Free Bride of the Solway by JOANNA MAITLAND Page B

Anstruther. He is by far the better catch. Captain Graham may not be a catch at all. So far we know nothing more of him than that he is an officer, and a gentleman, and brought up in England. For all we know, he may be simply subsisting on half-pay. That most certainly would not do.'
    'Have your spies uncovered no more information, then?' Cassie said sweetly.
    'No. The captain's man is remarkably close-mouthed. Even when he has been well plied with ale. At my expense.' 'Oh. Who did you send?'
    'Not Tam or Ned, if that's what you were thinking. The captain's man would be bound to have learned that they were the ones who threw his master into gaol. No, I sent Malcolm.'
    'Ah,' Cassie nodded. Malcolm was James's man through and through, part valet, part steward, and utterly devoted to James's interests. 'Well, if Malcolm could discover nothing, I imagine there is nothing to be learned by that route.'
    'No. That leaves only one avenue. The direct one. You, Cassie, must find out the truth about Captain Graham, either from the man himself or from Colonel Anstruther. You will have the whole of our visit to do that.'
    'But it is only two days and one night! Such questions require a degree of intimacy which could never be achieved in so short a time.'
    James smiled nastily. 'I'm sure you will find a way, Cassie. And to give you every opportunity, I shall have your horse tied on to the back of the carriage. Make sure you take your most becoming riding habit. Riding out with the gentlemen does give plenty of opportunity for intimate conversation. Make the most of it.'
     
    It was a beautiful, sunny summer's day as Cassie's carriage slowed for the approach to the great door to the Anstruther castle. Cassie had been gazing in awe as they drove up the long avenue. It was a huge—monstrous—edifice. She wondered that the Anstruther family had invested so much money in restoring it, for it surely belonged to a bygone age. The walls were of massive stone. There were only the merest slits of windows at ground level. And one of the towers had still not been repaired. It looked as though it had suffered from cannon fire in some battle, centuries before.
    'I'm glad I packed they heavy petticoats,' Morag said. 'We are all like to freeze t' death in there.'
    'I'm sure the colonel will make us more than comfortable,' Cassie said, though she was not at all sure she spoke the truth.
    'Aye, well, I'll judge that after I see for myself. He'd have done much better to build a fine new house, where a body could be warm and dry. There's bound to be draughts everywhere. And the lums will reek.'
    'Oh, Morag, don't be such a misery. We are here to see Colonel Anstruther's new garden, not his house. We shall be spending most of our time out of doors, where there are no draughts and no smoking chimneys. Besides, the weather is delightful. Why should we be cold?'
    'Because this is Galloway, Miss Cassie, and ye ken well enough that the weather can change in two shakes of a lamb's tail. How else was it that you was caught in that awful storm?'
    Oh, dear. She had left herself open to that jibe. And she was probably blushing again. 'That's enough, Morag,' she snapped, more angry with herself than with her maid. 'You are not to mention that incident again. Never. Do you understand me?'
    'Aye.'
    'Now, as soon as we are in the house, I need you to bring me some hot water and to lay out a fresh gown. I cannot sit down to luncheon with the gentlemen if I am still dressed in my travelling clothes.'
     
    Ross had already spent a day and a night in Colonel Anstruther's company while they rode down to Castle Douglas and settled in on the Anstruther country estate. He had been surprised to discover that such an ancient edifice could be made so very comfortable inside. His bedchamber was large, with a splendid view out over the developing garden. It was also surprisingly warm, considering the enormous thickness of the castle walls. True, the house did not rely on Scottish