SCOTTISH GARDENS 



Sutherland, also, had but one son, Alexander, who 

 alone stood between Isobel's son and succession to 

 the earldom. Caithness persuaded his kinswoman 

 Isobel that Alexander must be put out of the way. 

 What will not woman dare and do for the sake of her 

 son ? But more was wanted. A single murder would 

 not suffice, for the Countess of Sutherland was known 

 to be near her confinement. Caithness insisted that 

 a clean sweep must be made of the whole brood. 



This was planned in the following way. In July, 

 1567, Isobel invited the Earl and Countess of 

 Sutherland, with their son, Lord Alexander, to 

 spend a few days at Helmsdale, that the young 

 lord might enjoy some sport with the deer in 

 Strathullie. One evening she put poison in the 

 ale prepared for supper. Sutherland and his countess 

 drank of it, and were taken ill ; but Lord Alex- 

 ander remained late on the hill and supper was 

 finished before he and John Gordon, Isobel's son, 

 returned. Sutherland, feeling the poison at work 

 and suspecting the truth, dragged off the table- 

 cloth, forbade his son to take bite or sup in that 

 house of death, and sent him forward fasting to 

 Skibo. The Earl and Countess managed to get to 

 Dunrobin, where they both died within five days ; 

 but not before their death had been avenged by a 

 strange stroke of fate. Isobel, probably, had made 

 some pretext to keep her son out of the supper- 

 room ; but the lad, being thirsty and tired with 

 hunting, sent a servant for a horn of ale, which he 



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