granted , the convent 's cows were not quite like her mother 's sweet-tempered , shaggy red hieland coos , but if you came right down to it , a cow was a cow , and even a french-speaking wee besom like the present mirabeau was no match for joan mac-kimmie , who 'd driven kine to and from the shielings for years , and fed her mother 's kine in the byre beside the house with sweet hay and the leavings from supper .