Page 31 of The Highlander Who Loved Me
Ever skeptical, Harrison cocked a brow. “You now believe Miss Templeton is telling the truth?”
“Aye, I do. If the lass is lying to me, a more convincing act I’ve never witnessed.”
Harrison stroked his jaw as he offered a solemn nod. “Bluidy hell, it all makes sense now.”
“What was the man thinking, involving his own child in his schemes?”
“Greed can make a man irrational. So can fear.” As usual, Harrison was the voice of reason. “I take it you’re heading to the castle.”
“What better place to pursue this matter?”
His brother shrugged. “For Miss Templeton’s sake, you’d be better advised to shelter her here while you await firm intelligence. You don’t know what you’re dealing with—Cranston may not be the only jackal involved in this scheme.”
“That willnae work. That blasted book is a ransom. Operatives have tracked Cranston to a village near Loch Ness. Miss Templeton is expected to seek him out. We wouldnae want to disappoint the son of a bitch.”
…
Since arriving in the Highlands, Johanna had faced armed villains and a roguish devil who might well be her hero. Or her downfall. Somehow, she’d managed to rein in her distress without shattering into a million sobs. So how was it that a bird-thin housekeeper’s cagey stare threatened to unnerve her?
Mrs. Duncan planted her fists on her narrow hips and canted her head, surveying Johanna with a look that spoke louder than the words uttered by her pinched lips. “Dr. MacMasters asked me t’settle ye in a chamber for the night.”
“Thank you, but that’s quite unnecessary. I doubt I’ll sleep.”
“What ye do when ye’re in there is yer concern, lass. But the doctor—”
“Is there a problem?” Harrison entered the study.
“Not of this woman’s making,” Johanna said, meeting the physician’s questioning gaze. “I see no need to trouble her with preparing a room. I’ll be no more comfortable in a chamber than I am here.”
“You need to rest, Miss Templeton. You have a long day ahead of you. Once you allow yourself to relax, the sedative I administered should ensure at least a few hours’ sleep.”
At her side, the housekeeper wrung her bony hands. Johanna considered her words carefully. She certainly didn’t intend to cause trouble for the matron.
“Very well. If you insist.” If Johanna’s voice betrayed that she’d rather face a nest of vipers than bed down in this house, so be it.
“Ye’ll find the room to yer likin’. The queen’s linens are nae as clean.” Mrs. Duncan’s attention drifted to Johanna’s valise. “Do ye have any clothin’ in that bag?”
Johanna shook her head. “Unfortunately, my traveling case was left behind at an inn. I’d no cause to believe I wouldn’t return for it…until events took a turn for the worse.”
Harrison MacMasters raked a hand through his hair. “Was there anything of significance in your case?”
“Of significance? Perhaps not to you, but I assure you my garments are of great value to me.”
“Aside from your clothing, what were you carrying?”
“Toiletries. Stationery and writing implements. One of my notebooks.”
“You keep a journal?” Interest flavored his otherwise bland tone.
“Of sorts. I find it helpful to record ideas for my novels and such.”
“I’ll send someone to retrieve the case. Your notes may hold some value to the situation.”
“I assure you there’s no intrigue to be found in my scribblings.”
“We can’t be sure until we examine it. The slightest clue might prove vital. You may not have recognized its significance at the time you recorded the thought.”
Connor MacMasters’s boots thudded over the polished floor. “There’s no need to go after the journal. I already have it.”
