“I donna rightly know, I swear it,” the lad said helplessly. “Only that they said you’re to leave for home, mu’um.”

“But I am home,” she said.

“To England!” he blurted, and winced, as if he expected the heavens would open up and smite him.

Margot’s heart skipped. Arran meant to banish her? She slid her gaze to Sweeney, who could not meet her eye. “Who has said?”

“I d-d-donna rightly kn-know, mu’um,” Sweeney said, twisting his cap in his hand.

Oh no. No, no. Sweeney’s stammering was all the convincing she needed. She tried not to panic. She couldn’t imagine what her father might do if she were sent home within twenty-four hours of arriving at Balhaire. Not to mention that for Arran to send her away so quickly was practically an admission of his guilt, wasn’t it? And furthermore, if it was indeed his intent to banish her, did he not have the courage or decency to tell her himself? Margot’s pulse quickened with anger, vacillating between utter disbelief and scorn.

Her hands found her waist and she stepped up to Sweeney now, so close that she could see the tiny lines around his eyes. “You’d best hope that no one says a word of taking my things to Nell,” she warned him. “She’ll have an apoplectic fit, and if she does, you can pray that the least she will do is snatch the hair from your head, sir. Not a word, do you hear me?”

The four men nodded in unison.

“And now, Mr. Sweeney, you can bring me a horse.”

“A...h-h-h-horse?” Sweeney said with some difficulty.

“Yes, a horse. A large animal with four legs and a tail,” she said, sketching it in the air with her hand.

None of them moved. None of them so much as breathed. She suddenly grabbed Sweeney by the lapels of his coat and gave him a shake. He was much larger than she, so he barely swayed, but his eyes filled with terror all the same. “By God, Sweeney Mackenzie, you’d best fetch me a horse!” she said angrily. “I may be gone tomorrow, but as of this moment, I am still Lady Mackenzie, and you are disobeying me!”

Sweeney gulped.

“Aye, she’s right, she’s right,” one of the young men behind him muttered.

“Uist,” said another. “Have ye lost yer mind, lad? Mackenzie gives us the orders.”

Margot pushed Sweeney aside as best she could, then stepped around him, glaring up at the man. “Are you quite certain about that? Because if there’s even the slightest bit of doubt in you, I’d fetch your lady a horse.”

“Aye, m-m-milady,” Sweeney said. With a glare for his companions, he stalked off in the direction of the stables, leaving the three of them huddled together like so many sheep.