the Borders for years, but I do know the Great Glen,” he said. “I spent my childhood in Lochaber near the west shore of Loch Ness. I regret to admit, though,” he added glibly, “that I never saw the monster that dwells there.”
Ignoring that gambit, if gambit it was, Lady Annis said, “My father was Hugh Fraser of Lovat, on the east shore of Loch Ness. I ken most folks fine from Inverness down both shores to Loch Lochy. Who are your parents?”
“My father was known as Teàrlach MacGill, my mother as Fenella nic Ruari,” he said. “I also spent some years in Fife, madam, near its eastern coast.”
A movement from her grandfather—almost a start—diverted Catriona’s attention as Fin spoke. But she could not read the Mackintosh’s expression, because he had fixed his attention on Fin and did not say a word.
Her grandmother said, “Your father’s name does sound as if I ought to know it, but MacGill is a general sort of patronymic, is it not? I expect that your business with the Mackintosh pertains more to your having come here from the Borders. Still, I suppose I must not question you about what you did there or…”
She paused, clearly hoping that he would invite her to question him. But Fin just smiled as if he were waiting for her to finish her sentence.
Sighing, she said, “What did your father do in Fife that required him to take your family so far from Lochaber?”
Fin looked startled then, as if he had not expected the question, but Catriona could not imagine why he would not, since he had mentioned Fife himself. Evidently, they were not to pursue the subject, though, because the Mackintosh said, “Bless me, lad, if I did not forget to ask ye how soon ye’d be expecting your men to join ye.”
“His men?” Lady Annis shifted her attention to her husband again and then back to Fin. “Ye’ve men of your own hereabouts, too? Where are they?”
“I can boast of only two, madam, and they should rejoin me tomorrow or the next day. But now that you bring them to mind, sir, it occurs to me that they’ll seek me at Castle Moigh unless I can get word to them to come here instead.”
The Mackintosh laughed. “By morning, there won’t be a man in Strathspey who does not ken that Catriona brought ye here. I’ll put out word for our people to watch more keenly than usual for strangers, but I trow that your lads will find ye.”
Conversation became desultory after that, although Catriona had hoped that her grandmother would press Fin harder for information about himself and his family, because she had sensed soon after meeting him that he was keeping secrets. Moreover, although his antecedents sounded common, he had traveled more than most Highlanders did and spoke better than most other noblemen.
And his sword was that of a warrior.
However, the Mackintosh bore him away to the inner chamber again when the two had finished eating, saying cryptically that he had made his decision.
The statement stirred her curiosity. What decision, and why not share it with all of them? They would doubtless learn of it in time, but she wanted to know now.
Following the Mackintosh into his chamber, Fin was glad to see that he did not reach for the whisky jug. His head ached, and he was sure that it ached as much from the whisky he’d had before supper as from the gash suffered earlier. The ache had a familiar dullness about it and a depth that reminded him of mornings in his youth that had come too early, after he had imbibed too freely of the potent stuff.
He would have liked a mug of spring water. But he decided that, rather than troubling his host, he would ask a gillie to fetch some for him when he retired.
Mackintosh returned to his chair but gestured Fin to remain standing. “Ye look as if ye’d do better to take to your bed, lad, so I’ll not keep ye,” he said. “I do agree to host Rothesay’s meeting here with the lords of the Isles and the North.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
“Aye, well, I ken them both. Donald of the Isles and Alex of Lochindorb are both men of their word, so I’ll grant them safe conduct to come here. But I’ll want their word, and Davy Stewart’s, that they’ll come here without great tails of men.”
“Rothesay told them the same, sir, because he does not want