Page 19 of Glasgow Rogue

Annie glanced sideways at Niall as they walked home. They were almost half-way to the boardinghouse and he hadn’t spoken. “Ye are angry with me still?”

Niall shook his head. “Nae.”

“Ye have nae spoken a word since we left.”

“Sometimes silence is better, lass.”

“I cannae blame ye for nae wanting to talk.” Annie felt embarrassment wash over her. “Ye doona want me to screech at ye again.”

Niall smiled. “I cannae deny that, but ’tis nae the reason I am silent.”

Annie furrowed her brows. “Why, then?”

“I have a sister. My brothers and I learned early to give Margaret a wide berth when her temper is riled. She has blackened more than one eye and bloodied a number of our noses.”

“Your sister strikes ye?”

“On occasion. There are ten of us brothers and sometimes we tease her a bit too much.”

“I have nae brothers or sisters. I cannae imagine having ten.”

“Margaret would think ye lucky.” Niall shrugged. “We nae doubt deserved the punches we’ve gotten. Besides, we were the ones who taught her to fight.”

Annie felt her eyes widen. “She fights? Like a man?”

“Nae lass would win in actual fisticuffs. We did teach her to defend herself though.” Niall glanced at Annie. “Something ye should learn too.”

“I can take care of myself.” When Niall arched a brow, she grimaced. “Well, most of the time. What happened Monday was a surprise.”

“Most attacks are. ’Tis why ye need to be prepared. Have ye ever handled a dagger?”

“Nae. And doona tell me your sister handles knives like ye do.”

Niall grinned. “There are few who handle knives like I do.” Then he sobered. “But Margaret kens how to throw one. She can fire a musket and release an arrow straight and true as well.”

“Are those skills women need in the Highlands?”

“They are skills women should have anywhere.”

Annie shook her head. “I can hardly wander the streets of Glasgow with a sword or pistol at my side. And a bow would be useless in the city, if nae illegal.”

“Aye, but ye can hide a dagger.”

Annie glanced down to where a black handle protruded from each of Niall’s boots and another knife was sheathed at his waist. “I can see those.”

“But ye doona ken about the others.”

“Others?” Annie frowned. “Exactly how many knives do ye carry?”

“Half a dozen or so.”

“For God’s sake, where?”

“About me person.” Niall grinned again. “Do ye want to ken exactly where?”

Annie felt her face heat as she realized the impact of her question. “Nae! That was nae what I meant.”

His grin widened. “Well, if ye change your mind, just ask.”

She didn’t think her face could get any hotter, but it did. “I will nae be asking.”

“Pity. I was about to divulge my secrets to ye.” Niall managed to straighten his mouth. “The point is, though, that ye can hide a knife easily enough.”

“I will think on it.” She needed to change the subject before her face actually burst into flames. “Can we talk about something else?”

“Aye. Ye can tell me what made ye so angry earlier.”

Annie sighed. That subject wasn’t much better as a topic. They’d probably be arguing in a minute, but it was better than wondering where Niall kept the rest of his knives. Not that she was wondering. She wasn’t.

“Mr. Haines needed someone to go with him to see a new client who wanted assurance our warehouse was top-notch. Mr. Kingsley wasn’t in, so I offered to go. I really wanted to make up for missing two days of work—”

“Which was nae your fault. Did Haines say it was?”

“Nae. But I wanted to let him see that I could handle the job as well as Mr. Kingsley…” Annie paused and looked at Niall.

“I ken ye doona think I should be working at the warehouse, but hear me out. ’Tis important that members of the Progress Club can show that women can be more than maids or nannies.

They should nae be regulated to being shop clerks or seamstresses either.

” All the frustration of the afternoon that had built up was about to explode.

Annie felt it, but could no longer stop it.

“We have brains. We can think. We have intelligence. We can be bankers and accountants and solicitors and, if the blasted laws were changed, owners of property as well. We could also—”

“I think ye made your point.” Niall held up his hand to keep her from protesting. “Ye doona have to prove anything to me. Margaret—to say naught of my mother—would soon put that notion to rights.”

Annie frowned. “But ye doona think I should be working at the warehouse.”

‘Nae because ye cannae do the job. ’Tis your safety I am concerned with.”

“But I have nae been accosted at the warehouse,” Annie replied stubbornly.

Niall didn’t seem to notice—or else he simply ignored—her tone. “But ye were knocked senseless at the Trades Hall, lass. Those are the same men who do business with Haines.”

“But Mr. Haines has nae fired me. At least, nae yet,” Annie answered, “which is why I need to prove to him I can do the work.”

“I still doona like it.”

“I ken that, but Mr. Kingsley is there too. He keeps the workers in order. I ken he would intervene if a tradesman became belligerent.”

“There is something about Kingsley I doona like,” Niall said.

Annie looked heavenward. “Ye doona like Owen MacLean either.”

“’Tis different. Our clans tend to spar with each other,” Niall replied, “although I will admit MacLean handled himself well Monday night.”

Annie glanced at Niall. “So ye have a truce then? Nae more squabbling?”

Niall looked affronted. “We doona squabble.”

Annie was tempted to roll her eyes again. “Argue, then. Ye cannae deny that.”

“We disagree on things.” Niall shrugged. “But aye, for the moment MacLean and I have a truce.”

“Well, at least ye have refrained from squab—arguing—with Mr. Kingsley. That is good.”

“I doona trust the man though.”

“Why nae?”

“I doona ken exactly. He talks too smooth.”

Annie raised an eyebrow. “So do ye and Owen. Ye both flatter me like ’tis some game between ye.”

“I cannae speak for MacLean,” Niall said, “but I mean what I say. Ye do have eyes the color of a thistle bloom—”

“Must ye constantly be reminding me that I am a thistle? Besides, my eyes are blue.”

“Ye do make it easy.” Niall grinned. “Right now, I see sparks shooting from your violet eyes and your hair is glowing bright as a Beltane fire. ’Tis a verra pretty sight.”

“There ye go again using flattery.”

Niall tilted his head, his smile gone. “Why do ye nae like compliments?”

Oh, Lord! How to answer? Her face was probably glowing like a Beltane fire too. ‘I…just doona put much faith in sweet words.” Then, before he could press further, she said quickly, “So what other reason do ye have for nae trusting Mr. Kingsley?”

“Something just does nae seem right.” Niall shook his head. “I wish my brother, Lachlan, were here. His instincts regarding a man are rarely wrong.”

“I think ye are putting too much thought into this.”

“Thought? Nae. Thought is logic. This is more a feeling that I have.” Niall paused. “But Aidan is logical. The most practical one among us. Mayhap I should bring him to the warehouse—”

“I doona think that necessary,” Annie replied. Dear God! All she needed was another MacDonald hovering around. Along with Owen, that would make three men being protective. Mr. Haines would think her incapable for sure.

“Aidan has been busy learning the books at Henderson Shipping,” Niall continued as though she hadn’t interrupted. “’Tis time he see the warehousing end of it as well.”

“I doona think it a good idea for Aidan to stop by the warehouse,” Annie said.

“And I doona think it a good idea for ye to work there,” Niall replied as they approached the boardinghouse.

Annie preceded him up the steps. “We will just have to agree to disagree on that.”

“Aye, we will,” Niall said, opening the door. “Then ’tis settled.”

Annie gave him a side glance as she walked inside. “What is settled?”

“Ye did just say we need to agree to disagree, aye?” Niall grinned at her. “Aidan will be stopping by.”

****

“Ye want me to do what?” Aidan asked the next day when Niall met him at Henderson Shipping and they were both behind the closed door of the small office.

“I need your reaction to John Kingsley. I sense something is off about him.”

“I have nae the skill to read a man like Lachlan does,” Aidan answered.

“True, but Lachlan is nae here. Besides, I want your opinion on Haines’ business.”

“I am only in Glasgow to learn how Robert’s books are set up so I can duplicate them on Skye.” Aidan put down the quill he’d been using. “What reason would I use for wanting to inspect Haines’ warehouse?”

“Ye would nae have to go into the warehouse.”

“If Kingsley is foreman of the warehouse, would that nae be where I would find him?”

“He seems to spend just as much time in the office with Annie when he does nae need to. ’Tis another thing I find strange.”

Aidan smiled. “Could that be the source of your suspicion? Are ye sure ye are nae jealous?”

“Nae!” Given Aidan’s inquiring look, Niall realized he may have said that a little louder than he needed to. “Nae. Why should I be?”

“Ye do seem to spend a lot of time with her.”

“Only for protection,” Niall answered. “Annie is a headstrong lass not given to following good, common sense.”

“Her own common sense or yours?”

“Mine, since I sometimes think she does nae have any.”

Aidan smiled again. “I suspect she might nae agree.”

“Which proves my point.” Niall shook his head.

“Just weeks after Annie and Bridget were attacked, the lass wanders down Virginia Street by herself and is near accosted again. How many lasses do ye ken would enter a trade union meeting and expect to be heard? Twice, mind ye. Her club was booed the first time, but did Annie learn her lesson? Nae. Back she went for a pelting of rotten fruit.” A shudder escaped him at her narrow escape.

“The daft woman could have been killed.”

Aidan gave him a thoughtful look. “Ye care about her.”

“Nae…I…” Niall paused. “Well…I mean…I like her, but she is too willful and stubborn by far.”