Read MacKinnon’s Rangers 03.5 - Upon A Winter's Night for Free Online

and leaves carved out of the fan-shaped handles. An image came into his mind of Amalie brushing her dark hair, piling it atop her head, and holding it in place with these combs. "May I see those?"

    He knew they were most certainly beyond what he could afford, but the image in his mind remained.

    "Certainly." The matron placed them on the wooden counter before Morgan. "They are carved from ivory and were bought from the wife of a captain who sails with the East India Company. He acquired them for her on his travels."

    They were beautiful, delicate, much more modest than the locket or the jeweled brooch. "These are lovely, but surely they are beyond my means."

    "These combs are just the price you were seeking," the matron said, removing a small slip of paper from the back of one of the combs and crumpling it in her fingers. "They are one shilling ten."

    "One shilling ten?" A good musket, a knife, a bottle of rum — those prices he knew well, but the cost of jewelry or ivory combs? He grinned, thrust his hand into his pocket, seeking his coin purse. "I’d be most grateful if you could wrap those, madam. Och , they will look bonnie in my wife’s hair."

    He left the merchant ten minutes later, the combs safe in a bag of crimson velvet and tucked deeply in his pocket. He was so pleased with his purchase that he didn’t notice how the matron watched him from the store window, a smile on her face, a wistful look in her eyes.

    CHAPTER 4

    Iain stood with his brothers outside Haviland’s study, his temper growing darker by the moment. "He bade us be here at ten," he said to his brothers in Gaelic. " ’Tis now past eleven, and still he refuses to admit us."

    "It pleases him to make us wait." Connor leaned back in his chair and stretched out his legs. "The man is a neach dìolain ."

    A true bastard.

    "Aye, that he is."

    Iain strode to the window, looked out on the parade ground. A party of Indians — Mohawk traders by the look of them — came to the gates of the fort, but were turned away. Two errand boys stood close beside the blacksmith’s shop, no doubt trying to keep warm. Redcoats walked here and there, huddled in their winter coats. Many of them would be returning to war soon, for although the peace was won here in the Colonies, the war between France and England and their allies was not over.

    Iain thanked God every day that he and his brothers were out of the fray — and had survived. So many good men had not.

    Time dragged on slowly until it was almost the noon hour and Iain’s stomach began to complain. Then the door opened.

    A young lieutenant appeared. "Brigadier General Haviland will see you now."

    "Is that so? Och , well, we wouldna want to keep Haviland waitin ’, now would we boys?" Iain started forward.

    The lieutenant blocked his path, holding out his hand. "I have orders that you are not to enter armed. You must leave your weapons here."

    Iain’s already bad temper flashed hot. "Does he mean to insult us? We fought wi ’ him this past summer, and now he treats us as enemies?"

    Fear passed over the lad’s face. "I…I know only that I have been told not to let you enter still armed."

    "I dinnae like the feel of this." Iain spoke in Gaelic and knew his brothers shared his misgivings. Then he switched to English again and made a show of conceding. " Och , for Satan! Very well."

    He dropped his tumpline pack, drew out his sword and hunting knife and piled them, together with his musket and pistol, in the surprised lieutenant’s arms. Following his example, Morgan and Connor did the same, until the lad was weighed down by heavy steel. But Iain did not hand over the knife he kept secreted inside his leggings, nor did his brothers reveal theirs.

    If Haviland tried to detain them...

    Iain pushed past the lieutenant and walked down the hallway, Connor’s voice following him.

    "I dinnae ken what Haviland seeks to gain from this. If we had a mind to go after him wi ’ our blades, lad,