Joanna Maitland – Bride of the Solway (страница 13)

‘You have changed your mind all of a sudden, have you not, James? When we visited the Anstruthers, you made quite sure that I would not accept the invitation.’

‘That was before Colonel Anstruther himself became involved. Now that he is to act as our host, it is a splendid opportunity for you to display your…er…womanly attributes.’

Cassie felt herself blushing. Again! Why did her brother have to be so crass? And why was it that she always showed her embarrassment?

‘Be ready to leave first thing tomorrow morning. The carriage will be at the door by nine. Do not be late. Morag will accompany you in the carriage and I shall ride alongside. We should arrive well before noon.’

‘But I had intended to ride there myself. I hate being cooped up in the carriage. In summer weather like this, there is no reason why I should not ride.’

‘There is every reason. I do not wish you to ride.’

Cassie bit back the angry ‘Why not?’ that rose to her lips. Instead, she said, ‘Colonel Anstruther is a military man. He would expect his wife to ride. And ride well. Would this not be an opportunity to demonstrate my attributes in that area of a lady’s accomplishments?’ Good tactics, Cassie thought to herself. That had stopped James in his tracks. Captain Graham would be proud of her.

James started to speak, but Cassie heard barely a word. Why on earth was she thinking it mattered what Captain Graham thought of her?

‘Cassie! Pay attention! This is no time for your eternal daydreaming. It is your marriage we are planning here.’

Cassie swallowed hard, but said nothing.

‘Remember, the aim of your visit is to impress the gentlemen. Your first object must be Colonel 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.’

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