“I certainly did not seek to make you look foolish in any way.”
Lowell let out a crusty “Hmm! Shawna, you must remember that we are family. We work together. Back to the business at hand, for I’ve had a long day, would have a good supper, and get some sleep. We need to plan for the arrival of Andrew Douglas.”
“To plan?” Shawna said. “But, Uncle, what is there to plan? Andrew is Laird Douglas, and he’s coming to see to his holdings!”
“Andrew Douglas doesn’t belong here,” Lowell said firmly.
Startled by the vehemence of his comment, Shawna stared at the younger of her two great-uncles. He smiled at her, shaking his head. Like Gawain, Lowell had kept a headful of hair that was barely peppered with gray, but his face was far more gauntly cast, and tonight he looked tired, both age and weariness visible in his countenance.
“’Tis true, lass,” Lowell said, catching the surprise in her eyes, “that the American has no place here. He knows it as well.”
“But Douglas lands are his heritage,” Shawna said. “Perhaps he wants them for his children.”
“Maybe,” Alistair said cheerfully, winking at Shawna, “his new wife will be barren.”
“Maybe,” Alaric mused dryly, “we should consider trying to buy the property from him.”
Alaric’s statement was greeted with a moment’s silence.
“Buy the property…” Gawain repeated.
“Now that,” Aidan murmured, “is quite a concept. Truly, Andrew Douglas has no interests here. He’s always made it quite clear that he belongs with the Sioux people. Alaric, buying the property is a sound idea.”
“Andrew Douglas does not belong here, that much is certain. Lowell is entirely right,” Gawain said, as if they all agreed upon law. “And I agree as well. Buying the property would be an excellent idea.” He shook his head, staring hard at Shawna as if all their difficulties were somehow her fault. “Primogeniture!” he exclaimed. “Ah, but the Normans introduced a great idea when they brought feudalism to England. Sons inherited. And when daughters were all that was left, the closest male kin inherited.”
“Andrew Douglas was Laird Douglas’s closest living male kin when he died,” Aidan reminded Gawain, who was still staring at Shawna.
“This modern world will be the downfall of us, women inheriting the same as men,” Gawain exclaimed.
“We were never like the English, Uncle,” Shawna reminded him. “And though Scotland became a part of Great Britain by the Act of Unity, we’ve always kept apart. The Conqueror never quite made it to the Highlands, as you’ll recall, and even Scottish Lowlanders think us a breed apart. Women have been the heads of many great Highland families in the past.”
Gawain sniffed disdainfully. “Thank the good Lord, lass, that you’ve the lot of us.”
“I love you all, Uncle Gawain,” Shawna said sweetly, “and therefore, I do thank the Lord for you all.”
“Ah, but could you be saying that you have no need for your male kin, Shawna?”
“I’ve never said that, Uncle Gawain.”
“But you fight me every step of the way. You forget you’re a MacGinnis time and time again.”
A new wave of guilt washed over her. Was she forgetting she was a MacGinnis at this very moment? David Douglas was alive, and she wasn’t saying a word about it. These men were her family.
But someone had chased her, someone had tried to kill her.
Not her family!
Still, she couldn’t speak about David.
Not yet.
Aidan cleared his throat. “Once again, perhaps this isn’t the right time to argue primogeniture and the rights of men and women, or our arguments with one another.”
“Ach, women!” Lowell murmured, smiling as he shook his head.
“After all, Queen Victoria is sitting upon the throne, and poor Albert is but a prince!” Alistair provided.
His father shot him a glance that was dagger sharp.