Page 144 of The Highlander's Kilted Bride
Morgan winked at him. “Ah, playing your cards close to the chest. You sly dog! Not that I’m in the running, you understand. The field is all yours.”
“I understood from Johnny that you are indeed in the running.”
“I was simply jesting. Not really looking to get leg-shackled at the moment.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Although Miss Charlotte is certainly quite the filly, isn’t she? She’d give a fellow a run for the money.”
For a moment, Kade seriously contemplated drilling his fist into the smug bastard’s face.
Later.
“Indeed,” he blandly said.
“And what splendid news about Johnny, I must say.” He gave an indulgent chuckle. “Although I need to give the dear boy a bit of a scold when he’s up to receiving visitors. He should know by now how to properly dose himself with those bloody drops. Can’t imagine how he made such a silly mistake.”
Kade raised his eyebrows. “I hadn’t realized Johnny used laudanum on a regular basis.”
Morgan waved a dismissive hand. “Only occasionally, when he has the headache or suffers from a bout of nerves.” He leaned close, as if confiding a secret. “Seems to run in the family, if you know what I mean.”
Kade abruptly stood, forcing Morgan to step back. “Johnny never struck me as the nervous type. Of course, you would know better than me, since you’re such good friends. But I wonder if perhaps you should inform Lady Kinloch that Johnny has been using drops.”
Morgan shifted his feet. “I’d hate to grass on the poor boy. But I’ll be sure to drop a hint in Johnny’s ear when next I see him. I assume he’ll be coming downstairs today?”
“I believe the doctor advised Lady Kinloch that it would be best for Johnny to remain in his room for the next few days. The effects of an overdose can take some time to wear off, I understand.”
After the physician’s call on Johnny yesterday—and the administration of unpleasant but apparently effective purgatives—the young man had slept for the rest of the day and much of the night. While the lad would likely be fine today, Kade had every intention of keeping him safely out of the way until his tormentor was locked up tight.
Morgan nodded. “Very sensible. I’ll simply have to wait until tomorrow to visit with him. By the way, old man, are you finished with those papers?”
After Kade handed them over, Morgan sauntered over to one of the club chairs by the fireplace and made a show of settling in. Kade glanced at Angus, who returned a slight nod to indicate that he would keep a weather eye on their prey.
Kade left the room and headed upstairs. He needed to speak with Charlie, and then they both needed to speak with Johnny. Hopefully, yesterday’s scare would convince the lad that it was time to open up.
Charlie had insisted on spending the night in Johnny’s room, watching over her brother like a mother fox with one kit—armed with a pistol, no less. It had been an unnecessary precaution, because once Morgan had retired for the night, Kade had again locked him in.
He’d not tried to talk Charlie out of standing watch. She felt a great deal of responsibility for her brother and more than a little guilt. Kade well understood the protective instincts of older siblings. When he was a boy and quite ill, Nick had often remained by his side into the deep watches of the night, as if doing so could hold back whatever dangers might threaten Kade. Charlie felt the same kind of loyalty toward her little brother, but he hoped his lass would soon realize that she wasn’t alone anymore. Kade was more than willing to fight for her and with her, and for Johnny, too.
As he paused outside the lad’s bedroom door, he heard the muffled murmur of voices and hoped Johnny was finally confiding in his sister. They needed the full truth if there was to be any chance of bringing Morgan to heel.
That the blighter was a canny one was beyond doubt. So far, he’d not give them much in the way of incriminating evidence, nor had he attempted to visit Johnny. Instead, he’d attended to the rest of the family with great solicitude. He’d been at pains to spend time with Lady Kinloch and Melissa and had played billiards with Lord Kinloch and Colin. At one point, Morgan had asked about Charlie’s whereabouts. When informed that she was keeping a strict watch on her brother, he’d simply nodded and gone back to helping Melissa sort her embroidery threads, all while telling amusing stories about life in Edinburgh.
In other words, the suspect was doing his utmost to deflect any suspicion that he might have something to do with Johnny’s troubles.
Kade knocked, and a few moments later Charlie opened the door.
“Good morning, Kade. I was wondering when you would show up.”
He cast a quick glance down the hall before bending to give her a kiss. Charlie’s hand came fleetingly to rest on his chest. Then she gave him a little push and stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind her.
“Sorry,” he said. “I couldn’t resist. Is Johnny all right?”
“Yes, thank goodness. He’s tired and his shoulder is bothering him, which is to be expected. It’s his state of mind that worries me. He’s quite despondent and afraid, although he’s doing his best to hide it from me.”
“He’ll feel better once he tells us the truth.”
“I hope so. He slept quite late, and then Mamma spent time with him this morning, so we haven’t had much chance to talk.”
Kade took in her kilt and riding boots. “I take it you were able to go for a ride this morning while your mother was with him.”
“Yes, I thought a bit of fresh air and a gallop would clear the cobwebs from my brain.”
