Chapter Three
“Lord Ross willbe with ye shortly, Your Grace. Please, follow me to the parlor.”
Alexander dipped his head in thanks and followed Ross’s butler down the wood paneled hall decorated with vines that were painted in blues and greens. Not the style he expected for Ross, but outside of word of mouth, Alexander didn’t know much about the man who held his sheep.
He hadn’t seen his flock when he arrived, but that didn’t surprise him. The man did not have the pasture available to him on this estate needed for such an undertaking.
In the parlor, Christopher slumped into a chair. Alexander kicked his foot. “Sit proper. Have some dignity, brother. Ye needna show everyone your defeat.” Christopher shot him a glare but straightened.
Alexander clasped his hands behind his back and paced the length of the room. Did he believe he would be leaving here with his flock today? Absolutely not, but he hoped to at least be closer to reacquiring them.
“Your Grace,” Ross said from the doorway and Alexander turned and shook the hand Ross held out to him. “I apologize for your wait. Your visit was,” he paused, glancing at Christopher, “anticipated. I, however, wasna prepared.”
“Understood. As ye can assume, time is of the essence to ensure the well-being of my prized sheep.”
Ross raised a brow as he studied Alexander and nodded. “Please, have a seat.” He stretched out his arm towards the empty chair across from his desk next to Christopher.
Alexander lacked the patience for small talk. “As ye ken, my brother fell into some difficulties at the tables whilst I was away.”
“Aye.” Ross’s eyes shot over to Christopher, but his brother paid him no attention as he stared out the window.
Alexander had to tread lightly. The best approach would be to appear thankful for the help Ross offered Christopher in his time of need. As much as it pained him to do so, he swallowed his pride and continued.
“My brother and I canna thank ye enough for extending your services to him when his luck was down. ’Twas verra kind of ye, but as ye can imagine, the Campbell flock is the means to our livelihood. We will need them back. I’m willing to pay ye for the kindness ye extended to my brother and pay ye extra for your trouble.”
Ross clucked his tongue as his eyes darted from Alexander to Christopher and back again. “Whisky, Your Grace?” He pushed away from the desk and went to the sidebar.
“Nay, thank ye.”
The man just shrugged and poured himself a glass, before turning back to Alexander, swirling the amber liquid in the glass before taking a sip. He approached the front of the desk and leaned on it, pointing his glass in Christopher’s direction.
“No disrespect, but your brother appears to have a problem.”
Alexander slid his gaze to Christopher, who glared at Ross. Ignoring him, he focused his attention back to Ross. “I agree. ’Tis something I will deal with, but ’tis no’ of your concern. We’ve other pressing matters at hand which is why we are here.”
“Aye, your sheep. Noisy beasts they are.”
A sinking feeling hit his stomach. “Ye havena harmed them, have ye?” Worry washed over him.
Ross barked out a laugh. “Nay, Your Grace,” he paused for a sip of whisky before continuing. “But, alas, I couldna care for them either. I am no’ a shepherd.”
“Where are my sheep?” Alexander asked slowly for fear of jumping up from the chair and beating the answer out of the lender. Instead, he took a deep breath, forcing himself to unclench his fists.
“Last I heard your sheep were well. But I dinna have them.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ye’ve seen my lands. I canna care for such a flock. Naturally, I sold them.”
“To whom?” Alexander gritted out.
“An American.”
“What?”
“Well, he is from America, but he has inherited Baron Kitt’s estate. Something about being the only living relative left. He is quite brash and of course, uncouth, but trying to make his way into society.”
“And he thinks taking possession of Campbell sheep is the best way to do that?” Alexander wasn’t concerned with his temperament. Obviously, the man was daft if this was his way to cement his place in society.
