Grace Under Fire (Buchanan-Renard 14)

“You wouldn’t have heard about the Wiley Croft case here in Scotland... all about theft of government funds. With all the evidence against Wiley, he was convicted and sentenced to a long term.” He looked at the officer holding the evidence bags and said, “He didn’t do it. The proof is right here. My God...”

Those papers went into another evidence bag. Compton MacKenna’s letter was on the bottom. The seal on the envelope was torn, but the letter was intact. Michael used his cell phone to take a photo of the letter. Gladstone returned in time to hear Isabel read what Compton had written.

The letter was as cold and unfeeling as Compton MacKenna had been. There wasn’t a salutation.

Grace Isabel MacKenna,

I have been watching you and your sisters for a long time, and I have been surprised and even shocked by your progress and success. I find it amazing that you have flourished in spite of the unrefined environment you were raised in. Of the three sisters, I thought that you, the youngest, would have the most difficulty pulling yourself up and getting out of an abysmal home life under the control of a backward, uncultured, common woman.

But you have surpassed my expectations. In the latest quarterly report it was noted that you had decided to put the singing nonsense aside. It was also noted that history was your passion, and that is why I have given you Glen MacKenna. I would have left it to my nephews, but they have not proven themselves to be worthy of such a bequest and would only squander it. Scotland is rich with history, and I believe you will appreciate it.

I have created a financial endowment for the upkeep of the land. This will ensure that its beauty will be maintained and my legacy will be sustained for generations to come. You will find all the pertinent information on the enclosed page.

Your father and I had our differences when it came to preserving our family’s heritage. There is nothing more important than upholding the prestige of our noble name, a name that has been highly respected throughout generations of our clan. It was my sincerest desire that your father would recognize his obligation to those who came before him. However, in choosing a wife of inferior lineage, with no breeding and no regard for the high honor given to her with the MacKenna name, he turned his back on me and all his ancestors.

I trust you understand the importance of the MacKenna clan.

I am giving you this land with just two stipulations, and the money designated to preserve the land is contingent upon your adherence to them. Both are equally important. First and foremost, you will not sell it. Second, to protect my bloodline, the land will always have the MacKenna name.

Compton MacKenna