Page 56 of The Highlander Who Loved Me
“What is that you’re applying? I was assured you would not damage this book.” Johanna clasped her hands into a loose knot to keep from tearing the volume from Serena’s slender fingers.
Serena’s delicate brows arched, and she shook her head. “This will not inflict any permanent blemish. None that a fool who’d believe this book was real would be able to detect, in any case.”
“A fool…” The words trailed off Johanna’s lips, like a whisper. Serena MacMasters was every bit as arrogant as her brother. Johanna bit back her response. For the time being, she needed the young woman’s assistance.
“I wouldnae expect ye to know the difference. Ye haven’t had the specialized training to make such a judgment.” She shifted her brother a glance. “But others should know better.”
Connor shot Serena a scowl. “Bah, what’s twisted yer drawers?”
“Such language. And with a lady present.” Serena’s soft smile contradicted her scolding tone.
“I doubt she gives a fig. She’s concerned about the bluidy book.” Connor’s stern visage eased. “Now, what is that stuff ye’re using?”
“It’s a secret, a formula Liam and I developed. I could tell ye—” A little grin tugged at Serena’s mouth.
“But then ye’d have to kill me.” Connor gave his head a weary shake. “Don’t ye ever tire of using that line?”
“No, dear brother. I rather like it.” Serena reached across the desk and selected a large magnifying lens shaded with a faint amber hue. Studying the page she’d dampened with her foul-smelling concoction, she pressed her lips taut. Concentration etched furrows in her forehead.
Johanna leaned closer for a better look. “The glass…it’s been tinted. Why?”
Serena’s pert nose wrinkled. “Surely ye don’t expect me to go about revealing my trade secrets, do ye?”
“Of course I would not expect you to divulge secrets, but given the circumstances—”
“My, so very serious.” The corners of Serena’s mouth turned up. “I understand your interest, and ye deserve an explanation. Perhaps later, I’ll have time to explain the particulars of the investigative process. But for now, I can tell you the solution and the lens work together to reveal markings that are not visible without the proper filter.”
When Johanna nodded her understanding, Serena flipped to another page and dipped a swab into her potion. With a careful motion, she swiped the tip over the print. Once again, Serena held the lens over the text. Little lines etched between her brows as she repeated the process. Another swipe of the applicator over a page, and her frown deepened. “Rather frustrating. I’d felt so certain—”
Johanna peeped over Serena’s shoulder, a rather easy feat given the several inches that separated their heights. Unlike her sister, Serena MacMasters was petite, the crown of her head level with Johanna’s chin.
“Ah, there it is. A marking.” Serena’s mouth crooked into a smile. “Beneath the lens. It’s faint, but there’s no mistaking it.”
“Aye, I see it,” Connor said, his voice low and gruff. “A code?”
Johanna peered through the lens, spotting a symbol etched with thin, precise lines. Three diamonds, surrounded by a single circle.
“I can see no other purpose for such a marking,” Serena replied crisply. “A fascinating development. There’s no way to predict how many pages in this volume bear similar icons. The task of uncovering the symbols might well take days.”
Days. The word echoed in Johanna’s thoughts. Such time was a luxury she did not have.
“I cannot abide any delay.” Johanna fought the tension gripping her chest. She had to present the appearance of strength, of determination. Her words could not waver, even as her pulse raced.
Connor met her words with a brisk nod. “The lass is right. There’s no time for ye to search that book for some bluidy code.”
“Indeed,” Serena said coolly, meeting her brother’s gaze. “In due time, I trust I will be afforded the opportunity to conduct a thorough analysis. But for the time being, I understand the need for expediency. Fortunately, I’ve detected something else that may well prove useful.”
“What’ve ye found?”
Serena placed the lens on the desk. “In my cursory examination, I noticed a small flaw in the inner binding. I do not believe the blemish is there by chance. Connor, please hand me the scalpel.”
Scalpel? Johanna bit back the questions that sprang to mind.
Connor placed the thin-bladed implement in his sister’s gloved hand. “What’s caught yer eye?”
“Look…here.” Serena motioned to the binding that secured the back cover to the pages of the book. She pressed the tip of the blade to the seam. “There’s something irregular here.”
“I don’t see it,” Connor said, studying the area. “Ye’ve already found a code. We need to focus on deciphering that.”
