Love Joins the Clans Read online

  “It’s going to be difficult, because I am a woman,” she said, “to take his place or be as good a Chieftain as he was, but I feel sure that with your help I can do it. But never forget that I need you as much as you need me.”

  She paused and then went on,

  “I want you to come to me with your troubles, just as I am willing to consult you about mine, and if we work together, I am sure that we can make our Clan more distinguished than it is already and set an example to all other Clans, some of which I understand are vitally in need of it.”

  This made the men laugh and she continued,

  “Because I am young I want to bring you new ideas and to sweep away some of the older ones that are out of date. The first thing which is essential is that we should try to make ourselves more prosperous and make certain that no one with the name of McBlane is actually suffering from any form of privation.”

  She paused and then, as she glanced round at the presents that she had been given, which had been laid by the General on one side of her chair, she had a sudden idea.

  “When I was in Edinburgh on my journey here,” she said, “I saw in the hotel where I stayed a number of articles for sale set out to attract the tourists. There were scarves, gloves and other things rather similar to those you have brought me, but I suspect, although they were labelled as made in Scotland, many of them came from England or perhaps from the British Colonies overseas.”

  She knew that the men were listening intently and then said,

  “I am determined that we should make sure that the tourists who come to Scotland shall buy and take away with them things that really have been made in our country. That is why I am going to suggest to you that, as your wives have made these delightful gifts for me, they should make many more that can be sold. I will personally see if there are any shops in Edinburgh, Glasgow or other towns in Scotland that will take what we have to sell so that you will benefit from everything you produce.”

  She threw out her hands and added,

  “This is one way that we could establish a small Highland industry in our own cottages and on our own land and make it profitable.”

  She heard her relatives mutter behind her, but went on,

  “And because I think it could be a very good way of not only helping ourselves but of publicising the ingenuity of Scottish minds, I intend to find a cottage fairly near to The Castle where we can not only display everything that you make but also sell the goods so that you yourselves can see what interests the buyers and what attracts them for a souvenir of the Highlands.”

  There was a startled gasp as she paused and then a burst of applause.

  When it died down, Clova resumed,

  “There is just one more thing I have to say to you, but it is very important if we are to move together, and I mean together, into a new era for ourselves and the country we love so much. We must sweep away the ugly and bitter feuds that have existed for so many years between many of the Clans, but are now out of date, ridiculous and harmful to our progress.”

  She did not turn her head, but she was sure that Euan was scowling.

  “What we have to concern ourselves with,” she continued, “is the real enemies of this country, which are poverty, ignorance and indolence. Those are the evils that sap the strength of our people and which are completely alien to the real Scot, who has survived through wars and pestilence, injustice and at times unbelievable cruelty.”

  Her voice rose,

  “But we have survived and now having fought through the darkness we could enter into the sunshine of a very different and very much happier life.”

  She paused.

  “So I beg of you to throw away anything that is not constructive to the future, anything that will not benefit your children and unite with every other Scot, whatever Clan he comes from, remembering only that his blood is the same as ours and that if we really try we can make Scotland great and indeed far greater than it has ever been in the past.”

  She sat down and for a moment there was a silence, which every orator knows is the greatest compliment that he can possibly receive.

  Then the Clansmen were on their feet, cheering wildly, flinging their bonnets in the air and their voices ringing out until it seemed that the whole Strath was echoing back their enthusiasm.

  It was so spontaneous and so moving that Clova felt the tears coming into her eyes and she heard Sir Robert say very quietly,

  “Well done!”

  She knew too that her other relatives were all clapping.

  At the same time a sneaking glance at Euan told her that, although he was clapping automatically, there was a twist to his thin lips and an expression in his eyes that she did not like to translate.

  Afterwards they went back into The Castle while the Clansmen started to carve up the oxen that had been roasting at one side of the ground.

  Servants were bringing out barrels of ale, while the Elders, and there were six of them, headed by Torbot McBlane, came into The Castle to drink Clova’s health in whisky.

  Because she valued his approval more than anyone else’s, Clova went up to him and, as he took her hand, he said,

  “I am very proud of you, my Lady.”

  “I hoped that was what you would say,” Clova replied. “And do you not think my idea of establishing our own small Highland industry a good one?”

  “Very good,” he agreed, “if it is possible.”

  “We have to make it possible,” Clova insisted. “I am sure that there is somebody you can recommend who would go to Edinburgh and Glasgow to find out which shops would be interested in taking what we can produce.”

  “There are certainly shops that could take them, if they cared,” Torbot McBlane said.

  “Then we will have to make them care,” Clova said firmly.

  He looked at her with approval and then Euan was beside her saying,

  “An excellent speech, my dear cousin. I am beginning to think that while you were living in France you must have taken the stage at some time or else you were on a political platform.”

  “Neither,” Clova replied. “But I have listened to a large number of eloquent speakers and I always hoped that, if the day came when I had to make a speech, I would not fail to hold my audience.”

  “There is no doubt you did that,” he said, “but I wondered what you meant by your reference to feuds. Surely you cannot believe that they still exist in our part of the world?”

  He looked her straight in the eye as he spoke and she thought that he was not so much trying to convince her by what he was saying as hoping to find out how much she already knew.

  She did not reply, however, and after a moment he said,

  “I was told, although it may have just been a rumour, that on your way here yesterday you talked with a stranger on the banks of the River Suisgill.”

  Clova raised her eyebrows.

  “Is that what the river is called? It certainly has some fine salmon in it!”

  “And who was the fisherman you were talking to?” Euan enquired.

  “A Scotsman,” Clova smiled.

  She moved away as she spoke to talk to one of the Elders who was in attendance at The Castle.

  He was obviously anxious to talk to her and embarked on a long and rather boring discourse on the difficulties they had encountered the previous winter when the snow had been so deep.

  Clova found it hard to listen because she was wondering who could have informed Euan of what she had done yesterday and whether he realised that the fisherman she had helped land his salmon was the Laird of Cowan.

  She felt his informant might have been the coachman, but then she remembered that there were always stalkers on the moors in Scotland watching not only the stags but also the movements and behaviour of human beings.

  It made her more determined than ever to see the Laird of Cowan again, but she was far from certain how it would be possible for her to do so.

  Fortunately all her relatives were so agreeable and
so pleasant now that they knew how rich she was that it was easy during the afternoon to suggest to an unmarried cousin, whose name was Jamie McBlane, that she would like to go riding.

  He was a man of about forty and she had heard somebody say that his sole interest was horses.

  The moment she mentioned the word his eyes seemed to light up and she knew that he was interested.

  “I have not ridden for some years,” she told her, “but I wondered if it would be possible for you to find a horse for me to ride tomorrow morning. I would like to see something of the land around The Castle and perhaps you would ride with me?”

  “Nothing could give me greater pleasure,” he replied.

  Clova hesitated and then she said,

  “I think it would be more pleasant if we could ride alone. If a lot of people were watching me, I would feel embarrassed.”

  He laughed.

  “I know exactly what you are feeling and, if you are able to get up as early as seven o’clock then we will ride before breakfast.”

  “I would love that,” Clova said and gave him a conspiratorial smile before she moved away.

  What she wanted to discover was how to reach Castle Cowan in the shortest possible time.

  She had the idea that to follow the road she had come by, winding up the hills and down until it finally reached Castle Cowan, would be a longer way round than was necessary, but she knew that it would be a mistake to ask questions.

  The day passed with the Elders holding what Clova felt was a planned series of meetings with her and escorting her amongst the Clansmen as they enjoyed themselves after eating and drinking.

  Some could not stay long because they had to be back with their flocks and Clova learnt that there were many who were unable to be present because they had no one to leave in charge of their sheep or cattle.

  “If a man has a young wife without too many small children, he can usually ask her to take his place for a short time,” Torbot McBlane explained, “but otherwise it’s impossible. Besides the distances are very great.”

  “I understand,” Clova nodded, “but I would like sometime to visit those who live a long way from The Castle and who would therefore not have a chance of meeting me.”

  She knew that this idea gained his approval and, after the Elders had said their farewells and only a few Clansmen were left celebrating outside The Castle, Clova felt that she must rest for a little while.

  She was just going to her bedroom when she thought that she would take a newspaper or perhaps a book to read from the library, which was situated next to the Chieftain’s Room.

  She entered it and had not been looking round for more than a few seconds when the door opened and Euan came in.

  She had, although it annoyed her, been acutely aware of him all day and, while she had tried to forget him, she was always conscious of the fact that he was not far from her watching her with his dark eyes.

  Now, as she stood in front of one of the bookcases, he walked to her side and said,

  “At last I have a chance to tell you how well you have done and how completely you have captivated the hearts of our people.”

  “Thank you,” Clova replied and added quickly, “But I am a little tired and am anxious to take the opportunity of lying down for a rest before dinner.”

  As she spoke, she was very conscious that Euan was standing nearer to her than was necessary and, although she did not look at him directly, she knew that his eyes were on her face.

  “I wanted to add,” he said in a low voice, “that you have also captivated me!”

  Clova managed a light laugh.

  “I doubt if that is true, Cousin Euan,” she smiled, “but if it is, I have a feeling that you had very different ideas about me last night.”

  “Why should you think that?” he enquired.

  “Perhaps it is my Celtic blood which makes me perceptive,” she answered, “or perhaps I am sensible enough to realise that you would have preferred the Chieftain of the McBlanes to be a man, and why not yourself?”

  As she spoke, she was making sure that she struck first and she hoped that she had disconcerted him.

  “There is one very easy way to satisfy my ambition if that is what it is,” Euan said.

  With what was a good attempt at acting, Clova put up her hand to her lips as if to stifle a yawn.

  “You must forgive me, but I really feel quite exhausted and I wish to rest now.”

  “I will not keep you long,” Euan replied, “but I insist that you hear me out.”

  “Insist?” Clova questioned sharply.

  Then, as she looked at him, she saw by the expression on his face that he was determined not to let her escape.

  She felt a stab of fear and turning away she took at random a book from one of the shelves.

  “What I have to say to you,” Euan went on, “is quite simply that I want you to marry me!”

  Clova was still for a moment.

  Then, with a well-simulated expression of surprise, she turned round.

  “Did you really – ask me, Cousin Euan, to – marry you?”

  “I intend to marry you and that will make everything, as you must see, very simple. I can help you to make the Clan more important, as you wish to do, and we will also manage to enjoy ourselves.”

  “You make it sound very – attractive,” Clova replied, trying not to sound sarcastic, “but you will appreciate that I met you for the first time last night. I know nothing about you and while, of course, I am honoured by your suggestion, but it is – something I could not possibly – answer until we know each other – better.”

  “I know everything about you that I need to know,” Euan blustered on, “and if, like all women, you are craving for love, then I can promise you that it is something that will not be missing in our marriage.”

  He would have put his arms round her, but Clova stepped away from him.

  “It is far too soon even to – think of – such a thing!” she cried. “And, as I have already told you – I am too – tired to talk or do anything – except sleep.”

  She would have walked to the door, but Euan was in front of her and stood blocking the way.

  “You may think it is easy to evade me,” he said, “but I know that I want not only to marry you but also to love to you. You are very attractive, my little cousin from France, and I daresay your French education in the joys and splendours of love will do a great deal to enlighten the Scottish scene.”

  Clova felt that there was a coarse innuendo behind what he was saying and it was as if he was mocking at her for being prudish when her mother had been Lottie.

  “I don’t know what you – mean,” she said, “but thank you, Cousin Euan, for asking me to be your wife. However, as I have already said, it is a question I shall be unable to answer until I know you as a man and as somebody I could respect and honour as – my husband.”

  To her consternation Euan put out his hands to hold her by the shoulders.

  “You are being very evasive!” he said harshly. “Are you telling me that young though you are there is already a man in your life? What were you doing, you and your flighty mother, all the time you were in Paris?”

  He shook her slightly before he went on,

  “I am a man of the world and I am not taken in by that young and innocent air. You are old enough and woman enough to want a man and you will find it incredibly dull here without one.”

  As he spoke, Clova could feel his fingers biting into the softness of her skin and she felt too that his face was drawing nearer and nearer to hers.

  He was evil and she realised that he was really dangerous and menacing.

  Her heart was beating with fear and her lips were dry.

  Then with a sudden movement that took him by surprise she shook herself free of him saying,

  “Leave me – alone! You have no – right to – speak to me like that.”

  He would have caught hold of her again and she was wondering frantically how she could e
scape from him when the door opened and to her utter relief the General entered.

  He was accompanied by another elderly man and they both had cigars between their lips and were obviously looking for somewhere to sit quietly smoking where they would not be disturbed.

  Without speaking Clova slipped hastily past them before Euan could prevent her from doing so.

  Then, because she was frightened, she was running as quickly as she could down the corridor towards her own bedroom.

  Only when she reached it was she aware that her heart was beating frantically in her breast and she knew that she was upset and that there was something positively dishonest about Euan.

  Something that told her it would be hard to escape not only from his attentions but also from him personally and physically.

  ‘I hate him!’ she told herself.

  She knew that he was evil and he would persist in his pursuit of her, not only because he wanted to share the Chieftainship with her in the position of her husband, but also because he desired her money.

  She sat down on the side of the bed and suddenly felt very young and helpless.

  This was the sort of difficulty that she had not expected in Scotland of all places.

  She had thought that after all she had seen of her mother’s life she should be able to handle men and she should certainly not allow herself to be scared by a ne’er-do-well like her cousin.

  Yet there was something about him that was different from any of the men she had ever met with Lottie, although there was no doubt that many of them had been flashy, suave and lustful.

  She could remember noticing the fire in their eyes when they looked at her mother and the deep note of desire in their voices when they spoke to her.

  But it was very different from the way Euan had spoken to her and she knew that he wanted her hot only as a man wants a woman, which she could understand and cope with, but as a symbol of his ambitions and a source of wealth.

  ‘If I – married him – I am sure he – would kill me,’ she reflected.

  Then she told herself that she was being over-dramatic, but at the same time she could not suppress the thought and it made her tremble.