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"Soerous," Wolfe went on carelessly "But, then, it’s the Highlanders--no great mischief should they fall Would you care to join us?"

"Don’t follow hiestions on how to decline an offer like that from one’s titular co a brief ripple of unease down his spine "When?"

"In teeks--at the dark of thehis tail in enthusiasm

"Am I permitted to know the nature of the … er … expedition?"

Wolfe exchanged a look of anticipation with his adjutant, then turned eyes shiny with excite to take Quebec, Colonel"

So Wolfe thought he had found his point d’appui Or, rather, his trusted scout, Malcolm Stubbs, had found it for him Grey returned briefly to his quarters, put the miniature of Olivia and little Cromwell in his pocket, and went to find Stubbs

He didn’t bother thinking what to say to Malcolht, that he hadn’t found Stubbs immediately after his discovery of the Indian ht simply have knocked Stubbs doithout the bother of explanation But time had elapsed, and his blood was cooler now He was detached

Or so he thought, until he entered a prosperous tavern--Malcole at a table, relaxed and jovial a approximately five foot four in both dimensions, a fair-haired felloith an inclination to become red in the face when deeply entertained or deep in drink

At the hing at solass in the bar across the floor, and lit up like a beacon He’d been spending a good deal of time out of doors, Grey saw; he was nearly as sunburned as Grey hiht for sore eyes! What the devil brings you to the wilderness?" Then he noticed Grey’s expression, and his joviality faded slightly, a puzzled frown growing between his thick brows

It hadn’t tilasses, and seized Stubbs by the shirtfront

"You coainst the younger o then and stood, blood ha in his temples Stubbs rubbed at his chest, affronted, startled--and afraid Grey could see it in the wide blue eyes Slowly, Stubbs got up,to his coood atteency, what?"

Grey sao of the lances, then look at Grey, wary They knew, all right

Stiffly, he gestured for Stubbs to precede hinity Once outside, though, he grabbed Stubbs by the ared him round the corner into a small alleyway He pushed Stubbs hard, so that he lost his balance and fell against the wall; Grey kicked his legs out fro his knee viciously into the thick led noise, not quite a screa with fury, and brought out theit into the rabbed at it, and Grey let hi unsteadily off the man

"How dare you?" he said, low-voiced and vicious "How dare you dishonor your wife, your son?"

Malcolh, but was regaining his co to do with Olivia at all" He siped a hand across his lance at the ood-looking lad Looks like me, don’t he?"

Grey kicked him brutally in the stomach

"Yes, and so does your other son," he hissed "How could you do such a thing?"

Malcolled for breath like a landed fish Grey watched without pity He’d have the rilled over charcoal before he was done He bent and took theit back in his pocket

After a long asp, and the color of his face, which had gone puce, subsided back toward its normal brick color Saliva had collected at the corners of hisheavily, and looked at Grey

"Going to hit ain?"

"Not just yet"

"Good" He stretched out a hand, and Grey took it, grunting as he helped Stubbs to his feet Malcol, and eyed hiain but desisted

"Who a cousin, that’s who! The nearest ot on this continent! And you, need I rement? What the devil d’you hed and spat again

"Yes Well As I said, it’s nothing to do with Olivia--and so it’s nothing to do with you" He spoke with apparent cal in his throat, the nervous shiftiness of his eyes "It’s nothing out of the ordinary--it’s the bloody custom, for God’s sake Everybody--"

He kneed Stubbs in the balls

"Try again," he advised Stubbs, who had fallen down and was curled into a fetal position,"Take your time; I’m not busy"

Aware of eyes upon hiathered at thehis dress unifor his rank--and when he gave them an evil look, they hastily dispersed