Page 82 of Tattered Huntress
‘Next time I’ll tie one hand behind my back and get a motorbike of my own,’ he growled. ‘Then we’ll see who’s fastest.’
Next time?
Hugo looked at the doormen. ‘Is Sir Nigel in attendance?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘How about Humphrey Bridger?’
‘He arrived about twenty minutes ago, just after we opened up.’
Hugo and I exchanged glances. ‘Yahtzee,’ I whispered. He held out his arm and I took it, placing my hand on it as if I were a proper lady. Together we waltzed past the goggle-eyed doormen. Hester blew them a raspberry as we passed.
Hugo steered us not towards the large dining room but intoa smaller, albeit equally grand, drawing room. The walls were panelled with oak on which were hung old paintings of hunting scenes, and a vast fireplace with decorative crossed swords above it occupied the far side.
In front of the fireplace there was a large group of people. I instantly recognised Hugo’s Primes, together with Eleanor and Sir Nigel. Becky was crying, Eleanor was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief, and even Sir Nigel looked on the brink of tears.
Humphrey was facing them with his back turned to us. ‘You all know that he was a better treasure hunter than me. He got to Cramond before I did. The tide was high and I was too late to cross, but I saw him standing on the shore. He was looking at something.’ His voice cracked. Damn, he was a good actor. ‘Then I realised what – or ratherwho– he was looking at.’
‘Who?’
Humphrey knew how to play his audience. He paused several seconds for effect, building up the tension and appearing too overcome to speak. ‘It – it – it was Daisy. She was quite some distance away from me, but I’m sure it was her on the island. I recognised her clothes.’
There was a swift intake of breath from around the room.
‘I don’t understand,’ Eleanor said. ‘Why would Daisy have been there?’
Humphrey exhaled a long, strangled breath. ‘I’ve been over and over it in my head. She must have been at Loch Arkaig and spied on us when we re-formed the key. She went to Cramond to steal the treasure before Hugo or I could get there.’
He hung his head. ‘I didn’t think she was like that – I thought she was a good fellow. But I saw her – I saw her holding something. I think it was a wooden chest. Hugo tried to take it from her.’ His voice dropped to a pained whisper. ‘That was when the selkies appeared.’
Several of the Primes cried out.
Humphrey remained hunched over himself. ‘I waited until low tide and ventured across but I couldn’t see either of them. I checked the whole island but there was no sign of them or of the gold. I think the selkies killed Hugo and Daisy and hauled the chests into the sea. Nothing else makes any sense.’
‘Hugo could have fought off selkies!’ Becky burst out. ‘He has more than enough magic to defend himself!’
‘Not if he was distracted by that junkie,’ another Prime snarled.
I stiffened. Hugo straightened his shoulders and stepped forward. ‘It’s strange, Humphrey,’ he drawled, ‘that you saw all that happen from the mainland yet you didn’t think to call anyone for help. Didn’t you have your phone with you?’
The whole group whirled to face us, each face blank with astonishment. Then every single one of the Primes flung themselves towards Hugo. ‘You’re alive!’
While they hugged him and cried, I kept my focus on Humphrey. ‘My good fellow,’ I said. ‘You’re looking pale.’
Humphrey stared at me and swallowed hard. Here we go. I tensed my body. A heartbeat later, he rushed towards me. I thought he was going to attack despite the large audience; instead he enveloped me in a tight hug.
‘You’re alright! You’re safe!’ His mouth twisted to my ear. ‘Half the gold is yours if you help me get out of here,’ he murmured so that only I could hear him.
I didn’t react.
‘Five million pounds and you’ll be set for life, Daisy.’
Indeed I would. Five million pounds in the bank and I could do whatever the fuck I wanted. I thought of all the spider’s silk I could buy with that money. And I smiled.
Chapter
Thirty-One
