A single
word explained the mystery. 'Your breakfast will be a disturbed one,
Captain Waverley. A party of Caterans have come down upon us last night,
and have driven off all our milch cows.'
'A party of Caterans?'
'Yes; robbers from the neighbouring Highlands. We used to be quite free
from them while we paid blackmail to Fergus Mac-Ivor Vich Ian Vohr; but
my father thought it unworthy of his rank and birth to pay it any longer,
and so this disaster has happened. It is not the value of the cattle,
Captain Waverley, that vexes me; but my father is so much hurt at the
affront, and is so bold and hot, that I fear he will try to recover them
by the strong hand; and if he is not hurt himself, he will hurt some of
these wild people, and then there will be no peace between them and us
perhaps for our life-time; and we cannot defend ourselves as in old
times, for the government have taken all our arms; and my dear father is
so rash--O what will become of us!'--Here poor Rose lost heart
altogether, and burst into a flood of tears.
The Baron entered at this moment, and rebuked her with more asperity than
Waverley had ever heard him use to any one.
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