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“Doesn’t the general keep her reined in?” he asked

Duncan smiled—it looked as if it hurt his face to assues her”

“In all things?”

“Aye Well, al e that they were at odds over She has refused to wed any of the men her father put before her She was…is fussy There is always some reason…some excuse why they are unsuitable”

“She is hard to please, then?”

“Aye, she is difficult when it comes to suitors”

“Until the Duke of Abercauldy”

Duncan looked worried “He caeneral than Lady Meg The duke would spend hours with the general, flattering hieneral, who all his life has been busy and important, whom people have looked to for advice—such a row old and feeble, to be set aside When the duke flattered hie deal between the, she was verra angry She wept, too But in the end I think she would have accepted the arrangeeneral’s sake, if they hadna found out the Duke wasna the ht him But by then it was too late The Duke seee his mind”

Gregor believed the story as Duncan told it; it tallied with Meg’s, and sadly, it sounded all too plausible “So, tell me, is it the land he wants? Or the lady?”

“I dinna know that, Captain There is a look in his eyes when he gazes upon her He wants her, aye He…he covets her, I think But then there is the land, too With Glen Dhui added to his estate it will stretch far He will be thought an even greater man than he already is”

“Do you trust him, Duncan?”

Duncan’s sour expression soured even ent, and no, I dinna trust him an inch”

Gregor nodded If the Duke was not to be trusted, then Lady Megthe his wrath down upon their heads, and without starting a war they would be sure to lose The general was the or wondered why his own presence was so necessary, but he was content to wait Soon enough he would be able to ask the general that question for himself

It would be strange to see hiain

HeThe throb in his aror bit his lip and sought to distract hiain