Free Highland Storms by Christina Courtenay

for.’
    ‘ Oh, there are ways and means.’ Kirsty smiled smugly. ‘Besides, it’s give and take, you know.’
    ‘ Hmm, well, it’s not for me.’
    She made her voice sound firm, but even so an image of Mr Aaron’s smiling features rose up in her mind’s eye.
    Thank goodness he was gone.
     

Chapter Seven
     
    Brice headed north at first, since that was the direction he’d said he was going in, but once he reached Aberfeldy, he turned and rode south-east, towards Dunkeld. From there, the road led back to Stirling via Perth and although it was longer than his previous route, he wasn’t delayed too much. He needed to get to Edinburgh to prepare for the next phase of his father’s plan and he found he was actually looking forward to the challenge.
    He still hadn’t quite grasped that he was now the owner of a huge Highland estate. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to be, since he’d always imagined himself living in Sweden for the rest of his life. Still, if it was his birthright, then the least he could do was to make it profitable before he sold it, he reckoned. Besides which he needed to find out what Mr Seton was up to. Or not, as the case might be …
     
    There had been a lot to learn in quite a short time before he left Sweden. Although Brice knew how his father’s Swedish manor house, Askeberga, was run, he was well aware a Highland estate was different in many ways. For one thing, it was much larger. The agriculture was also mainly based on rearing cattle, Killian had told him, unlike their Swedish acres which produced mostly grain. But with a bit of guidance from his father, Brice was sure he could manage.
    ‘ Tell me exactly how things should be done, please,’ Brice said. ‘Then I’ll be better able to see whether the factor has been negligent or not.’
    Killian handed him a notebook. ‘It’s all in here, everything I can remember. I thought it best to write it down since I won’t be there to answer your questions on the spot.’
    ‘ Thank you. So what’s he like, this Colin Seton?’ Brice asked.
    Killian shrugged. ‘I don’t really know him very well. His brother Duncan owned the neighbouring estate of Bailliebroch before the forty-five, but it was confiscated and Duncan fled abroad. Colin, who didn’t take any part in the uprising, was hoping it would be given to him to look after at the very least, but the authorities thought otherwise. The house was burned to the ground and the family fled before the Government forces came.’
    ‘ What, all of them? The tenants too?’
    ‘ No, the tenants were allowed to stay on. The ones who weren’t suspected of being Jacobites, that is. Those were shot or taken prisoner. Then a factor from outside their clan was appointed and Colin and his family sought shelter at Rosyth. I only heard about it afterwards, but apparently my grandfather had been great friends with Duncan’s father, so he appointed Colin factor at Rosyth in my absence just a few months before he died. It seemed a good solution, so I didn’t challenge this decision.’
    ‘ But now you suspect him of cheating you … us?’
    Killian nodded. ‘Something’s not right, that’s for certain. I can’t believe the estate would yield so little year after year.’
    Brice thought for a moment. ‘What about aunt Ailsa and my cousins? Surely they’d keep an eye on things?’
    ‘ Well, I’ve not heard from them in a while. Ailsa has always been frail and to be honest, I don’t think she knows the first thing about running a household, never mind an estate. And the girls, as I said, should be married and gone by now. The eldest will be about twenty-eight if I’m not mistaken.’
    ‘ So what do you suggest? Shall I go in and take over the reins and fire Seton?’
    ‘ No, not right away. We need to be able to prove he’s not doing his job and that may not be easy. I think a little stealth is called for.’ Killian had smiled and outlined his plan. ‘What do you say?
    Brice had smiled