Free Highland Master by Hannah Howell Page B

here, but so long as I maintain the alliance we have with him, sending him men and supplies when he needs them, he willnae move to change things. Sir John found that out quickly enough.”
    “He asked your liege laird for permission to wed ye and take hold of Banuilt?”
    “Aye, but I gather it isnae a thing he can grant, or he just didnae want to. He told Sir John that Boyd had named me his heir, and that was agreed to so long as I upheld the agreement between Banuilt and him. I was surprised and I am nay sure I trust in that reason, but until I can see exactly what is said in Boyd’s papers, or your cousin Callum—who may have more expertise than I do in checking the contracts made and legalities of my rights as laird of Banuilt—finds out, I must accept that.”
    “Ye seem surprised that your husband would name ye the heir.”
    “Och, aye, as he ne’er appeared to think me worth all that much because I didnae give him the son he craved. He did leave a verra fine dower for Ella, too, or rather made certain I understood that there should be one. ’Tis evident that Banuilt is one of those places that can go where the owner wishes it to. I would like to think my husband left it to me because he recognized the work I did here, but I think not. He just did as has always been done here, or mayhap to pay me back in some way for the money I brought him. There was no son to name heir and he would ne’er have considered leaving it all to a wee girl child, so he left it all to me.”
    “Did ye nay consider that Sir John may recognize the work ye have done here and want your skill as weel as your land? His is a poorer keep, aye?”
    “Only a wee bit poorer. Weel, when all is weel and we dinnae have to deal with fields burned and stock stolen.” She frowned. “I just cannae see Sir John recognizing my work, either. He has that same ill opinion of women that my husband had to some extent and our priest certainly had. If he thought what was good about Banuilt was my work, he would have to believe I was capable of more than planning what to set on the table and making a bairn or two. I dinnae think he does, nay about any woman.”
    She was right in one way, but Brett did not completely dismiss the idea that Sir John was aware of the work she had done. The man might accredit it all to guidance by her husband or lessons taught by her father or some other man, but Brett could not believe even the man’s prejudices concerning women could completely blind him to who had done most of the work at Banuilt. If nothing else, Sir John would have known Sir Boyd well enough to know the man’s failings and strengths.
    Sir John’s insults needed answering, but Brett had held his tongue. Despite presenting himself and making it clear that he and his men were helping Triona, he knew pushing too hard could cost her. Her men were not ready for a true fight with Grant. Nor were they prepared to protect Banuilt much more than they were now, from damage to their sources of food. Until some work had been done to get her men stronger and better able to fight, he had to be careful. That did not mean he could not continue to search out any and all information about the man.
    Brett carefully moved closer to Triona, nearly smiling when she stepped back and ended up against the trunk of a tree. “I think he kens that ye are the one doing the work here and have been for a while. He may make many an excuse for it, giving credit to some mon for most of it, but he kens it. I suspicion he has wondered how ye might help Gormfeurach to prosper.”
    “Weel, now that ye have told him what ye mean to do, he will be wondering how to end that,” she said, growing angry all over again. “I truly think it would have been best if he had remained ignorant of your promise to help us, at least for a little while longer.”
    “Mayhap, but I dinnae think so. He was here to see us, to see me and my companions and get a closer look. I would wager his men mentioned us