"You shoot a man for ill manners?" Graham asked.
"Only if he persists. I am convinced you would not persist, am I right Mr. Graham? You would not persist in pursuing another lad's wife, would you?"
"Certainly not. I am a married man."
"I had not heard that. Do you love your wife?"
"Very much."
"Does she know you are having an affair with my wife?"
Graham oddly looked defiant. "I assure you, I am not having an affair with your wife."
"Of course you are. Come now, Mr. Graham, there is no need to deny it, I've plenty of witnesses." Hannish's smile turned to a frightening glare. "Mr. Graham, should you ever go near my wife again, I shall see that everyone in Scotland hears of your treachery."
George Graham realized Shepard was reloading and began to back away. "But you will pay me?"
"At the end of the week, just as I said. Furthermore, I shall be happy to see that the horse is returned to the hotel." Hannish pointed down the lane. "Town is that way."
Alarmed by the shot, every member of the household was outside watching when Mr. Graham began to run down the lane. As soon as he was out of sight, they watched Hannish take off his jacket, hand it to Shepard and head for the woodpile.
*
The axe was right where Hannish left it the last time - imbedded in the end of a log. He pulled it out, set another log on top of it and delivered a mighty blow. He was not as angry this time as he was perplexed. By his count, Olivia had managed to get her hands on a great deal of money. Had she squandered it or was she up to something? Did she mean to get all she could out of him, and trick him into divorcing her so she could marry George Graham? An hour later, that was the only explanation he could come up with.
*
It was a mistake to wear the new shoes Olivia bought him in New York, and it didn't take long for Graham's feet to blister on his forced walk down the hill toward town. The worst seemed to be on the outside of his little toes, and when he found a rock to sit on, he stopped, took off his left shoe and tried to see what the problem was. He put his hand inside, felt around and when he finally looked up, a man on a horse was watching him.
"I had a pair of shoes like those once," the stranger said. "They have a knot inside, but if you clip it…if you can reach it that is, the shoe begins to fall apart."