Clandara by Evelyn Anthony

have heard will be kept secret, and that not one cup of meal or drop of water will we give to the Prince’s enemies.”
    â€œYou will not fight!” James pushed forward, thrusting aside O’Reilly, and stood glaring at Robert, one hand upon his dagger. “You stand there and talk about your grandfather and a miserable sum of money! Mother of God, were the Frasers at Clandara the only ones who shed their blood and emptied their purses for the Stuarts? I say you are a coward and a dog, to stand there and refuse to aid your Prince!”
    Robert flushed. “You may say what you please,” he said. “You are my sister’s affianced husband and for that reason I will not call you to account. You are at liberty to rush to your ruin and carry as many others with you out of folly and moral cowardice as you can. But your insults do not move me. I wish the Prince well, sir.” He turned to Sir John O’Reilly. “If he wins, and I hope indeed that he does, he may exact what vengeance he pleases for our neutrality. And now, my lords and gentlemen, I bid you good day. I have no further business here.”
    No one spoke or moved as he left them; they could hear his voice in the courtyard outside calling for his servants and horses, and then, very quietly, Sir John O’Reilly turned to the Macdonalds.
    â€œI hope you know what you have done,” he said. “Inviting that traitor here has betrayed the whole enterprise. The Prince’s life and the life of every man in this room is forfeit because of your misjudgment!”
    â€œThat is a lie!” James swung on him angrily. “The Fraser gave his word. He will not break it. He may be a coward but he’s not a traitor!”
    â€œThere’s a short step between the one and the other,” was the answer. “For my part, I believe there will be a message sent to the English garrison at Inverness as soon as that renegade sets foot in his own house. And if they hear of it and intercept the Prince it will be your doing, sir,” he pointed to Alexander Macdonald. “Yours and yours alone. There will be no meeting at Glenfinnan, because most of you will be arrested before the fifteenth!”
    â€œIf this is true,” Lord Nairne’s ruddy face had grown pale, “all our lives are lost before we fight …”
    â€œYou brought him,” O’Reilly said to James’s father. “And you must see that, whatever happens, the Prince and the Cause are not betrayed.”
    â€œIt shall be done! James, David, Hugh, ride after him. Take three men with you.”
    â€œFather,” James faced him desperately. His own fierce anger against Robert had vanished and in its place there was a sense of horror. “Father, Robert Fraser will never break his oath! I swear it. They may not be joining us but didn’t you hear him swear to give no succour to our enemies? Whatever he is – and I’m not defending him – neither he nor his father will speak one word to injure the Prince or any of us here! What are you asking, sir?” he demanded savagely of the Irishman. “Safety or vengeance, because the Frasers have not joined you?”
    â€œIn the name of your honour,” O’Reilly addressed the old Chief, “I ask for that traitor’s life.”
    â€œIt shall be granted you. My sons, mount up! If you remain here, James, it will only be for the sake of a woman, and if her brother means more to her than you, then she is not worth having. Hurry, he’s had a good start already! And when you find them, leave no witnesses alive.”
    As they mounted up some minutes later, accompanied by two clansmen armed with broadswords and dirks, Hugh moved over to his brother.
    â€œYou’ll have to kill him. Ach, Jamie, what will the bride say?”
    â€œHold your damned tongue or I’ll cut it out for you!” James snarled, and he raised his fist to strike the handsome