Free Elaine Coffman - [Mackinnons 06] by When Love Comes Along Page B

quite a bit of work before he
went to my father that first time.”
    “What exactly was his claim?”
    “It seems that there is proof that the eighth Duke of
Glengarry married a woman named Maude and that they had four children, one of
whom was a son, Douglas, who was my great-great-great-grandfather—and the ninth
Duke of Glengarry. Douglas supposedly had a wife named Bride, but, as Adair was
able to prove in court, there is no record of this marriage of Douglas and
Bride, nor is there a record of the birth of their son Ian, who was the tenth
duke and my great-great-grandfather. Unfortunately, Adair had ancestors with
the same names.”
    David leaned forward, and his voice reflected his interest
“And because there was no proof of your line and there was proof of his, they
gave the title to Adair?”
    “Yes because he had proof and my mother had none.”
    “I never really understood just how it happened, but even
knowing now, it doesn’t make sense.”
    “That is what I said the first time I heard it, but my aunt
disagreed. After she explained, I understood. The courts had no choice.
Although everyone was loyal to the memory of my father, they had to go with the
proof. Adair, it seems, had undeniable proof of his ancestors. My father did
not.”
    “But your father and his father before him were the dukes.
So how did Adair’s ancestor end up with the title?”
    “It was Adair’s contention that my ancestor Douglas took the
title of Duke of Glengarry when it rightfully belonged to his ancestor
Douglas.”
    “But how?”
    Fletcher reached into his pocket and withdrew an oiled
pouch. Opening it, he took out the family tree his aunt had designed for him.
He handed it to David and watched his face as he studied it.
    When David finished reading the diagram, Fletcher said,
“Now, as you can see, there was only one Alasdair Ramsay, the eighth Duke of
Glengarry, but there were two Douglas Ramsays, and both of them had fathers
named Alasdair and mothers named Maude, and both of these Douglas Ramsays had
sons named Ian.”
    David looked at the paper again. “This is very coincidental,
and that alone will make your search difficult.”
    “Difficult, but not impossible,” Fletcher said. “I know what
it is I need to search for, and I will find it.”
    “You say that with much conviction. However, I must remind
you that your father searched the whole of Scotland, Fletcher. There are no
records.”
    “There must be. If my ancestor was an impostor, they would
never have allowed him to take the title.”
    “How did Adair explain that away?” asked David.
    “It was Adair’s contention that because this had all taken
place during the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie, and that since his ancestor
Douglas was killed in the battle of Culloden Moor, it would have been easy for
my ancestor Douglas to lay claim to the title. He even went so far as to
suggest that my Douglas had fought on the side of the English and that the
title was awarded him because of this service.”
    David nodded. “Aye, those were times of great sadness and
turmoil. Anything could have happened.” He looked back at the paper in his
hands. “So the key to all of this lies in your proving that your
great-great-great-grandfather, Douglas Ramsay, married a woman named Bride, and
proving too that they had a son Ian.”
    “Yes.”
    David folded the paper and handed it back to Fletcher.
“Well, I am pleased to know how it all happened. I had often wondered, of
course, but never wanted to trouble Maggie for the details.”
    “It is a sensitive subject with her even now.”
    “Well, I find myself terribly interested in this. I would
like to help you in any way I can.” Fletcher started to speak just as Cathleen
walked into the room.
    Taking her chair, Cathleen could not help noticing the way
her grandfather and Fletcher grew suddenly quiet. She felt something akin to
fear grip her heart. Something about this did not feel right. She looked from
Fletcher to