Retreat from short Scottish landowner (4)
I believe the answer is:
lair
'retreat' is the definition.
(both can mean a private hideout)
'short scottish landowner' is the wordplay.
'short' means to remove the last letter.
'scottish landowner' becomes 'laird' (I've seen this in another clue).
'laird' with its final letter taken off is 'LAIR'.
'from' is the link.
(Other definitions for lair that I've seen before include "enclosure" , "Den of a wild animal" , "office?" , "Wild animal's retreat" , "Habitat of a wild animal" .)