Page 81 of Tattered Huntress
‘Before we part company,’ he continued, ‘you’ll need to come with me. We’ll have to tell Sir Nigel what happened, and the police will probably want statements from both of us.’
True. I wasn’t going to be able to avoid the police, not now. I nodded as Otis reappeared. ‘No sign of the selkies,’ he said. ‘And no sign of the chests, either. Humphrey took them all with him.’
That wouldn’t have been an easy feat. I felt a flicker of dark amusement at the effort he’d have had to make to heave them to the mainland.
Hugo sighed. ‘It won’t be easy to get all that gold back. If he has any sense, he’ll already have spirited it away.’
‘Humphrey will get his comeuppance.’
‘You seem very sure.’
I shrugged. ‘You’re like a dog with a bone. You have an inflated desire for justice that won’t let him get away.’
‘As ifyouwould forget what he’s done,’ Hugo snorted. ‘You’d be as likely to commandeer a troupe of vampires to do your bidding and send them after him for bloody vengeance as you would be to let him go.’
‘Vampires are not a bad idea.’ I grinned. ‘Between you and me, Humphrey is toast.’
Hugo smiled at me.
‘I’m sorry that I sent Duchess to your posh castle,’ I said quietly.
‘I’m sorry I judged you and gotyou fired.’
I nodded, acknowledging his sincerity. ‘I’mnotsorry that I found the necklace before you.’
Hugo was suddenly no longer smiling. He dipped his head towards me and murmured in my ear, ‘Neither am I, Daisy.’
‘If this continues,’ Hester muttered from the side, ‘it’ll be high tide again and we’ll be stuck here again because you two couldn’t stop making googly eyes at each other.’
I licked my lips. She was right: we had to get off Cramond and find Sir Nigel. Besides, this wasn’t over yet. In fact, the best part was about to begin.
Although I believedwe were now genuine friends, I couldn’t prevent the delicious thrill of satisfaction that my ability to weave between traffic on Jamila’s motorbike meant I arrived in front of the Royal Elvish Institute before Hugo. I was handicapped by the injury to my hand but I was still faster than him. It was a childish, petty joy – and I relished it.
As I heaved myself off the bike and strode up the steps, I immediately recognised the two doormen. Bonus. When they caught sight of me and their expressions hardened into identical glares, my smile broadened. ‘Fellas! How fabulous to see you both again!’
From their perch on my shoulder, Hester and Otis waved. Neither doorman reacted.
‘You’re not carrying anything,’ the first doorman said. ‘So you’re not making a delivery.’
‘And your name,’ the second doorman added without missing a beat, ‘is not down on today’s list of guests.’ The pair of them stepped closer to each other to ensure that my way was barred. ‘You are not welcome here.’
Otis gasped in melodramatic horror but Hester took a morepragmatic approach. ‘Kick them where it hurts, Daisy! You can take them!’
There was a pointed cough from behind us and both doormen looked over my shoulder. Their demeanour altered drastically. ‘Lord Pemberville.’
I raised an eyebrow. Lord? Hugo was even posher than I’d realised.
‘Don’t you know who this is?’ he asked in such a civilised tone that I almost laughed. ‘This is Daisy Carter. She’s an esteemed elf who is one of the greatest treasure hunters our country has to offer.’
There was a moment’s silence then the doormen shuffled to the side, one heading right while the other stepped to the left. ‘I apologise,’ the first one said stiffly.
‘We didn’t know,’ replied the second.
I was reasonably certain they both hated me more than ever now. I turned away, partly so they wouldn’t see the smile on my face and partly so I could tease Hugo. ‘Beat you,’ I grinned.
‘You had an unfair advantage.’
I held up my bandaged hand. ‘I disagree.’
