Page 32 of The Wild Rose of Kilgannon (Kilgannon #2)

TWELVE

Now we were nearing London, and the enormity of the task we faced washed over me.

I stole a look at the silent Angus at my side, ignoring the rain beginning to fall.

We stood together at the rail, but so far apart in opinion.

We had argued for most of the journey and had just finished another round.

Angus wanted me to go to Mountgarden and had pressed his point.

I had refused and he’d asked me scornfully what I would do.

I told him I planned to besiege the king and Parliament and any official who would listen .

“It will likely be for naught,” he’d said and I’d glared at him, icily asking him what he planned.

He’d met my gaze with a cool look of his own.

“I mean to bribe and threaten and kill if necessary, lass. If I can, I’ll go in the dead of night and spirit him away.

And when the morning comes they’ll come looking for ye.

That’s when I would have ye at Mountgarden, guarding my cousin’s unborn child and his sons in safety, so that neither Alex nor I have to worry about protecting ye.

” He’d paused and continued in a calmer tone.

“Mary, can ye no’ see? Ye have no chance to persuade them to free Alex.

Words willna sway them, nor tears. If yer in London I am as hamstrung as I would have been in Edinburgh.

Even more so, for I canna tell yer family what I plan, and they will be well-meaning but they’ll still be obstacles. ”

“As I would be,” I’d said bitterly.

He’d continued as though I’d not spoken.

“Mary, I failed to keep Alex from being captured at Brenmargon. And I stayed my hand when we could have freed him at Kilgannon or on the trip east with Robert Campbell, because Alex asked me not to act, only because he asked me. Then I failed again in Edinburgh. And I will be impeded here if it means ye or the boys would be harmed because of my efforts. Mary, will ye no’ get yerself to safety and let us wage this war?

Lass, if aught were to happen to ye, or to the babe ye carry, I couldna live with it.

” His eyes had met mine with sadness and that undid me.

I’d burst into tears while Angus patted my shoulder.

“Angus,” I said when I’d calmed myself, “at least let me try. Let me try and if I fail, I will retreat and give you the field.”

“We may miss an opportunity while yer trying. ”

“Then don’t miss it,” I’d said. “Angus, I spent years in London society. I know it well. I know the people in control as you will never know them. Let me try my way.”

He’d shaken his head. “Lass, ye ken the people who were in control, but no more. New people are playing the game of London politics. Whigs are in power, not Tories, and ye dinna ken them. Yer weapons will prove ineffective.”

“And yours outdated and dangerous, especially for Alex. What if you try and fail? What will they do to him then? And what of the Kilgannon men and your own son? You are a warrior and a good one, yes, but your skills have no place in London. Do not let men I love die attempting the impossible. We were fortunate that you and Matthew and Gilbey were freed in Edinburgh rather than killed. You cannot seriously think to try to free Alex from the Tower without losses.” He’d closed his eyes and rubbed his hand through his hair, then gave me an icy blue stare.

“Mary, ye undo me. Ye willna leave me the field to move without endangering ye, and ye insist on trying things that I dinna believe can succeed. What would ye have me do, sit on my hands or perhaps pray for the judge to have a change of heart? We canna take the chance. Ye must let me try my way first. I ken no other.”

I had watched him watch me, this dear man who had been so faithful to us, and my anger faded as quickly as it had bloomed.

“We’re both trying to do the same thing, Angus,” I’d said.

“We just have different weapons in our arsenals. I cannot use stealth or force, and you cannot use social ties and influence. Why can we not both try? Say the word and I will not see you again. I will be careful not to even let anyone know that I know you. But I will not leave London without trying. I have my family to protect me.”

He’d made a derisive sound. “They dinna ken the first of it.”

“It is their town, Angus, not yours. Do not sneer at their power here. You may have contempt for London politics, but those politics will determine Alex’s fate.

I intend to wage war with all my weapons.

There is no one more affected by what happens to Alex than I, and everyone is trying to get me to leave the field.

I will not. Let me try! I will fight in every way I can, with or without your help.

Do not join the others in banishing me.”

We scowled at each other and he was the first to turn away, swinging from me with a weary gesture, then smiling wryly at me over his shoulder. “What will I do with ye, Mary MacGannon?”

I smiled. “Let me have my way and I am most docile.”

“No, lass, docile yer no’. Let me think on it and we’ll discuss it the more later.”

But we did not discuss it later. There was no time.

By the time we arrived in London the rain had turned from an annoyance to a furious rainstorm, and Calum needed every hand to help.

Eventually we landed at the proper dock and my family and I hurried to a coach.

Angus and Matthew had not joined us, saying that they would stay with the brig.

When we left, Angus nodded at me but said nothing.

We’d not had another moment alone together, and I suspected that he still was not sure what to do with me.

As for me, I knew exactly what I would try.

Everything. But first I needed a good night’s sleep and a dry change of clothing .

The boys’ eyes were huge as we rolled through the wet streets.

London had intimidated many much older than these two, I thought, and watched Randolph point out sights and calm their fears.

I gave him a smile of gratitude and leaned back against the cushions of the coach, remembering London when Alex had been courting me here.

When we passed the landscaper’s office, I remembered Alex stealing me away for two hours.

We’d talked over a meal, then visited Westminster Abbey.

The words came unbidden. “I felt like celebrating,” he’d said that day, showing me the gold watch he’d bought himself, looking up at me with those amazing eyes.

And with his heart in them as well. Part of us will always be here in London , I thought, for this is where we started. And where will we end?

Louisa welcomed us with smiles and uncharacteristic tears, her embraces fierce.

Ian and Jamie clung to her. Over their heads she smiled at me and for the first time in weeks I felt consoled.

But the next morning Randolph told me that the Mary Rose had left the dock where she had landed and no one seemed to know where she or the crew had gone.

I was immediately swept up in the circle of my family and the unfamiliar demands of Uncle Harry.

I soon suspected that one of the reasons he stayed on his estates was that he enjoyed being king of his tiny domain, and here in London, even in Louisa’s house, he tried the same techniques.

I watched Randolph struggling to be polite, but underneath his annoyance was growing.

Even sweet-tempered Will found Uncle Harry tiresome, as I did.

But I was grateful to my uncle, for he was proving to be a most able ally.

Uncle Harry had an opinion about everything from architecture to shoes.

He considered himself well versed in the law, as in most subjects.

He wrote long drafts to Kenneth Ogilvie, instructing him to send Scottish laws and precedents.

And Harry explained at length to me that English law was based on tiny details, many of which had been the undoing of the prosecution.

“I need to know what has been used before and with what success,” he said to me.

“Then we may choose to use a specific approach with some confidence in its outcome. Of course, my dear, we do have a monarch and he has undue influence over the courts. As does Parliament. If it is determined that your husband is dangerous to the careers of members of Parliament, he will not have much chance. Our best strategy is to make his release in the best interest of the members of Parliament, and that means money. You will require my aid. I will take lodgings in London immediately.”

“Thank you, Harry,” I said. “I will repay you. Every cent.”

Harry looked at me with annoyance. “No, Mary, you will not. You will accept my assistance without a quarrel. You have only to wait and rest, my dear. Do nothing. You really should go to Mountgarden. Yes”—he nodded to himself—“I’ll speak to Louisa.”

I shook my head. “No. I want to see Alex.”

Harry looked at me blankly, then blinked and nodded again. “Well,” he said. “Well. Of course. Of course you do. I should think that could be arranged. But I would rather you withdrew.”

“I will not,” I said and watched his eyes widen.

“Well. Young lady, you might have to if we deem it necessary. And where have all your Scots gotten themselves to? They certainly made themselves scarce. Can we rely upon them?”

Randolph, who had entered the room with the boys as Harry had spoken, put an ample hand on my shoulder. “Yes, Harry,” Randolph said. “Of course you can. If I know them, and I do, they will not stand idly by while Alex is tried. Mark my words, they have something planned.”

Harry looked at Randolph and then at me. “How can we reach them?” he asked. “Where are they lodging?” Randolph shrugged and Harry turned to me. When I said I didn’t know how to find them, Harry frowned.

“I know where they are,” said Ian. “They are with that woman that Angus knows.” We all turned to look at Ian.

“What woman?” I asked.