The Twisted Laird

by Cherime MacFarlane

  For the first time in his life, Ian watched Tally sputter. "Tha bloody, big highland oaf doesnae ken his place. If I say he owes, he does."

  Like a tea kettle too close to the coals, Tally was still spouting insults. He questioned Edan's parentage as well as Ian's. Something which only amused Ian, seeing as how they had the same grandparents on his father's side.

  Aye. Ah name change is in order. Wonder what MacGrough would say were I tae use his name in tha colonies? Aye, right smart thought. Surely, Tally would never look for Ian to call himself a MacGrough. It was all so clear to him and it was going to be so very easy.

  The only possible pitfall he could see was if Tally acted against MacGrough, before he was able to escape. He was positive MacGrough would come looking for him, as Edan stated he would, if anything was to happen to any of them in Grahamston.

  Ian began to add the days to the shipment's drop off in his head. Then there were the days to pick up. He could not rush that part. The excise men would be looking for someone to nab if he was not careful. Now was not the time to make a mistake. His future depended on being as cautious as a bug in a chicken pen.

  Praying Tally would leave MacGrough alone, Ian sat down to finish his ale, his mind fairly hummed with the possibilities open to him in America. Keeping a straight face was nearly impossible. Fact was, he felt like dancing, right there in the middle of his kitchen.

  Satisfied he had done what he could for MacGrough, Ian managed to put in the proper responses to Tally's tirades, as he waited for the other man to finish his ale and go home. Tally didn't know about the furniture business in the shop attached to the cottage. Nor did he know about the weaving the MacGrough women did. Pointing him in the direction of the lumber yard was the best Ian could do.

  It was away from the house and even if Tally burned the entire stock into ash, the cottage and the people in it would be safe. Let tha bastard burn it, Edan. Let him have something, lad, an he'll bother ye nae more.

  Ale finished, Tally Smith took his leave. He was going back to his big brick home on the outskirts of town, leaving Ian to the hovel on Gruggie’s Burn. Any other night, Ian would be ranting around the house at the injustice of it all.

  Not this night. He was eagerly waiting for Jock with the jug on the table. First, he would feel his cousin out. If Jock was ready to be done with Tally he would enlist his help. Together, they would plan their escape from under their Uncle's thumb.

  After a day of plying the Leven River, Jock came home exhausted, as always. A few years older than Ian, it was a tired man who thanked Ian for the tankard and sat heavily in the chair.

  "God's eyes! It's been ah bloody tiring day. But, I'm glad tae have missed his highness."

  Ian leaned back and took another sip of ale. "It were tha same old mouthful of tripe. Nary ah change."

  Jock grunted. "Aye. Thought as much. I stayed ah bit later than usual, moved ah couple of merchants across. They offered me some extra for staying later. Good thing, as I'm nearly out o' coin. Tally didnae leave any for us, did he?"

  "Tha arrogant bastard is using tha extra tae days tha new one is taking tae get tha barrels ready, as an excuse tha hold up paying." Ian watched as Jock glared down into the liquid in his tankard.

  "Bloody wee piece o cac! By damn! We've earned our money. He's nae right tae hold out on us!"

  "Ye ken, I was sitting here, listening tae him fume an curse me an got tae envying tha bastard of ah cooper who started all this shite. Tha little bastard is on his way tae tha warm breezes o' tha West Indies. I'm here, being called all tha names my asail of ah da called me, an what for? Tae have my pay held up because another couldnae hold his liquor? It galls tha hell out o' me."

  With a nod, Jock agreed. "There's nary ah bit of justice in tha nail o' Tally's wee finger. Tha only reason I started with this whole business was 'cause he were family. I'm tired o' him playing tha big important tobacco lord, while we do all the dirty work. Tha only reason he has tha money tae play tha high muckey muck, is 'cause o' us."

  "I was just thinking tha same. Ye ken, with ah stake, say tha size of tha coin tae be made off tha next shipment, ah lad could do well for himself in the colonies. I'm nae intae perishing o' tha heat in the Indies, but ah bit north, Boston. Aye, I've heard good things o' tha place, mind." Ian watched the idea take hold in Jock's head.

  "Ian, me lad, what are ye thinking? Do ye think we could pull it off?"

  "Well, there're ah couple o' problems I see. One o' which is Edan MacGrough. I told Tally o' tha lumber yard, naught else. The MacGrough was duped intae doing tha barrels. If we had nae brought him an the flock intae tha place in tha beginning, tha lad would nae be facing ah problem with Tally now. I'm feeling that one, mind?"

  Jock took another drink. Wiping his hand across his mouth, he looked at his cousin. "What did MacGrough say when ye went tae him? Ye never said."

  "Och! He told me if any of his is injured, he's coming for me first."

  "Shite!" Jock whispered. "What do ye think Tally will do? Och, we ken what he'll do. Tha question is when?"

  "I'm nae sure. But, tha drop is in three days. Tha barrels will be ready then. We cannae pick tha shipment up until at least ah sinnight after. Tha lot needs time tae cool. Then we can take tha coin an hey ho for America."

  "Christ, Ian. That's cutting it fine. What if Tally takes ah notion tae go after MacGrough before then?"

  "Then ye may be going it alone. I've ah feeling, MacGrough meant what he said. An what he said was, he was going tae come for me."

  With a whistle, Jock pushed the chair back slightly. "Jesus! Is he going tae include me intae tha mess?"

  Ian shook his head. "What do ye think? Consider this, ye sent him here, did ye nae?"

  "Och! Christ in ah cleft stick! Jayus, I hope Tally keeps his hands tae himself for ah bit, long enough for us tae flit away."

  Downing the last of the ale, Ian nodded. "Nae more than I do, lad. I'm praying if Tally must do something, let him only burn tha lumber yard. If he hurts any o' tha hens, I'm thinkin, we are in for it."

  Chapter Thirty - Nine

  The shutters were hung inside the house. As expensive as glass was, it was replaceable, people were not. Shutters on the outside could be easily opened by an enemy. If they were to break the glass out of the sash, they could attempt to open the shutters. That was a much more difficult undertaking, one very dangerous to the attacker.

  Edan was content with this part of their defense plan. The women were quite capable of defending the windows and doors. His head was comfortable with the thought, but Edan's gut was roiling with apprehension.

  His first inclination was to seek out Tally Smith and slice his throat from ear to ear. That course of action would put him in the wrong. Although far safer in the short run, the possible consequences of such an action were not good. Dangling from a gallows for murder, while his family was left 1unsecured, would not do.

  Tamping down the urge to eliminate the threat with a first strike, was difficult. Daracha saw it in him and called Edan out on the matter. She took him to task several nights in a row, until satisfied he would not give in to the urge.

  Nor was she the only one. Jamie, however, was in favor of the idea and was quite willing to help. After catching the two men in quiet conversation in the shop, Daracha enlisted Rut's help in keeping them from executing, what she deemed, to be a foolish plan.

  Jamie and Edan agreed to wait and let the trouble come to them, if indeed it did. Daracha hoped they were being overly cautious. Rhona agreed with Jamie and Edan, although careful to keep her thoughts on the matter from her friend. Daracha was adamant. She felt Tally was too well known in Glasgow society for his demise to go without a thorough investigation.

  By putting in long nights in the shop, Edan managed to get the commissions finished and the crossbows done as well. When the very first of the crossbows was finished, Jamie took everyone to the back of the yard. After setting up a target, he ran each of the women through several times, making sure
they remembered how to use the weapon.

  Finished with the ladies of the clan, Jamie disbursed them and set about showing the children how the weapon was used. All for using the crossbow, as opposed to the sling, the boys 1complained about having to practice with the sling.

  The three girls seemed to favor the stone thrower over the crossbow. Intrigued, Jamie inquired as to their reasons. Lara replied the sling was far easier to hide in a pocket, like the small sgian, it was concealed on her person with no one the wiser.

  Jamie praised Lara for her insight. All three boys listened glumly. They were not happy with the grinning little girl, who basked in the praise of a seasoned warrior. Lara waited until out of sight of Jamie to tease the boys for being, "too foolish by half".

  Reporting to Edan on the outcome of the training session, Jamie filled him in on everyone's progress. The boys were better at aiming the crossbow, but the girls were coming along well with the sling.

  When told of Lara's comments, Edan smiled. "Tha lass is going tae drive some lad near insane. Do ye think we can make warriors of tha lads?"

  With a chuckle, Jamie pulled a stool over to him with the toe of his boot. "They've all tha yen tae learn. Callum is good at aiming. Adie's aim is nae so good, but tha lad is quick. He can fire off two bolts tae Callum's one. Blane is somewhere between tha tae an steady. Tha lad is steady as ah rock."

  "Are ye thinking tae train them with swords, though God kens it's going tae be difficult with only mine. Ye nay have yurs, do ye?" Jamie asked.

  Edan thought of where his was, tucked away, in the rafters of the stable in the glen. "I ken where it is, mind? I didnae want tae be searched with tae cartloads of women an all. If ye're taking ah chance on easing ah weapon past tha buggers, ye're best trying alone."

  Jamie agreed. "Aye. 'Tis ah chance I took 'cause I came from tha south up tae Glasgow. Even with tha Sinclair backing, I didnae wish tae be questioned."

  "If ye came up from tha south, how in God's name did ye meet up with tha Smiths?"

  Edan had been 1carving a series of leaves placed on a vine. Having reached the point where he needed to stop, Edan laid his gouge aside. Focus and concentration would be necessary for the last part of the design he was working on, the central flower.

  Jamie eyed the design and then looked up at Edan. "I thought ye all finished, right an tight? 'Tis ah bonny thing, but whose might it be?"

  Running one finger over the already carved leaves and vine, Edan glanced up at Jamie. "Daracha says tha bairn is ah lass. I thought tae make ah cradle. 'Tis for her."

  "Och! Nae better way tae butter up yur hen than this. 'Tis quite lovely. No wonder ye sell everything ye make."

  Silent for a moment, Jamie looked around the shop. "I ken ye're keeping only ah wee amount of lumber inside. Fear tha bastard might set fire tae tha shop?"

  "Aye." Edan replied without additional comment on the subject. "Now then, tell me how ye came upon tha Smiths. Ye wouldnae be avoiding tha matter?"

  "Nae! Nae, I went in search of my uncle. Found him here an he told me of tha situation with tha Smiths. He made ah bad investment along with Ian, ah ship tha never made it tae port. He owed Ian money, but hadnae turned over tha deed when I came along, nearly ah day late an ah wee bit short."

  Stretching out his long legs in front of him, Jamie leaned his shoulder against the bench. "Uncle was nae ready tae give tha whole tae Ian. He felt he was hard done by when Ian didnae give him ah chance tae sell tha produce an repay later. 'Tis why he deeded tha field over tae me, before he gave tha cottage and backlands tae Ian. He thought I could handle tha consequences."

  Edan laughed. "Consequences be damned! I ken where he would want tae bugger tha big ginger, if he could. He was fliting off tae tha colonies an tha devil take tha hindmost."

  Both men found that quite entertaining and laughed about the manner in which the Smiths had been duped.

  "An do ye think he would have been as quick tae short change Tally?" Edan asked Anderson.

  "Uncle's nae ah weak willy. He was full tae tha gills of dealing with tha Sassenach. Tae his mind, 'twas better tae find something out in tha hills there, than tae put up with tha foolishness here."

  Fingers rubbing across the wood he had been working, Edan watched Jamie carefully. "An ye, why did ye stay?"

  Jamie's green eyes flashed fire as his jaw tightened. "I'm nae going tae let tha bastards drive me from my home. 'Tis mine! I nae care what they say, union my fine asail! All's going down tae London. All tha bastards ken tae do is rape!"

  The two men fell silent. Edan's fingers curled into a fist. "Tally Smith is nae better than ah Sassenach. He feeds from tha same bin. Tha ferryman sizes up easy pickings an Ian sets it all up. Talley swoops down an picks tha bones clean. I'm nae giving in. If they come here it will cost them."

  Rising from the stool, Jamie stood in front of Edan. "An may it cost them ah great deal."

  "An us naught. Please, God." Edan added.

  "May he be with us." Jamie added as he crossed himself.

  "Ye had best watch that, laddie. Ye'd nae want tha parson tae see ye making poppish now."

  With a growled epithet, Jamie lapsed into a sullen silence.

  "Anderson, ye ken how I feel about tha matter. Dinnae get all prickly with me. I'm only trying tae caution ye. Very soon ye're going tae stand before tha bugger tae take vows, ye nae want him eyeing ye like ah fowl tae spit."

  "Right enough." Jamie sought a change of subject. "Have the rest got tha bells intae their heads?"

  "They do. 'Tis three rings, quick an sharp for trouble from either bell. Two is just come when possible. In ah time of trouble, ye may be hard pressed tae get three hard rings."

  Falling silent again, the two men stood in Edan's shop. Now, they must wait on Tally. Waiting was the hard part, as they could get complacent. Both understood they must remain on the alert. It would be easier if they could find out from Ian if he had found another cooper. That was not possible. Any involvement was dangerous, from the Excise men and from Tally.

  There was little choice for the clan. Edan still wished to go find Tally and eliminate the problem, but the promise to his wife had him stymied.

  She weighed heavily on his mind as well. The child should soon make its appearance. Daracha was huge. With her balance somewhat off and ankles that swelled if she were on her feet too long, Edan worried over her traversing the stairs. This had all come at the wrong time.

  The only good thing was, at least Rhona was fully recovered from Cadell's birth. She was strong and fit. He could depend on Rhona to watch over the cottage when Tally finally made a move.

  Both men were convinced Tally would attempt to punish them. He was far too arrogant to let it pass. They believed Ian's assertions regarding Tally Smith.

  Jamie went back down to the yard. There were things to see to, space to be made for another shipment of hardwood from the colonies. Wondering if he was only doing busy work, Jamie set off leaving Edan alone in the shop. The children were inside attending lessons. With the commissions finished and having taken nothing more in, there was little for the children to do. Lessons would keep them out of trouble.

  Praying Daracha would have given birth by the time the reckoning took place, Edan puttered around his shop. Keeping his hands busy was a priority. If he thought on the whole of it too long, he would go hunting. The days dragged on as they waited.

  ***

  Ian Smith fidgeted in the warehouse. The barrels were finished and now they waited for the ship. The Dutchman was late. Many things could have happened, including the possible sinking of the ship. There was no way to know.

  Each evening, Ian's contact went out in the small boat pretending to be fishing. The man reported he actually did catch a fish now and again. What Ian wanted him to catch was the Dutchman.

  The half anker barrels were already sunk in the ocean, full of fresh water. An inconspicuous piece of flotsam with a fine string attached marked the spot. When the ship arrived, the barrels would be retri
eved, the water dumped into the ship's water barrel and the French brandy would be poured into the containers.

  Once again the barrels would find their way to the bottom of the ocean, this time filled with expensive brandy. After a few days of ignoring the spot, Ian would get his crew and pull the barrels from their resting place.

  Then came the tricky part, getting the cargo to land and the buyers. Ian would take payment as always. Only, he and Jock would be doing it together. Neither man trusted the other to collect payment and inform the other it was time to board a ship and go.

  Having the supply ship arrive late, complicated matters. They would need to take passage on whatever ship happened to be leaving at the time. The cousins might be making their way to America via France or even the West Indies. Having no choice, they did not have the luxury of picking a ship. Tally would expect to see the money within a few hours of its collection.

  Jock cursed under his breath as his ferry plied the waters of the Leven. Ian cursed as he paced the floor of the warehouse. Only Tally went about his business without a thought for the storm which might be brewing.

  Chapter Forty

  Waking with a headache, Tally waited for the report on the overdue Dutch ship. A man had already been dispatched to the warehouse to ask if the ship had been sighted. Tally sat in his library and fretted.

  Since the ship was overdue there was no money coming into his treasury, a circumstance which fed his dark mood. The previous night had been expensive. He had lost far too much at a card table.

  Evening a few scores was the first thing he needed to deal with. The man who ultimately cleaned out his purse, would suffer. Tally intended to regain his lost coin by calling in a past due loan. The bastard had won enough from Tally and the others the previous morning to pay what was owed.

  Thinking about who did indeed owe him brought Tally back to the Highlander. A man with women and children to take care of shouldn't think he was above others. The MacGrough should have jumped at the chance to make some money.