Page 72 (1/2)

Was he tired of her already? And was she so contrary as to want him to pursue her when she had already decided she needed space to think?

Meg went to sit with the general for an hour or so The old s had turned out As if, Meg thought wryly, he had planned it that way fro

“Now all we need to entle “Do you really think that will happen, Father?”

The general’s eyes were fixed on the , as if he were not blind to the view outside For a ht he would not answer, but then he heaved a sigh and turned to her with a wistful smile

“I don’t know the answer, Meg If ere speaking of an ordinaryof an ordinary man, then I would say that he would not want to appear foolish, so he would step aside But we are speaking of the Duke of Abercauldy, and I have cohtens hten easily He is so deter we can do, apart froe his mind”

“Gregor released Lorenzo this ”

Meg had not been present, but she had heard the details frous, and so on How the duke’s favorite servant had sworn a terrible revenge upon them

“Lorenzo is not as ieneral replied dryly “Do not be afraid of Lorenzo; Gregor could crush hi suddenly very tired and frail “I aor ho, and I thank you for it”

“Then I a her eyes

“I wish your ain to the“She’s been gone so long So very long And I miss her”

It was not often the general spoke of his wife Meg was not sure that his speaking of her noas a good sign

Leaving the general to rest, Meg found her way to her retreat But once there, alone at her desk, she found herself sitting, staring at her books It wasn’t that she had nothing to do There were entries to be made,

notes to be taken, figures to be tallied Meg had often thought it a pity she had been born a woman, for she would have reat lord She would have run his estate at a profit, and kept all the tenants happy at the same time

Why wasn’t her life as siures?

No, there was plenty to be done, but Meg did not feel like tallying profits or working on new crops sheThis was the day after her wedding, and yet it was just like any other day On the surface it was, anyway