Elaine Coffman - [Mackinnons 06] by When Love Comes Along

David. “What has all of this got to do with you, Grandpa?”
    David gave her a reassuring smile. “Nothing, my dear.
Fletcher was just asking about some of the old church records—those pertaining
to his ancestors and such.”
    “You mean his ancestors lived here? In Glengarry?”
    “Aye,” David said, looking like he was trying to keep
something from her, which made her even more inquisitive.
    Looking at Fletcher, Cathleen said, “And your mother and
father—they lived here as well?”
    “Yes.”
    “And your father’s title and estates? They were here?”
    Fletcher nodded.
    Cathleen was about to ask more, when her grandfather sighed
and said, “I might as well tell you, for you will ferret it out anyway.
Fletcher’s father was the Duke of Glengarry.”
    “Oh my,” Cathleen said, sitting back on the bench, feeling
she needed the support to keep from falling off. Again she looked from her grandfather
to Fletcher. A vision of Adair Ramsay’s face rose up before her and she
shuddered. She did not like the present Duke of Glengarry. His cruelty to the
poor was well known. “And you want my grandfather to risk his life helping you
take your title back?”
    Fletcher came to his feet.
    She could see that he was a bit put off by her comment. Well,
let him be, she thought. He has no right to involve my grandfather.
    “I have not asked for help,” Fletcher said. “I simply want
some questions answered, nothing more.”
    Cathleen released a breath of relief. Her grandfather was
old, and he was all she had.
    “My granddaughter can be a bit overprotective at times,”
David said.
    “And my grandfather has a tendency to be overindulgent,” she
said, wounded.
    “Cathleen thinks I sometimes get carried away with tending
my flock.”
    “You are retired, Grandpa, and your flock now belongs to
Robert.”
    Fletcher laughed. “It’s hard to teach an old horse how to
pull a new plow.”
    There was no humor in Cathleen’s voice. “That is not it at
all. My grandfather involves himself in things he would do better to stay out
of,” she said with iron-hard determination. “He is no as young as he once was
and sometimes he needs to be reminded of that.”
    Fletcher smiled, as if finding her mother-hen tendency
amusing.
    “Stop giving away all my shortcomings, Cathleen,” David
said. Then he turned to Fletcher and winked. “I will be happy to help in any
way I can.”
    “I dare not ask,” Fletcher said, “for fear of stirring up
your granddaughter’s wrath.”
    David laughed. “She has a loud bark, but rarely bites.”
    Seeing the determination in her grandfather’s eyes, Cathleen
sighed.
    “The rain has let up. I’d best be going,” Fletcher said at
last, as if he could both sense the tension in the room and read her thoughts.
    Whatever the reason, she was glad to see him on his way.
Nothing had gone right since he had arrived. Never had her emotions been in
such a jumble.
    With a lively gait David walked Fletcher to the door,
talking in that hospitable manner he had with all of God’s creatures.
    Silently, Cathleen followed.
    “I would be happy to meet you at the church tomorrow, to
show you the old records,” David was saying. “Where are you staying?”
    “I haven’t decided yet. I thought I would locate an inn. One
nearby.”
    “Och, laddie, there is no inn here in Glengarry. The nearest
one is more than ten miles away, but not to worry. We have a small crofter’s
hut here on our farm. Humble though it is, you are most welcome to it.”
    Cathleen cringed. The milk of human kindness went only so
far.
    “I wouldn’t want to impose,” Fletcher said, glancing at
Cathleen.
    Ignoring him, Cathleen gave her grandfather “the look”—the
one that was supposed to silence him.
    The one that he ignored.
    “Nonsense,” David said. “It would be no imposition. It has
been vacant since the Clearances emptied the Highlands of crofters. We would
welcome the company, wouldn’t we, Cathleen?”
    “Oh,