Page 74 of A Rogue in Twilight
James touched her elbow. “Miss MacArthur, you may remember my youngest brother, Patrick.” She smiled up him as a woman and a tall man dressed in black came outside as well.
“You remember Miss Sinclair,” James said then.
“I do,” Elspeth said politely as Charlotte Sinclair gave her a tight little smile. The young woman stood so close to James that her shoulder pressed his arm.
Feeling a jolt to see that, thinking she might be too late after all, Elspeth kept her smile in place. “How do you do, Miss Sinclair. How good to see that you all found the chance to visit the Highlands together.”
“We came with Lady Rankin to visit James, er, Lord Struan and we look forward to touring the countryside.” Charlotte turned up her smile like a lamp as she looked at James. “Tomorrow I will lure him away from his books to take us around.”
“And this is my cousin, Lord Eldin,” James said, almost cutting her off. “Miss MacArthur of Kilcrennan.” Elspeth turned almost gratefully toward the stranger.
“A true Highland girl. I am charmed.” Eldin inclined his head. At first glance, he looked like a dark, avenging angel, his face flawlessly handsome but stern, his physique neat in hisblack clothing. But Elspeth sensed something unsettling about him. She frowned as he extended his hand for her gloved fingers.
The world went dizzy for a moment, shadowy with a smoky haze. She saw James and his cousin in a different place, a brown meadow with a chaos of smoke surrounding men in bright red jackets and dark tartan kilts—the uniform of the Highland Black Watch. James and Eldin held bayoneted guns, James seated with a bloody gash above his knee, Eldin standing over him, A Highlander lay dead at their feet. The image disappeared, and instead she saw both men staring at her now.
“Miss MacArthur, are you ill?” Eldin asked.
Only a few seconds had passed, she was sure. She pulled her fingers from Eldin’s cordial grip. “You—” she whispered, “you were there. James was hurt—the other died.”
“Elspeth. Miss MacArthur,” James murmured, taking her arm. “Come inside.”
“What is this?” Lord Eldin asked sharply. “Do you have the Sight?”
“Come inside. We will have tea,” James said firmly, leading her up the steps. As the others turned to follow more slowly, Elspeth leaned into his sure strength, grateful for his calm, for she was trembling. He guided her to the library where Mrs. MacKimmie had laid an elaborate tea on the large round table and brought her to a wing chair by the fireplace.
“Sit here. What happened?” he asked quietly. “One of your visions?”
“Odd,” she said, putting a shaking hand to her brow. “I saw you and Lord Eldin in regimental dress on a battlefield, I think.” She told him quietly, quickly, while the others wandered into the room. “You had a gash above the knee. There was a dead Highlander.”
“Dear God,” he said. “I never told you about all that. I was wounded,” he whispered. “Another cousin was killed. Eldin was with us.”
“Oh my,” she breathed.
“Would you like some whisky? You are shaking.”
“Just tea,” she said with a rueful laugh. “I am fine now.”
“Drat, here they come,” he said, and turned as the others entered, talking, finding seats, exploring the room and perusing the teapots, cakes, and small sandwiches laid out.
Eldin came to her. “Miss MacArthur. You seemed overcome.”
“I am perfectly fine, sir.” She rose to her feet.
“So you have the Sight,” he murmured, and closed his eyes. “Ah. Fairy-held. A gift. Interesting.” He leaned toward her. “I have a touch of it myself, so I understand.”
She had sensed something odd about Eldin. Perhaps that was it. James returned, and she felt a sharp tension between him and Eldin, as if the cousin posed a threat.
“You and John will be leaving soon, but I hope you will stay for tea,” he said.
“Of course,” Eldin said, and went to the table.
She rose from the chair and followed James. Charlotte, taking the role of hostess that properly belonged to James’s twin, Fiona, was pouring tea; she handed James a plate of sugar biscuits, calling those his favorite.
Feeling small and invisible, Elspeth brightened to see her grandfather. “Lass?” he asked, sounding concerned.
“I am fine, Grandda. What would you like?” she asked, gesturing to the table.
“Whatever makes you happy, that is all I want.”
