The latter was in a good humour. He himself had not
taken part in the raid on the Armstrongs, which had been led by Thomas
Baird, a cousin; but the fact that the latter had been entirely
successful, and had burned down Armstrong's house, and brought back his
daughters, had given him the greatest satisfaction. There was a
long-standing feud between the two families, and the fact that the
Armstrongs were on good terms with their English neighbours, and still
more that one of them had married the sister-in-law of a Forster of
Yardhope, had greatly embittered the feeling, on his side. He had long
meditated striking a blow at them, and the present time had been
exceptionally favourable.
Douglas had his hands full. He was on ill terms with Rothesay, whose
conduct to his daughter had deeply offended him. The newly-acquired
land of the Earl of March gave him much trouble. He was jealous of the
great influence of Albany, at court; and was, moreover, making
preparations for a serious raid into England. It was not likely, then,
that he would pay any attention to the complaints the Armstrongs might
make, of any attack upon them; especially as their aid was of small use
to him, while the Bairds could, at any moment, join him, in an invasion
across the border, with three hundred good fighting men.
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