Page 93 of When a Lady Kisses a Scot
Sophie furrowed her brow.Fear his judgment. Such an odd statement, much less from Campbell’s secretary.
“Whatever do you mean?”
She breezed past Sophie. “I’ll go in search of Henry. At the very least, it’s a fine excuse to seek him out. He is quite pleasing to the eyes, if you haven’t noticed.”
She’d ignored Sophie’s query, but perhaps it truly was for the best to change the subject. “He appears to be rather taken with you.”
“Does he now?” Rebecca smiled. “He’s a strapping specimen, wouldn’t you say?”
“Quite so.”
“Sophie, why don’t you come along with me? I’d thought you more daring than this.”
Rebecca’s comment should not have stung, but somehow, it pinched just a bit. Sophie pondered the challenge in her words. Truth be told, the tedium of the day was taking its toll on her nerves.
“I suppose you’re right. There’s no harm in taking a look about the grounds and breathing a bit of fresh country air.” Sophie set her book aside and came to her feet. “I’ll bring my pistol along for good measure. It will make short work of any threat.”
With the sun’s rays streaming over its towers and turrets, Hunter’s Folly was indeed magnificent. Standing on a rope bridge over a small stream that resembled a moat, Sophie took in the striking architecture. The castle radiated a sense of nobleness, of history. How many generations had lived and died between those walls and on the grounds? How many battles had been fought to preserve a claim on this particular patch of Earth?
Rebecca strolled through a garden, pausing to smell the delicate fragrance of lavender. She bent over a chrysanthemum, snapped the flower off its stem, and tucked it in her hair.
Sophie rubbed her temples, pondering Miss Beddingham’s change in demeanor. For years, Rebecca had presented herself as precise, prim, and efficient. Now, something seemed off about her movements, about her reactions.
Her comments about Campbell had taken Sophie by surprise. Gone was the vibrant woman who’d played coy with Henry the day before. Now, she held her back as rigid as the castle’s cold, gray stone.
Rebecca traced the seam of her skirt with one hand, gliding along the hidden pocket sewn into the garments of all female agents. Sunlight glinted off the object she now held partially concealed between the folds of fabric, a pearl-handled two-shot derringer.
Why in blazes did Rebecca have a gun? Had something in the distance—something Sophie had missed—put her on alert?
“Rebecca, what are you doing?”
“I heard a noise…is that a carriage?”
Sophie went silent. In the distance, she detected a sound that might’ve been the clop of horses’ hooves. Was a coach at the gate? Had Colton dispatched other agents for security, or had intruders breached the grounds?
Removing her pistol from the reticule tethered to her wrist, Sophie pulled in a calming breath. “There is no cause for alarm. Still, one can never be too cautious.”
“How very unexpected, coming from you,” Rebecca replied, her tone cool and dismissive. “After all, you’ve become rather close to Stanwyck. What do we truly know about our host’s motives? It all seems a bit too convenient, wouldn’t you say, luring us out to this lonely place?”
“Stanwyck is an honorable man. You’ve no reason for concern.”
“Honorable?” Her mouth curled at the corners—not a smile, but a look of derision. “Of course you would believe that. After all, you did spend the night warming his bed. Most unprofessional. And here you were supposed to be training me.”
Her words seemed a hard slap to the face. “You were spying on me?”
Rebecca gave a little shrug. “So, you don’t deny your dalliance with the man. You’re far too gullible, too trusting. Or is that one of your methods—render a man insensible with passion, then hope he feels an urge to confess his sins as he sprawls sated against the sheets?”
Sophie steadied herself, refusing to visibly flinch against the verbal attack. What in bloody hell had come over Rebecca?
“What I do behind closed doors is none of your concern. I can assure you, whatever is between Stanwyck and me has nothing to do with the investigation.”
“Sadly, you’re mistaken. Your liaison offers the potential for leverage that can be used against Stanwyck.”
“Leverage?” She gulped a breath, calming her racing pulse. “What in blazes has come over you?”
“Is it really that hard to deduce? All these years, I have scurried about like some blasted genie, eager to fulfill MacAllister Campbell’s every command. I deceived myself into believing that if he found my competence invaluable, he would eventually come to appreciate me…as a woman. But I was wrong. The man is as cold as gunmetal. I wasted so many years trying to please him. And for what? I doubt the man could even tell you my given name.”
“Campbell is dedicated to his work. I won’t argue that. But he highly values you, Rebecca.”
