'They have an orphanage?' It was a question, not exactly an eager one.
'I'm not interested in their orphanage. They also have a nursery for little girls. And Sister Clare is an old friend. When necessary, if I am working, I can put Meg there, and when she is old enough she will go to the convent school.'
Jack was listening now. 'You've worked it all out, haven't you?'
'With your approval.'
'Of course I approve.' Sounds on the stairs, an excited child's voice. Meg came in with Thane and rushed over to Jack who swung her up in his arms.
For a moment there was no thought of him rushing away and I went quietly about preparing Meg's breakfast. I'd try her with porridge, see how we got on.
Jack kissed her again, set her down at the table. Pointing across at me, he said solemnly, 'This is your ma, Meg.'
And I wanted to cry as she looked at me and laughed delightedly - a wee girl who had been through so much in her three years, radiant, trusting.
Jack put an arm around my shoulders. 'We are your ma and pa, Meg. Your own family.'
She frowned, not quite understanding what the word meant. A moment later she touched Thane's head - he had moved to her side - and she nodded eagerly, saying proudly, 'And doggie too.'
And that's about all there is.
For now.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Among the many historical accounts and material consulted, I am indebted to The Battle of Prestonpans Heritage Trust for 'The Prestonpans Tapestry 1745' published by Prestoungrange University Press with Burke's Peerage & Gentry, 2010.
About the Author
ALANNA KNIGHT has written more than fifty novels, three non-fiction titles on R.L. Stevenson, two true crime books, numerous short stories and several plays since the publication of her first book in 1969. Born and educated in Tyneside, she now lives in Edinburgh. She is a member of the Scottish chapter of the Crime Writers' Association, a founding member of the Scottish Association of Writers, and Honorary President of the Edinburgh Writers' Club.
www.alannaknight.com
By Alanna Knight
THE ROSE MCQUINN SERIES
The Inspector's Daughter
Dangerous Pursuits
An Orkney Murder
Ghost Walk
Destroying Angel
Quest for a Killer
Deadly Legacy
THE INSPECTOR FARO SERIES
Murder in Paradise
The Seal King Murders
THE TAM EILDOR SERIES
The Gowrie Conspiracy
The Stuart Sapphire
Copyright
Allison & Busby Limited
13 Charlotte Mews
London W1T 4EJ
www.allisonandbusby.com
First published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby in 2012.
This ebook edition published by Allison & Busby in 2012.
Copyright (c) 2012 by ALANNA KNIGHT
The moral right of the author is hereby asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All characters and events in this publication other than those clearly in the public domain are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent buyer.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978-0-7490-1112-3
Title Page
Dedication
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
AUTHOR'S NOTE
About the Author
By Alanna Knight
Copyright