not alone in our fears regarding Thane’s well-being when the gamekeeper Aitken arrived to welcome us. Sternly surveying Thane, peacefully stretched out at Meg’s feet as she read a book, he said: ‘That animal is too big for a house pet, sir, should be kept outside. Could damage Royal property, you know,’ he added with a sharp glance around the room for any evidence to add weight to his remark.
    Vince said, ‘He is used to living indoors, well trained. One of the family,’ he added.
    Aiken grunted and shook his head. ‘Proper place for him is in the stable kennels with the other dogs, sir.’ Frowning, he paused and said: ‘I have strict instructions that he is not to be let run wild, he is to be restricted to a lead. At all times, sir.’ Another look at Thane lying peacefully ignoring him. ‘We’ll have to see if his presence so close by upsets the other dogs. They’ll bark at anythingand we can’t have the family’, with a respectful nod towards the castle, ‘kept awake at night.’
    Vince gave a solemn assurance on Thane’s behalf and Aiken nodded but doubtfully. Taking his leave, he said, ‘A word of warning, Dr Laurie. Don’t let HM clap eyes on him. What I mean is that if he were to get a glimpse of such a handsome creature …’ Pausing, he scratched his ear thoughtfully and sighed. ‘We don’t have any deerhounds and well, you know the rest – if you take my meaning, sir.’
    Touching his