Cathy Maxwell - [Chattan Curse 03] Read Online Free Page B

completely. But for right now, the tension that had become his constant ally had been dispersed.
    When he was certain they weren’t being followed, Heath brought Admiral to a walk. The horse was fair winded. After a few minutes, Heath turned off the road into a forest before reining the horse to a halt. Rowlly slid off Admiral’s rump and raised his fist in triumph.
    “We gave them something to think about, didn’t we?” He still smelled of the ale Augie had poured over him. “They will think twice before they pull that nonsense on a Macnachtan.”
    “How did you find yourself in that situation?” Heath wanted to know. He would have assumed that with him gone to Glasgow for a few days, Rowlly would be so busy he’d not have time to drink in the Goldeneye.
    Instead of answering the question, Rowlly said, “It was like old times when you and Brodie and I used to regularly teach those lads their manners. In those days, no Campbell would have been disrespectful to a Macnachtan, but you showed them today that they’d best still think twice. Where did you learn to jab like that?” He punched the air with his fist, demonstrating what he meant.
    “I’ve had to use my hands a time or two,” Heath said, walking Admiral.
    “Not in the King’s Navy?” Rowlly said with teasing mockery. “I thought you had a bevy of sailors to command wherever you went.”
    “Once they respect you,” Heath agreed. “Until then, there are hard lessons to learn.”
    “Well, we tried to raise you right, Laird. And we did indeed. It will be a long day before Augie lives this one down. He doesn’t receive his comeuppance often enough. By the by, how did the meeting in Glasgow go?”
    Heath frowned. “Not good. I’ve been advised to sell the land.”
    “Can you?”
    His cousin’s response surprised him. “Should I?” he countered. “I could. It is not entailed. Not even our grandfather thought it important, so neither did Father or Brodie. I can hear the three of them now, why entail what you will not sell?”
    “And are they right?” Rowlly said as he started to pay attention to the damage the ale had done to his clothes.
    Heath’s own clothes were in need of repair as well. He’d torn the seams of his sleeves in the fight. His sisters would not be pleased—
    He’d forgotten his cloak . “Damn it all,” he swore.
    “What?”
    “My cloak. It is either still on a peg by the Goldeneye’s door or Augie is wearing it.”
    “Augie’s wearing it,” Rowlly assured him. “He won’t let that opportunity pass by but you can take it from him again.”
    “He’ll probably piss on it.”
    “That he will,” Rowlly agreed with a grin.
    “Damn,” Heath repeated, and cursed himself as well. At eight and twenty, he was too old to be brawling. His knuckles hurt, as did his right shoulder. Age was not kind.
    “Did the solicitor have any suggestions for us?” Rowlly asked.
    “Other than selling? No. He even had a buyer for me.”
    “Who?”
    “Owen Campbell.”
    Rowlly made a deprecating noise. “That is not news. How many times has he offered to buy Marybone? Now I understand why you were such a fighter in there. And here I was thinking you were protecting my honor.”
    “I was. Augie deserved a lesson. However, the Macnachtan and Campbells have always been allies of sorts. I have nothing against them,” Heath said as he picked up Admiral’s reins. “Even Owen.”
    Rowlly reached a hand up to rub the horse’s muzzle and asked, “Are you going to sell?”
    “You’d be out of a position if I did that,” Heath answered.
    “We all would . . . although you and the girls would be fine.”
    Heath frowned and focused on adjusting his saddle’s girth. Rowlly was right. Selling would mean good things for his immediate family.
    “I mean, now that their mourning is past, you will need to find husbands for them,” Rowlly said. “Not that you couldn’t find good men for them, but not men of their station—not without