The
Island chief willingly consented and the marriage was in due course
solemnised. About a year after, the Earl's nephew and apparent
heir, Alexander Macdonald of Lochalsh, came to Ross, and, feeling
more secure in consequence of this matrimonial alliance between
the family of Mackenzie and his own, took possession of Balcony
House and the adjoining lands, where, at the following Christmas,
he provided a great feast for his old dependants, inviting to
it also most of the more powerful chiefs and barons north of the
Spey, and among others, Kenneth Mackenzie, his cousin's husband.
The house of Balcony being at the time very much out of repair, he
could not conveniently lodge all his distinguished guests within
it, and had accordingly to arrange for some of them in the outhouses
as best he could. Kenneth did not arrive until Christmas Eve,
accompanied by a train of forty able bodied men, according to the
custom of the times, but without his lady, which deeply offended
Macdonald. Maclean of Duart had chief charge of the arrangements in
the house and the disposal of the guests. Some days previously he
had a disagreement with Kenneth at some games, and, on his arrival,
Maclean told the heir of Kintail that, taking advantage of his
connection with the family, they had taken the liberty of providing
him with lodgings in the kiln.
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