Page 10 of Tattered Huntress
‘I’m smooth, suave and sophisticated,’ Billy said.
‘Not like hunky Hugo, you’re not.’ Kat raised her chin and called to the bartender. ‘Could you put the sound up?’
He found the remote control and a moment later we could hear Hugo Pemberville’s dulcet, cultured tones. ‘Oh, yes, Deborah,’ he said to the coiffed interviewer on the sofa. ‘It’s incredibly exciting. We’ve narrowed down the possible locations where the necklace might have been hidden after it was stolen in the late nineteenth century. There are only a few places to investigate, so I’m confident that we’ll find it soon.’
‘Can you tell us where these locations are?’ Deborah asked.
Hugo tapped his nose and winked at her. ‘Close to Edinburgh. That’s the most I’m saying.’
Deborah giggled, clearly charmed by him. Next to me, Billy rolled his eyes. ‘Looks like Pemberville is getting lucky tonight.’
I barely heard him; instead my mind had flashed to the scribbled notes I’d seen in the drawing room at Neidpath Castle.Black abyss. Four hills. Sulphur?Hmm.
‘Also joining us today,’ Deborah said, ‘is Sir Nigel Hannigan, who is helping to fund the search for the necklace. Sir Nigel, you must be extraordinarily excited that it might finally be found after so many years.’
The camera panned to an older gentleman who clearlydidn’t pander to any contemporary fashion norms. He was wearing a bow tie, a checked waistcoat and sporting an extraordinary handlebar moustache that had been waxed to perfection.
‘I’m terribly thrilled,’ he said. ‘Of course, once the necklace is found it will be restored and then displayed to the public in the British Museum. That way everyone can enjoy it for generations to come.’
Deborah smiled at him, although there was a much less flirtatious edge to her expression than she’d displayed for Hugo Pemberville. ‘I’m also told,’ she said, glancing towards an invisible autocue, ‘that you have other exciting plans on the horizon.’
‘Indeed. We’ve found some interesting documents in the archives that we believe may lead to the treasure of Loch Arkaig. It holds a large amount of gold that Spain gave to the Jacobites in 1745 to help with the uprising against the English. It was hidden away and then lost before it could be put to its intended use. I’m funding a competition to locate this treasure. Several teams from across the British Isles will join the search for it, including Hugo and his Primes. Whoever finds the Arkaig treasure will receive a substantial reward.’
‘And I’m looking forward to receiving that reward,’ Hugo said.
Deborah laughed again before the camera cut away to a different segment.
‘See?’ Kat said, dropping her gaze from the screen. ‘He’s so sexy that even Deborah Drummond wants to shag him.’
Billy harrumphed. ‘I’d rather have the treasure than shag Hugo Pemberville.’
‘Well, I’d rather shag Hugo Pemberville.’ She nudged me. ‘Right, Daisy?’
I didn’t answer.
‘Daisy?’
I licked my lips. ‘I know where it is,’ I whispered.
She frowned. ‘What?’
Billy turned to me. ‘The Loch Arkaig treasure?Youknow where it is?’
I shook my head. ‘Not that. I think I know where that necklace is.’
Kat and Billy stared at me. Finally Kat said, ‘I guess the next drinks are on you then.’
‘What are we waiting for?’ Billy said. ‘Let’s get out of here and go find it! Is it gold? Will it make us rich?’
I shrugged. I didn’t know anything about the necklace, but if the notes I’d spotted were accurate then I knew its location. I’d spent enough time driving around the lowlands of Scotland delivering random items to rural places to know exactly where it was.
Kat shook her head. ‘We won’t get rich. There might be a small finder’s fee, but objects like that belong to the country rather than the person who digs them up. Treasure-trove law.’ She pointed at the television screen again, even though it was now showing a skein of ducks instead of treasure hunters. ‘I’ve heard Hugo Pemberville talk about it before.’
Her face brightened. ‘Instead of getting the necklace ourselves, we should tell him where it is. He’ll be eternally grateful.’ She smirked saucily and I knew she was imagining all the ways Hugo Pemberville could display his gratitude. Knowing Kat, they probably involved strawberry-flavoured lubricant and vanilla massage oil. Alotof massage oil.
I leaned back in my chair and took another long gulp of my gin and tonic. ‘Nah. He said he’s already narrowed down the location. He’ll probably have it in his privileged paws before the end of the week. He doesn’t need our help.’
I’d had enough dealings with the man and I certainly didn’twant to go rushing in to help his daft treasure hunt. I didn’t have any inclination to find the necklace myself; I’d make more money by turning up to my job instead of chasing after vague dreams, and I had no doubt that he’d have found it by the time my holiday started next week. Besides, I didn’t want to allow Hugo Pemberville to take up any more space in my head.
