The Duke did not reply.
It was impossible for him to say to Mr. Dunblane that until his second letter he had had no intention of returning. Vaguely he remembered his father holding meetings of the Clan to which he had not been invited, and festivities at Christmas, to which he had.
Now he was recalling how important a Chief was to his people, and, although he had reassured himself in London that such things were out of date, he knew that he had been mistaken.
He wished he had made it clear to Dunblane in the letter which announced his arrival that he wanted no fuss, no special greetings, no Clansmen paying him homage.
Then he thought that, even if he had said so, it was very unlikely anyone would have paid any attention.
A Chieftain was the father of his Clan and, as previously he had
