She had brown eyes and brown hair, and those who most loved her called her Wee Brown Elspeth.

Ian Red Hand was richer and more powerful than Malcolm of the Glen, and therefore could more easily work his cruel will.

He knew well of Malcolm's worship of his child, and laid his plans to torture him through her.

Dark Malcolm, coming back to his rude, small castle one night after a raid in which he had lost followers and weapons and strength, found that Wee Brown Elspeth had been carried away, and unspeakable taunts and threats left behind by Ian and his men.

With unbound wounds, broken dirks and hacked swords, Dark Malcolm and the remnant of his troop of fighting clansmen rushed forth into the night.
"Neither men nor weapons have we to win her back," screamed Dark Malcolm, raving mad, "but we may die fighting to get near enough to her to drive dirk into her little breast and save her from worse." They were a band of madmen in their black despair.