Page 28 (1/2)

"None so fast I’ve a thing or two to say to ye, younghimself

"Of course, Mrs Cameron"

"I wasna sure whether to speak noait until it was done--but as ye’re here alone now" She bent toward him, intent

"Did my niece tell ye, lad, that I meant to make her heiress to uard Brianna had told hi it clear in no uncertain terht of that particular proposal He steeled hi to do it ht have done herself He cleared his throat

"I’m sure an cautiously, "but--"

"Is she?" Jocasta asked dryly "I shouldna have thought so, to hear her talk But doubtless ye ken her h, I ed my own mind"

"Oh? Well, I’ up a will, leaving River Run and all its contents to Jeremiah"

"To--" It took a moment for his brain to make the connection "What, to wee Jeh peering at his face Now she sat back, nodding, still holding firmly to his hand It caht to read him by means of this physical connection

She elcoht He was too stunned at this news to have any notion how to respond to it Christ, ould Bree say about it?

"Aye," she said, and smiled pleasantly "It came to me, ye see, as hooman’s property becomes her husband’s when she weds Not that there are noit upon her, but it’s difficult, and I wouldna involve lawyers o to the law, do ye not agree, Mr MacKenzie?"

With a sense of co deliberately insulted Not only insulted, but warned She thought--she did! She thought he was after Brianna’s presual contortions to get it Mingled shock and outrage sealed his tongue for a moment, but then he found words

"Why, that is the ht for Joan Findlay’s pride, but ye think I have none? Mrs Caest that--"

"Ye’re a handsoht to his hand "I’ve felt your face And you’ve the naood one, to be sure But there are MacKenzies aplenty in the Highlands, aren’t there? Men of honor, and men without it Jamie Roy calls ye kinshter I dinna think I ken your fah Ken his farandson--six tial? That he was, in fact, not only Jamie’s nephew, but her own as well, if a bit further down the faht expect?

"Nor does anyone I’ve spoken to this week at the Gathering," she added, head tilted to one side like a haatching prey

So that was it She’d been asking about hi her co of his antecedents, for obvious reasons A suspicious circumstance, to be sure

He wondered whether she supposed he was a confidence trickster who had taken Jamie in, or whether perhaps he was meant to be involved in some scheme with Jainally wanted to leave her property to Jamie--who had refused, wary of close involveence was reaffirnified retort, she patted his hand, still sht to leave it all to the wee lad That will be a tidy way of , won’t it? Brianna will have the use of the e--unless anything should happen to the child, that is"

Her voice held a definite note of warning, though her mouth continued to smile, her blank eyes still fixed wide on his face

"What? What in the name of God d’ye ht to his hand She was very strong, despite her age

"Gerald Forbes will be executor of e the property," she explained "If Jere will go to my nephew Hamish" Her face was quite serious now "You’d not see a penny"

He twisted his fingers in hers and squeezed, hard enough that he felt her bony knuckles press together Let her read what she liked in that, then! She gasped, but he didn’t let go